New with a question.

JessiStar · Post by **JessiStar** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:07 pm

Hi everybody. I'm new here. I'm 23 and suffer from agoraphobia and panic attacks. I'm currently on week 8 of the program and have been making a good bit of progress. I find I'm still having panic attacks while trying to challenge myself or going through a stressful time, but the attacks aren't as intense as they were before. Do they get less intense before they go away completely? I finally feel as though I'm gaining some control over them, but I just really want them to go away for good already! I guess I'm a bit impatient about that though, lol Anyway, I look forward to posting and gaining some new insight.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 1:49 am

Hi JessiStar.

Yes, your panic attacks can lessen in intensity over time. For most people, they just do not go away for good all of a sudden. Not saying that can't happen, but most people still experience them on a lesser and lesser scale until they completely go away. That was how it was with me. I used to have bad panic attacks, but after I learned how to "flow" through them, they started to lessen in intensity until they didn't appear any more. Keep with the program. It sounds like you are doing just great. They will disappear eventually. Good luck!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:08 am

If you really work at it and face the fear you can take the control back. I have found within this last year that the more I ignore the anxiety the less it bothers me but the more I fall into it's grips and allow it to smother me the more panic attacks I have. Through this learning process you will find things that trigger the attacks also. For me I know that excessive caffeine intake and family stress triggers mine the most. If I start my day with water and drink it for most of the day with maybe a small glass or two of something with caffeine in it my day has much less anxiety however if I start my day with caffeine and drink it continuouly through out the day with no water my day is full of anxiety attacks. I am also finding out the more positive self talk I do the better I am compared to saying negative things which always makes for a bad day. For example, if I start my day with good thoughts and tell myself "its going to be a great day, I can do this" I am not as apt to have an anxious day but if my first thought is of something that has upset me or is bothering me like "I sure hope yesterday won't be like today, I don't want to have panic attacks again" more than likely I will be a lot more anxious. For me it's all about the way I let things get to me. I can be positive and accept things the way they are in my life, knowing I can't control every single person or thing that is going on around me and move on, or I can keep thinking negative and stay upset because I can't contol everything and then stay miserable. Did that make sense lol.

We can all do this together, we can get our lives back. I am still in the mid stages of gaining my independence back. I have been Agoraphobic for most of my life and have suffered with the panic attacks for years as well and want to be able to go and do anything I want without that nagging anxiety monster lurking behind me.

God bless and hugs,
Susan

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:08 am

Dear Chatterbox and all,

I have been on the program for about 2 weeks and I wanted to know if anyone else is having a problem with aligning everything that is required. Such as how do I manage the videos, listening to CD's, doing the workbook, journalizing, peer support, exercising and relaxation CD? I'm somewhat overwhelmed because I have a family I am trying to help too. My husband is very helpful and encouraging but I feel guilty because I feel like all I am doing is draining him. I keep telling myself that I AM MY OWN SAFE PERSON but I know I still depend of him for really bad moments. My son is 16 and he is in his own world but I worry about how I am affecting him as well. He can tell in five minutes if I am in a depressed mood. A little help here? Jo Ann

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:04 am

I don't have a job, I'm divorced, and my son is away at college, so I am all alone in my house every day, but I STILL have trouble trying to meet all the demands of the program.I got affirmations from my coach and I try to read them, but I can't get to it, or the relaxation CD, three times a day!I'm more depressed than anxious, and listening to some of the CDs is kind of scary to me, I'm not usually afraid to fly, but I worry that CD2, with its explanations of panic attacks, is going to make me prone to freaking out next time I have to fly at Thanksgiving. Being alone all the time with no family and few friends really wears me out--I just don't know what to do all the time even though I know I should spend more time with the program. I really want to just get in bed and pass out as best as I can.But I have to stop myself. Trouble is, I get tired of trying to keep myself busy all the time!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 4:13 pm

Thanks so much for the advice! I'm really hoping the panic attacks do go away soon. That seems to be the only difficulty I'm having at the moment. I'm much better at riding through them now which seems to make them a lot shorter than they used to be. I think somewhere in my mind, a tiny bit of me still worries they might hurt me in some way. My biggest fear has always been having a heart attack from the panic attacks, but I just have to keep telling myself that they will not harm me. I think I may go through session 2 again, just to make sure I absorbed all the information.

Many blessings to you all.