Help

[King1990]

I suffer from severe daily panic attacks.....it feels like what i tead a heart attack feels like and im worried that it is reaking havoc on my health....adrenal fatigue...heart problems etc im on medications and they help a little but not much. The inly thing that helps are benzos but i try hard not to take due to high rate of addiction.....i just dont know what to do anymore.....i cant live like this

[Brummie8095]

It sounds you are in a severe part of life,?the only thing I can suggest is find a doctor and get help.

Good luck

[Hidden]

Get yourself checked at your local A&E and if it's clear from there then I would look into breathing techniques that you can use when you feel the panic start.

Also have you someone you could call for a chat?

Sometimes by not communicating we run the risk of making something small feel like it's a mountain.

You should talk through what you are feeling, either with someone whom you trust or someone qualified to deal with panic issues. Maybe through your GP?

I hope you improve.

Take care of yourself - you have as much right to be here and we'll as anyone else on the planet.

[King1990 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. Right now I usually call my mm when the panic is really bad, but I can tell she i getting tired of me calling and i don't really feel comfortable doing it anymore. She doesn't understand the severity of this disorder and just gets more annoyed than anything. I will try talking to my GP for maybe suggestions on who to talk to about this like a 24/7 contact line or something.

[Hidden in reply to King1990]

Yes definitely go to GP -

I did a quick search about anxiety and panic attacks and this may help you - they have information about causes and treatments.

Helping yourself can only be the first step to something better! Keep positive and keep talking!

Take care

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

sorry forgot link

mind.org.uk/information-sup...

[debdulieu]

I went through a panicking time a couple of years ago. Was sure it was my heart. Went to my gp and got referred for tests. Was told it was panic attacks and my health was good. Then got help from a counsellor. I only needed a few sessions. Trust me i feel a thousand times better. It's not weak admitting every now and then we need some help. Positive thinking and breathing exercising work wonders but also make an appointment to get medically check out. Good luck and look after yourself x

[King1990 in reply to debdulieu]

Thank you. My Grandpa passed away just 2 weeks ago of a sudden heart attack so recently even more so than before, I've been thinking that its my heart too.

[joanie-o]

I feel for you, it must be very scary. The advice from debdulieu is good but I see that you live in the USA so access to help may not be easily available to you. Two of my close family members have received help from counsellors but this was free to them on the NHS.

This forum is a friendly place to be with warm and caring people to talk to but human contact would be nicer. Do you have a relative or friend who you trust enough to confide in?

I hope that you find help soon, let us know how you get on please. Lots of hugs.

[DartmoorDumpling Restart Feb 2024]

You are looking inwards and watching your body's anxiety; maybe you can look into finding distractions to encourage you to look outwards. Walk a dog, stroke a cat, brush a horse....always has been my answer to tension and anxiety. Animals have a calming effect and take your mind off your worries. A morning spent looking after an animal's needs can make you pleasantly weary and able to properly rest. Maybe an elderly neighbour might like their dog exercised, or volunteer in a rescue centre? If you can't leave the house, then maybe start with a small pet to look after? Anything to take you outside of yourself.

[mandyflatt]

Hi,I have suffered from depression for years and the only that has helped is trips to the doctors for ordinary anti depressants on a long term basis and trying to keep my mind occupied with other things,please go back to the doctors and have a chat xx

[ava10]

Hi king 1990 l have had panic attacks and my heart goes out to you have you anybody to speak to when you share these problems you realise you are not the only one also l read a book by clare weeks called peace from nervous suffering which did it for me she will tell you how to face these fears let them come then you reilise they havent hurt you so you will begin to challange them and you will win good luck keep posting keep contact xxx

[King1990 in reply to ava10]

Thank you. I will try to order this book. Thanks for the recommendation.

[HealthyTanja]

Hello King1990 ,

Panic attacks suck! Join us for the Happiness Challenge: healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... It's a very supportive place (as is this forum in general) and the daily exercises will help help you to calm your mind, gain a more positive outlook and overall help with the anxiety. All the best to you!

[King1990 in reply to HealthyTanja]

I have been told many times that exercise helps with anxiety, but i work full time and have much a hard time fitting it into everyday. any suggestions?

[Trierisme 1st 7lbs]

I really feel for you my love; the can be horrific ....... I'm on a drug called quetiapine, prescribed by psychiatrist. Sweetheart you need to see the doc and ask him to refer you to your local mental health team. Gp's can be fabulous but they are 'general practitioners', a psychiatrist will see you and do an assessment and start you on appropriate meds. Things have changed from years ago, there are useful drugs out there which can really alleviate your suffering, combined with sessions with mental health nurse you can feel so much better & not isolated.

Sending much love; genuinely, if you need to chat give me a shout

[jenwriter]

Hi. i used to get panic attacks as a teen. I used the cognitive behaviour therapy techniques I read in a book called overcoming panic. I had to stick with it but they eased and went. I am not afraid of them but I don't have them. I didn't have any medication. There are plenty of online resources When you have a panic attacks it feels bad but you need to let it be. I would concentrate on my breathing and count each breath until eventually it eased and passed. I visualised the numbers in my head

There are mp3 downloads you can get. i had one for free from a website called first aid for panic. It's just a voice guiding you and easing you.

Since having panic attacks I have had general anxiety but now I use yoga.cbt and minfulness and I am doing very well. Your doctor could help I myself wasn't diagnosed properly for years and by then I had lost patience with doctors for not helping me as a teen. I think back then my age made them think I was lying or stressed. Theyve improved since then but tend to give out drugs too freely for my liking. Drugs wont sort out the cause but talking and getting cbt will. hope you find a solution thats works for you and dont worry it is possible to live panic free. This is just a set back and you can find your way through. All thes best

[Hidden]

Hello,

I absolutely sympathise with you, as I have been going through much the same thing. No one who has not had a panic attack can possibly imagine just how awful it feels, and the fact that, while it is a mental condition, it actually makes you feel physically ill.

It's not much comfort, but at least you aren't alone. Many, many people suffer with this horrible illness. And goodness knows what it costs the country in people being too ill to work.

Have you only been getting them recently, or is it a longterm problem? Can you identify what might have made them start? It's likely to be caused by stress - not always something big happening, but often just the adding together of lots of sad things, disappointments etc in life. In this way, panic can actually be a way for your body to tell you that something needs attention that you might have been not noticing before. It's the body's way of shouting at you!

I think it is worth asking your doctor if you can have counselling and/or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) treatment. Don't just rely on tablets or suffer in silence. There are also lots of books around which can offer ideas about relaxation. Also, just understanding what is going on physically, and being reassured that it is not a heart problem, can help to manage the attacks when they occur.

When my panic disorder was at its worst I tried hypnotherapy, which I didn't personally find very helpful (although it does help some people), and something called EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing), which I did think helped me quite a bit. So you could look into that.

Finally, although panic attacks are awful, and you may always have a tendency to be a bit panicky, with the right help and effort they can be managed and even "cured". So it is worth seeking out the right help.

All the best.

[Trierisme 1st 7lbs in reply to Hidden]

Hi there MEBXYZ, I thought your post was excellent, God I wish you had been around when I started to become ill !

[Hidden in reply to Trierisme]

Thank you for your nice comments! I've learned the hard way, through having panic myself!