Panic and anxiety

[apaulm]

Hey everyone I started having panic attacks for about 2 years now I don't have them all the time if anything I have mini episodes. Before any of this had started, I use to never worry about my health and any anxiety I had was the norm. But now it feels as though everyday is a struggle. I've become hypersensitive so I feel pretty much everything little pinches, tingles, itches, etc and why I say mini episodes is because every time I feel one of these I start to panic thinking it is something more. Recently, I've been freaking out about having a headache thinking I'm having a stroke when in reality it's just a common headache/caffeine withdrawal (was an regular caffeine drinker and have reduced this significantly). Some days I feel like I have this anxiety under control and others it takes over. I've researched plenty on how to cope and overcome it, but I don't feel like I'm making a lot of progress...or any at all. Just hoping someone on here knows what this feels like if not currently going through the same thing.

[BonnieSue]

Oh, you have plenty of company here. I'm not currently one of them but I have been long ago. I still remember well how bad it was. Every minute felt like an hour when my anxiety was high. I learned a lot of coping skills back then. It would be hard for me to pass them on here and now. I used to slow down my breathing if I found it too fast, I would count it out in order to slow it. I would also distract myself by thinking of almost anything but my anxiety. I would look around my room or focus on the TV or read or anything at all just not anxiety. This takes real effort but is worth it. Exercise is very helpful, too. Walking fast and furious is very helpful. I'd get out on my neighborhood street and walk very fast. I attended Recovery meetings and learned a whole new vocabulary of talking down my anxiety levels instead of "working up" my anxiety. It was very good and helpful. These methods were formulated back when there were no meds for anxiety and depression and they do work.