topic Recent anxiety attack in Anxiety

Recent anxiety attack

Ree85 — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 13:57:23 GMT

4 weeks ago I had my first massive anxiety attack. I have always worried and over thought about things but this particular time really hit me hard.

i was wondering what are some way that everyone copes with anxiety. I'm also looking for ppl who are going through a similar thing to talk to more often

I'm seeing a therapist which I'm due for my second apt this week. Some days are great where others days are just horrible. My husband doesn't understand at all

Recent anxiety attack

Fairywings — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:11:19 GMT

Hi there lovely and welcome. I'm so sorry you had to endure the nature of this monster we all here call anxiety. To help me get thru i talk to my anxieties and ask them to leave and that they r not welcome. I know this may sound a bit odd but it works. As I call it fight this monster in ur head with all ur might. This does take a little practice but once u get the hang of it ur anxieties become weaker over time in which they r no longer controlling ur mind u r controlling ur mind. I would also advise to distract urself with the things ub enjoy doing in life and when you feel it creeping up on u bc that's it's nature start writing all ur feelings out on paper its better than keeping them locked away. I'm glad that you are linked in with a therapist and im sorry ur hubby doesn't understand where ur coming from. If u can get him to sit in on one of ur sessions that way he is exposed to the emotions and feeling that r trapping your mind from moving forward with life. If this isn't an option write him a letter and let him read it absorb the info in his own time and space but I think it would be good for him to go along to one of ur sessions so he can also learn how to support you when ur having a hard time xx it was nice to have spoken with you please do keep in touch with us xx Venessa

Recent anxiety attack

Starwolf — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 01:45:09 GMT

Hi Ree, welcome to the forums.

Anxiety attacks can be very scary indeed. The fear they cause contributes to reinforcing them so it can become a self-perpetuating, vicious circle. Their irrational aspect makes it difficult for sufferers to understand, even more so for those around us. Feeling isolated and misunderstood adds to the distress.

Well done for taking the proactive approach. The decision to reach out and see a therapist shows your courage and determination to manage this painful situation. This positive attitude will be a precious ally.

Due to ignorance of what anxiety really is, those who witness it feel out of their depth so they often end up being unhelpful, shrugging it off or withdrawing. It doesn't mean they don't care. Information given by professional outsiders often helps resolve this issue. Written info also helps. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you will find you can order informative leaflets free of charge (from the Get Support section).

There are techniques to help you over those anxious times. You can for example google Relaxed Breathing and Relaxed Body Scan. Practice of mindfulness is a useful tool...and a good distraction as it focuses the mind elsewhere. Taming the runaway mind is not easy. Calm persistence is the key. In the long run, it is well worth the effort it requires.

Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to keep posting here ...a good therapy in itself. It is a safe haven where you will not be judged or misunderstood. A journey along this path is more pleasant in good company. Good to have you with us.

Recent anxiety attack

BballJ — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 14:05:13 GMT

Hi Ree85,

Welcome to the forums.

I can relate heavily with you as i suffer from anxiety and find not many of the people close to me understand how bad it actually is and do shrug it off and don't fully get it. I have had the anxiety attacks before, been in hospital on my first one as i had no idea what it was and i was young. After 10 years of shrugging of anxiety, putting it into the back of my mind and trying to ignore it, after 10 years it finally fully got me and i had to do something about it, i wasnt sleeping, eating, i had no desire to work, among other things but i am finally getting help and started to see a psychologist who is already giving me great tools and talking through things which is helping. The GP put me on medication, which i started taking but went off them recently but i did notice they were helping.

Anxiety is nasty but talking about it really helps, especially in these forums with people like myself who really do understand what you're going through so please post back as many times as you wish, we are all here to help.

My best for you.

Jay

Recent anxiety attack

Moonstruck — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:31:36 GMT

Good morning all....I am not making much sense at the moment.....excuse any typos...I can feel a mini panic attack coming on.../can you have mini ones? Guess I mean I feel really stressed, about to get on a plane and visit family that I love....but always hoping hoping weekend plans go well, everyone is happy, all goes smoothly etc. why can't I just let it be???

