Health Anxiety and Panic Attacks

[Hope83]

Hi everyone

I’ve been struggling with health anxiety for a while now and have had so many tests to rule out medical causes of physical symptoms that I have experienced. I am at the point now that I know and accept that I have health anxiety and that any kind of physical sensation that feels out of the ordinary sparks my anxiety. The problem is that this often results in a panic attack. I am so much better at dealing with them when they happen and I can get them to stop more quickly than they were but I would like to get to a point where they don’t come in the first place. I’m just looking for any tips or positive stories really on getting the panic attacks to stop all together. Any ideas?

[Gothlic]

I don't have any ideas I'm sorry. That's good you are more able to stop your panic attacks I'm not yet i suffer from health anxiety and GAD also other medical problems all I can say is try to breathe deep.

[Hope83 in reply to Gothlic]

I highly recommend the techniques from Claire Weekes books for dealing with panic attacks. Another one that I have liked is one called ‘anxiety and panic: how to reshape your anxious mind and brain’ by Dr Harry Barry. It tells you in detail about how the brain works and causes stress and panic in your body. Understanding it has made me feel more in control. Basically what I try to do now is to not fight the panic attack. I accept it for what it is and that the panic attack itself can’t harm me. I tend to just say to myself ‘this is horrible but not harmful’ over and over and stay still and just let it come. It is hard at first because it’s the opposite of what your body is telling you to do and sometimes, even where deep down I know it is a panic attack, my brain is telling me that it’s something more. After doing this for a while though it really has helped me to bring them to an end more quickly. I just wish I could stop them starting in the first place.

Wishing you luck!

[Gothlic in reply to Hope83]

Thank you I will definitely check those out I hope your doing good too I've also learned to just let the panic consume me just it's kinda hard tho because I also have to control my asthma so I don't wind up in the house good luck have a nice day 🤗🤗

[Beevee in reply to Hope83]

Carry on what you are doing (nothing and just letting it happen offering no resistance) will eventually bring full recovery. Apply the principles you have learnt from Dr Claire Weekes, in full, will lead to recovery because it’s a natural physiological process. No fear means no anxiety.

[Gothlic in reply to Beevee]

Yes definitely

[Hope83 in reply to Beevee]

Thank you!! I think I might re-read the book!! The idea of having no fear still feels a way off but i will get there!!

[Ajrea2]

I feel like I just read my own words. I too have healthanxiety and panic disorder. I made a lot of changes in the last year which has helped. I used to make myself sick with fear because of the physical symptoms of anxiety. I find what helps is journaling and making a gratitude list. I try to stay busy so I'm not constantly thinking and dwellingon how I'm feeling. feel free to message me if you need to!

[Hope83 in reply to Ajrea2]

Thanks so much. I actually started doing a gratitude journal and then it tailed off. As well as the anxiety type books I’ve been reading some more spiritual type self help books, not really religious, just about energy and how thinking about the wrong things can bring more of what you don’t want into your life - it’s really interesting. I try my best to just put positive thoughts and energy out there but it’s so hard with anxiety because it’s like your hard wired with these anxious thoughts...especially when every physical sensation that isn’t usual causes even more physical symptoms. I think I will pick up the gratitude journal again like you said. There are so many good things in life that you just forget when your anxious aren’t there.

[Hidden]

I feel like I'm in the same boat as you. Exactly what you described, I feel them too. I think I'm going to visit a psychologist because I'm frustrated now. I feel a physical sensation then boom panic attack. I'm sick of it.

[Hope83 in reply to Hidden]

Good look with the psychology sessions. What I’ve learnt from reading posts on here is that different things resonate with and work for different people - hopefully psychology input is what does it for you! Wishing you luck!

[designguy]

Hello Hope, you're having the panic attacks because you are having anticipatory anxiety about the physical sensations. Thinking about them and trying to not think about them or hope they don't turn into a panic attack are all active ways of engaging anxiety, which maintains the anxiety. Like Bevee said, when you accept that your body is sensitized from a panic attack and it takes awhile for it to calm down you will start to recover. Full recovery begins when you can accept the panic feelings, know what they are and know that your mind and body are playing tricks with you and don't believe them. It's scary as hell at first but after a few times you will realize it is no big deal.

What helped in my recovery was to encourage and welcome them to happen. I figured I had already experienced the worst that could happen, which was the panic/anxiety, so I had nothing to lose. i was also totally determined to recovery.

[Hope83 in reply to designguy]

Thanks designguy! What you have said makes absolute sense and sounds like it’s worked for you. I think that although I deal with the actual panic attacks better I’m not really really dealing with the worry/thoughts that lead up to them. Sometimes I know why one has happened but sometimes it feels like they come from nowhere, but I’m sure there must be some kind of panic feelings leading to them that maybe I’m not picking up of because I’m so used to them being there. It’s really good to know that there are people out there who recover from this so thank you.