FEAR of FEAR

[sunnyg]

I am soooo afraid of having a panic attack it's really all I think about. I can get distracted for a bit, but then my nervous energy reminds me I could spiral out of control at any moment. CRAP!

I had a particularly bad attack yesterday and had to resort to Xanax to get me back on track. After the pill I slept for a few minutes and then went shopping and had a great appetite and felt pretty normal.

Than BAM, as soon as I open my eyes it's back,

I am not obsessing over my health or anything in particular..I am obsessing over my anxiety feelings and the escalation of them.

I am fearful of fear. I panic about panic.

Anyone else?

[Hidden]

Its because your stuck in the anxiety cycle, it becomes a case of "what if" instead of " so what"

I was constantly thinking, "what if I get the fear when I'm alone" "what if I pass out" " what if I panic and can't calm myself" etc etc etc, I too was keeping myself in a state of complete fear, my mind n body was so over sensitized,

I eventually began to practice replacing my "what ifs" with "so whats",

So what if I fainted, it wouldn't kill me, "so what" if I get full of panic n fear, that won't kill me either etc etc etc, I know it sounds easier said than done to just accept the overwhelming unpleasant symptoms, but with practice you can do it, it just takes time n acceptance, you don't have to do anything else, allow your body/mind to heal its self, be patient, and just practice xxx

[sunnyg in reply to Hidden]

If I had a gold star, I'd give it to you. Thanks so much for the kind and helpful words. YES, so what if I panic. I've done it a million times and it's always left me eventually. Practice, practice, practice. I shall!

[Hidden in reply to sunnyg]

Exactly, infact each time you get the dreaded panic, just use it as another opportunity to practice accepting it, its horrible n scary, but yes, it always passes eventually, your safe, it can't do anything more than scare you, xxx

[Cat33 in reply to Hidden]

Try changing the What ifs to So what's Also I bet none of the things you fear have actually happened

You have said it yourself it's all you can think about but when you distract yourself it eases

Try alternative nostril breathing its very calming

Close one nostril with your finger breathe in close that nostril release the other and breathe out You have to think about it as you do it so it's distracting and after a few "rounds" you will start to feel very calm xx

[LDS32 in reply to Hidden]

This is the Essential in recovery. You have to say so what to everything. Even if it is actually a really health problem. People on oxygen go to my local Diner and are happy as all heck. We can be too.

[Angela15]

That's what is happening to me, interesting responses, tried to accept feelings but they don't seem to get any better.