A former partner of mine is picking me up for the Airport lift....he rang out of the blue and offered, so that's good. Someone has to take me after all. But I am so nervous about what to say to him, talk about, I didn't get to say, explain, all I wanted to..this is my only chance! I have something so important to clarify with him. It's been bugging me for the past few months. I am so scared of seeing him again. he used to practically worship me and I have broken his heart!

I don't want to get on a plane in tears, or feel sad all weekend with my family.....how can I get on top of this mini attack? Please help!

Recent anxiety attack

BballJ — Sat, 10 Sep 2016 14:44:29 GMT

Hi Moonstruck,

Sorry for the delay in replying to you, i just got on the forums now.

I also tend to get mini panic attacks about various things and the only way i can calm myself down is deep breathing and concentrating on that, and that only. In regards to your issue i think you need to look at this from a positive point of view, you said you broke this persons heart who is picking you up, which is apart of life unfortunately however i think the positive to look at here is the fact this person called you out of the blue and offered to pick you up as a kind gesture, we all have been faced with seeing someone from our past and always think what will we say to them, the easiest thing i can suggest is let it flow, i'm not sure how long its been since you have seen this person, but i'd talk about general stuff, pretend its a friend you haven't caught up with in a while and you just talk about what has been happening in your life, which you will probably find will lead you too this important thing you wish to clarify with them. Think of this as your chance to explain everything you feel you need to explain, not many people get this opportunity in their life and end up holding it inside so this again is a positive thing. I know it's always easier said than done but one thing my anxiety has taught me, it is to face things head on.

In the meantime, try and stay positive and think happy thoughts, think about the great weekend you will have with your family and how much fun you will have seeing everybody.

My best for you.

Jay

Recent anxiety attack

Jamielee88 — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 10:42:23 GMT

Im in the same boat as you ree i know how u feel some days r better than others. Ide like to be talk buddies if u want as i dont have anyone really to talk to about it. Fairywings is good to talk to

Recent anxiety attack

Cornstarch — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 21:06:32 GMT

Hi Ree85 - Sorry to hear about your anxiety.

Anxiety is the absolute pits isn't it. I have been on the anxiety trajectory my entire life. To me anxiety feels like a schoolyard bully that circles the perimeter of the playground, never letting me know when they will pounce, but they always do. Just like rocking up to school where you know a bully resides and you never know what sort of a day you'll have - anxiety is the same. You'll never know what sort of a day you'll have.

I was such an ignorant fool. My panic attacks got up and left one day and here I was thinking it was a result of all of my "inner work". Good on me. I deserve a medal or something for "over-coming" them. That went on for a few years and I was of course relieved.

But guess what mate they are back. I know why they are back because I have now reached root causes but that certainly does not make them any easier to live with. I won't bore you with the tedious narrative.

I'm always astounded by how many women and young girls forget the power of hormones. Mine are always always always always always worse around certain times of the month. I also have 3 days a month where as a result of my un-balanced hormones I sleep at Taronga Zoo where I belong. I climb the fence, no-one's the wiser, it's quite snug really.

Everyone feels like a freak with anxiety. That's what anxiety is. The arousal doesn't match the context.

Good luck.

Recent anxiety attack

Inner_strength — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 22:17:12 GMT

Hi Ree85 ,

I'm feeling exactly the same as you at the moment , I've struggle with anxiety for half my life , I'll be fine for a while even years sometimes but then it rears its ugly head and BAM I feel like it all starts over again . I would love people to talk to who are going through the same thing

Recent anxiety attack

Cornstarch — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 01:02:25 GMT

What type of anxiety comes back? GAD or Panic or another type?

Just when we get proud and relived it's over the bully comes around the wall at the school canteen doesn't he/she

Recent anxiety attack

Inner_strength — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 01:08:45 GMT

GAD and some panic attacks .

It seems like never ending roller coaster and like a bully at school !

