Stress Center Peer Support

I am new here, I have had Panic Attacks and anxiety for 10 years now. It started while I was going though a rough patch in my marriage, and going to college full time,and working one full time job, and a part time job. I have suffered through missing weddings, parties, pretending to not answer requests for getting together for tea with long lost friends. But tonight I hit an all time low. My Husband's grandma was in the ER tonight. We got the call as we were taking his mom out for her birhday. She wanted to go to a place that was out of my comfort zone. I got through that, I even got out of the utterly panicked feelings I get when we took the short cut through a really bad part of town to get to the ER. I followed an old friend through the ER, through the double doors, that locked, and she swiped another door, and it unlocked, and then locked, and I started sweating, and feeling like I just wanted to run. So I told the family to go on ahead and told Rachel I needed to go to the bathroom, I wasn't feeling well. I regrouped and left the bathroom and all of a sudden I am disoriented and couldn't figure out where I was and what direction I needed to take, and the crossroads where I was at had noone there but me. I tried the first door and ended up at the back of the waiting room. I saw part of his family at one end of the place so I went and sat with them, I never could get the courage to go see her after that. I left feeling so disparaged and down.

Wow I can totally relate to that . I feel that way everytime I have to go the Doctor. I hate hospitals or even my Dr's clinic. I did find out coincidentally that 2 visits ago I went for bloodwork and found out my thryoid was not working and those symptoms were similar to panic so when I got the right meds that helped some but when I went last time I kept telling myself "I would be okay, this is the perfect place to be when I am sick since they are here for sick people and they are compassionate here and patient" also I knew the visit would be not too long and I kept water with me to sip on and mags to read. I sweat thru it like I was sick or something but I made it taking deep breaths and reminding myself that this was a good thing to be doing. It was sooo hard but I cried tears of joy that I made it. I think that you stayed in he waiting room is AWESOME. You could have left but you stayed!! I am so proud of you for that and you went in and checked the place out and trusted your friend that is all Great in my opinion. Like I was reminded tonight... all these baby steps add up to Bigger steps and they are all working towards the common good!
Keep on keepin on!!


J~

Thanks so much for your encouragement. I found today that Grandma had surgery today for gall bladder surgery. She is going to be fine - thanks again for your words.

Jacqueline's Song,
Jillzmind couldn't have said it better. You could have left but you stayed. You had those horrible feelings and you didn't run out and you didn't have a heart attack. I hope you are proud of yourself because that is a major achievement, especially because you were dealing with doctors and the hospital. I don't like going to the doctor either because he only wants to write new prescriptions. This program gets to the heart of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. Antianxiety or antidepressants may work if you just remember that they are a temporary tool to help you on the way.
Once again, remember YOU DID GOOD!
Les