Always having worrying thoughts

[Ukrose]

Hi there. First time for me joining in on discussions but I feel like I'm going crazy. I had a bad panic attack some weeks ago, it was the worst thing I have ever felt. Since that day I worry constantly about having another one. I try to keep busy to keep my mind active but I find these negative thoughts just pop into my head. I think about things that happened years ago and beat myself up about how I should have done things differently and if I did my life would be better. Night time is the worse when the house is quiet thats when I panic. Has anyone else felt like this and how did you help yourself?

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Ukrose,

Good on you for reaching out here. I hope you’re finding your way around the forums okay. Please know you’re most welcome here 🙂

The panic attack that you had a few weeks ago has clearly had a lasting emotional effect on you. It must have been such a frightening and unsettling experience. No wonder you’re still feeling so shaken by it...

I get what you’re saying about the constant worries of having another one. Sometimes I feel the fear of having another panic attack is enormously nerve racking itself and feeds into this whole anxiety cycle.

I feel for you...I have had my bouts of anxiety before . So while our experiences might be different, I have a basic understanding of what you’re going through.

I was thinking you might find looking up a certain thread called self help tips for managing anxiety to be helpful as it contains a wealth of coping strategies for anxiety. You can find it if you type “self help tips for managing anxiety” in the BeyondBlue search bar (or if you visit the anxiety forums, it’s one of the threads pinned at the very top).

Otherwise, I don’t know if you’ve spoken to a professional before. But I feel a good starting point is to book a long appointment with your GP and enquire about a mental health care plan.

What the care plan does is it entitles you to a certain number of Medicare rebatable psychologist visits. A psych can help you find strategies to manage your panic attacks/anxiety, for example. Maybe you might like to think about this as well...

As I said, you’re most welcome here. Feel free to chat, vent, etc here if you find letting out some of your feelings here helpful. There’s no pressure but I hope we hear from you again if you’re feeling up to writing...

Kind and warm thoughts,

Pepper

[geoff]

Hello Ukrose, and a warm welcome to the site.

No, you're not going crazy and whatever happened years ago, can not be undone, but when you start having negative thoughts may mean that you're having intrusive thoughts and these do just pop into your head but can cause depression, so in other words, it's a spiralling effect, one causes the other to happen.

This doesn't necessarily happen to everyone, but if you are affected by OCD then it's certainly going to happen, but all panic attacks are not linked to OCD, however, both are caused by anxiety.

OCD are thoughts, impulses or images that are unsettling and disturbing', whereas panic attacks are often described as an intense fear followed by trembling, difficulty breathing, and sweating.

We can never be sure if we had changed what we did years ago whether anything would be better, so please don't punish yourself, but I'd like to hear back from you.

Geoff.

[Ukrose]

Hi Pepper

Thank you for welcoming me to the group. I will most definitely read up in the tips for handling anxiety. I have been to see my GP and he has started me on some anxiety medication, I do feel better but am hoping to not have to rely on them. I am still having the negative thoughts and its mainly always at night time.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Ukrose,

You’re most welome 🙂 I’m glad Geoff has said hello to you too...

Also, I think it’s great that you have seen your GP and that you have been reading up on some of the tips on the other thread. Good on you...

Night time does sound particularly difficult for you. I wonder if there’s a particular reason why night time makes those horrible feelings that much worse...either way, I feel for you.

There’s no pressure but if you’re feeling up to it, let us know how you’re going if you’re feeling up to it. We care about how things are going for you.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

[Birdy77]

Hello Ukrose (And Pepper and Geoff 😊),

I can so relate to you thinking back on things that happened years ago and beating yourself up over them. I do that frequently. I also do it about conversations I've had "why did I say that? I wish I hadn't said it that way ..." I frequently disgust myself remembering stuff I wish I had done differently. It's really unhelpful.

I am glad you've been to your doctor, I hope the medicine helps ... I think it's good sometimes to have it even as a backup, it can be calming to know you have it if needed, even if you don't end up taking it.

I can understand the way it gets worse at night when the house goes quiet. It happens to me in the middle of the night sometimes, so I stick my headphones in and listen to a guided meditation when this happens.

I would recommend some mindfulness practices too , when the mind is going 100kms an hour back into the past giving you a hard time.

You're not alone Ukrose!

🌻birdy

[Ukrose]

Hi there Birdy, thanks for your reply I found it very helpful. I know I posted a while ago and have the since but I have been struggling. My Doctor family and some close friends have been really supportive but sometimes I feel these horrible panic attacks are never going to end. I had a few days where I felt lime my old self again and then I found my thoughts wondering to unpleasant thoughts again and sure enough the pins and needles started in my legs and hands and the palpitations in my chest and I just wanted to crawl into bed throw the covers over me and hide. Have you or anyone else been through this and what worked for you? I feel as though these feelings are just sitting on the surface ready to boil over at any minute!

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Ukrose (and a wave to birdy, Geoff and all),

Your anxiety does sound like it has been flaring up lately, which must be very stressful and nerve racking. It must have been so discouraging that you started having panic attacks again just when you started feeling like yourself again...i feel that must have been awful...

I’m glad you have a supportive doctor and close friends though; that’s truly wonderful to hear. It’s good to have caring people on your side...

I have had panic attacks in the past but not recently...they mostly subsided of their own accord so I guess that I was just lucky. But it sounds like it’s more of an ongoing issue for you. So I was thinking, in terms of coping, many people find grounding techniques and mindfulness helpful to manage anxiety.

Perhaps you might like to look into those strategies. Also, I’ve wondered if your GP has discussed coping mechanisms for managing anxiety.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

[Birdy77]

Dear Ukrose, (hi Pepper and Geoff),

I agree with Pepper, it is really good to hear that you have a supportive network around you.

Anxiety and panic can be really scary. I understand your feelings of having it just bubbling under the surface, it's awful.

Have you been able to identify any triggers that may have brought the anxiety to the surface again? Sometimes it can be comforting to pinpoint a trigger, as it provides a bit of a "reason" for the panic, and can help to dissipate it to an extent, as you realise, "ok, I'm feeling like this because of that trigger, but I am actually safe right now, and there is no danger." Sometimes there is no identifiable trigger though ...

Pepper mentioned grounding techniques can help. There is a thread on the forums with lots of ideas for how to ground yourself, if you put "grounding yourself: what is it and how do you" (I think that's the name of the thread) in the search bar above, it should come up.

Sometimes a simple distraction can help, or doing some form of physical movement, walking, digging in the garden, put on some music and vacuum the house ...

Also: remember it will pass ... when I'm in the anxiety, I sometimes name it, and remind myself it will pass, e.g. "Hello Anxiety, I know you anywhere! I can feel you're here right now and that is ok, soon you will be gone." It might sound a bit silly, but in my experience being a bit absurd in it's face can help to dissipate its power.

Hang in there Ukrose.

🌻birdy