But I just have to keep remembering that I've gotten through it before and I'll get through it again

Recent anxiety attack

Cornstarch — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 07:05:34 GMT

I'm sorry about your GAD. I was never GLAD about having my GAD, I bet your were GLAD when it went!

And now the bully has grabbed a sausage roll with tomato sauce from the canteen and they are heading straight over to you. What fun.

As for panic attacks they are the strangest things. I often wonder what happened the precise millisecond that some sort of sensory information hits my nervous system just before it starts. But you'll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out, there's no point. I hate serving up 'clinical psychologist' speak to people but its really hard not to when it can help a little. The power of the mind is amazing, and as ridiculous as this sounds, changing your relationship to the panic attacks, how you frame them to yourself and confidence can do a lot to help shift them. It felt like it took hundreds for me. But in some ways the key feature of panic attacks of "feeling like you are going mad" was made even worse because of the mental health conditions in my family. I also had to change and examine the internal narrative I had around so called craziness to help alleviate them.

That said not everyone has a narrative, or a story, these things can be nothing more than simply some sort of biological malfunction that is yet to be proved by our brilliant scientists. A health condition that has to be managed and can be overcome. Good luck.

Recent anxiety attack

Moonstruck — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 01:26:19 GMT

Thank you Jay

Just letting you know it went well - my former partner and I talked quite easily and there were no dramas. All seems well which is a big relief to me - at least that part of the weekend went well.

To my dismay my son and wife are having serious marital problems (they have kids) my heart is breaking for them. The wife suffers from depression/anxiety. She seems buried in a mountain of gloom and yet has everything to live for...Neither my son nor I know how to deal with it properly. I am hoping hoping hoping she gets professional help asap - I have done all I can letting her know what is available including BB.

Watching my son's pain and empty life he now is leading also, devoid of any love or laughter is tearing me apart and the effect of their mother's sadness makes me fearful for my grand children who are the innocents in this. I had to stay strong and together all weekend and not allow my own anxiety and panic to take over....there is so much tension within me, I don't know how it is going to come out now that I am at home. thanks for listening.

Recent anxiety attack

CMF — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 06:29:13 GMT

Hi,

I'm going thru a period of anxiety/panic attacks too. I do find its worse at certain time of the month. B6 vitamin is meant to be good, I bought some today as well as magnesium. I feel the need to be out walking, breathing in the air. today my little one was at kinder and I walked in the cold, wet weather and loved it. I could have just kept going. the air was crisp and fresh. I find this helps me as I take deep breaths. I also started doing brain training games, these can be a good distraction. I try to watch something I really enjoy on tv too. next wek I am going to see about having hormnones tested as too much estrogen not enough progesterone causes anxiety/panic.

cmf

Recent anxiety attack

CMF — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 09:42:30 GMT

Also avoid sugar and drink herbal teas, green tea, chamomile are good. Eat healthy fruits and veg and look into vitamin b8

Recent anxiety attack

BballJ — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 12:57:14 GMT

Hi Moonstruck,

Great to hear it went well with the ex partner, that's one positive to take and keep in your mind. Very disappointing to hear about you sons marriage, always a difficult time in anyone's life and all you can do is be there for both of them which you are and I am sure they realize that. You seem to hold a lot of tension and pain from other people which is hard to do but it's what happens when you care about everyone, I feeling I know all too well. Just need to remain positive and keep posting back. My best for you 🙂

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Hi Ree85, Cornstarch, Inner Strength and CMF.

Everyone posts resonate with me, regarding the panic attacks and anxiety. Can't move forward has put some great tips there which I personally will try a few of them, I personally find music as an escape to distract me. I connect with a few songs and I just put them on and listen.

Inner Strength - I hear what you are saying loud and clear, I can do weeks, months being fine but then anxiety pops up out of the blue and as you said rears its ugly head. I am learning to deal with them when they come on, a friend of mine is giving me a book about panic attacks, its a cartoon story about them and how to deal with them, apparently it helped her, once I get it, I will post the title may be an option for you and everyone else going through them.

My best for everyone on this post.

Jay