Long time anxiety sufferer, first time poster!

[Mumma7]

Hi everyone! I’ve had anxiety and OCD since I was 12, worrying about everything! It got much worse after each time I had a child (hormones) and I suffered very badly after my first 2 children and had counselling and was put on and anti-depressant. My third child is now 5 months old and I was perfectly fine until these past few weeks. I can tell my hormones have gone crazy again but also I’m talking myself in to going through bad anxiety again. I avoid going out because I’m scared of having an anxiety attack when I’m out and the horrible feeling it brings. I’ve been having random anxiety attacks over nothing, this feeling just comes over me and I feel like something horrible is about to happen and sometimes I struggle to control it. I feel like I can’t breath, get panicky and sweaty and just cant stop my mind from thinking horrible things. I also do this thing where I control my breathing, I breath in and out constantly to the point I don’t know how to not control it? Then I dread going out because I fear starting doing the breathing Thing again. I don’t want to be back here again as I’ve been doing so so well the past year and a half! I just want to be strong and push through this and not let it take over. Anyone else going through anything similar and have any tips to combat it? Thanks 🙂

[Doolhof]

Hi Mumma7,

Welcome to the community here. I would like to suggest that you go and have a chat with your Dr. You mentioned you have recently had another baby and this happening to you seems to be familiar. The Dr. may have some advice on how to handle how you are feeling.

Regarding the breathing, could you practise some deep relaxing breathing at home. Say breathe in for 6 seconds hold for 3 seconds then breathe out again for 6 seconds. Or tell yourself to breathe in slowly and calmly, hold for a little while and breathe out peacefully again.

Could you try going out for a walk in your neighbourhood and see how that feels for you, if you start to feel anxiety, there may be somewhere for you to sit for a while, to calm yourself down, realise the anxiety will pass and then go on further or return home again.

It is tough when the anxiety feels like it has such a hold on you that it stops you from doing things. I struggle with my depression and anxiety at times. (Well quite a bit lately)I feel that when I do have the courage to go out and do something, I manage to beat these issues to a certain degree. Each time I achieve something, I feel a little better.

If hormones are adding to how you are feeling, the Dr may be able to offer some solutions.

You also mentioned you have been feeling good previously, are there some things you can implement that have helped in the past? I understand that when you are in a bad place this is difficult, but it does help if you can press through.

Even if you try one little strategy or take one small step. It will help.

Wishing you well, cheers from Dools

[Croix]

Dear Mumma7~
Panic attacks are horrible frightening things, and I believe are an excess of adrenaline resulting from a misplaced fight-or-flight response.

Mrs Dools has already given you some excellent advice, including a breathing technique to restore the oxygen balance in your body and promote calm. I’d like to add a couple of things that have helped me.

First I try to be stubborn and keep doing whatever it was before the attack started – maybe tidying the house, doing ironing (yes a male ironing:) , writing a document or whatever. As it starts to lessen I try to concentrate on my surroundings. I repeat to myself (with increasing conviction) that it is only a panic attack – not a heart attack, I’ve had them before and will no doubt have them again. I’ve always survived and always will.

I also use a free smartphone app called Smiling Mind, which with practice does calm the mind and get one out of a cycle of out of control anxious thoughts.

I understand that the reason the attack occurred – the idea or fear one was set off off by – needs to be identified, however for me that has been something I’ve done in therapy.

Hope this helps a little

Croix

[hellboy]

Hey Mumma7,

I struggle to go out ANYWHERE, it takes me some time to act on going to the dr or even to the shops. Just recently I was asked to go to dinner at a all you can eat buffet and I vomitted because of the stress. I sat their through the night being polite but I just wanted to go home. I eat some sweets and that was all, I throw up and having a beard took a bit off cleaning. I recently went oversea for a friend to celebrate Chinise knew year with his family which is a big cultural change for me being aussie and instead of telling the truth i did it for our friendship but after the second day I was sick. the next 5 days consisted of vomiting and stress issues caused by my my gastropriases caused buy stress. When I put on my uniform im happy to act the professional role but when I take it off I can be myself, thats my struggle as well as other issues but anxiety is not something that goes away and seoqel doesn't always solve. This is ongoing for years but know I have things in place to help me manage this but we are all individuals and what works for me might not work for you so hang in there and your not alone, thats fot sure. all the best but let you know anxiexy i would not wish it on my worst enemy

Take care

Billy

[Mumma7]

Thanks so much for your advice, I try to keep doing what I was doing before the attack and if I can, it’s a big win! Haha! I will download that app thanks 🙂

[Mumma7]

Oh I understand that feeling of going out and just wanting to go home all too well!! One thing I was told that helped was to really try and not count down til home time when I’m out and try and be present in what I’m doing instead of plotting my escape..it does help when I really try hard! Thanks for your comment and help!