Out of control

[Mrscoasty]

Hi everyone!

I am a 41 year old woman who had my first panic attack when my daughter was 1 (I was 27).

I’ve been on medication since then. My anxiety and panic has been up and down in all that time but right now it’s flared up again.

My job is fairly stressful but it hasn’t ever been an issue for me, I thrive on that sort of stress.

Right now we are about to buy a house, and I can’t get this thought out of my head that something bad is going to happen to me before then and I’ll never get to enjoy it. Then I get sad because I haven’t seen my Mum in ages, she lives 2 1/2 hours away, and in my current state of mind driving to see her is out of the question. I’ve done the drive before but the thought of it right now makes me feel sick with nerves.

My thoughts are ‘I’m having a heart attack’ so I hate being alone. We went out for tea the other night for my husbands birthday and I needed to go to the loo....I freaked out having to be in there by myself. I did it, and didn’t die, but it scared me. It feels like I am just waiting for something to happen. An impending sense of doom.

I usually make myself say the alphabet backwards. It’s goid in making me concentrate on something else.

Everyone says that exercise is great, but I can’t do that. One, I’m by myself, and Two, it raises my heart rate which triggers a panic attack.

I love going to sleep at night. I get a break. But I hate going to sleep last. I have to be asleep before my husband.

I don’t know how to get better. I feel like I’m totally out of control spinning around in a vortex and just going through the motions each day, waiting for something terrible to happen.

Thank you for reading.

[Kengy]

Hi Mrscoasty

I’m sorry your anxiety has flared up, I understand how stressful and consuming it is when your anxiety escalates. Have you seen you GP, and told them what’s going on? It might be a good idea to get your medication reviewed by either your GP or a psychiatrist. Sometimes, medication that’s been working well stops working, and you need to change to something else that works. I also recommend you try and get a referral to a psychologist, as they can teach you coping mechanisms to help you through your anxiety.

[Mathy]

Hey MrsCoasty,

Sorry to hear you having a real bad time with your anxiety. Anxiety and depression are 2 issues I know only too well. It’s a little disheartening when things have been going well, to suddenly be floored by that pesky beast yet again!

Have you had a chat to your GP or mental health professional recently? Might be a good idea if things are escalating.

The idea of exercising to increase your heart rate, is a means of desensitising yourself to the increased heart rate bringing on a panic attack. So, I would encourage you to go to the GP and get a check up. Then perhaps consider exercising in an environment that you find safe.

As Kenny has suggested, a referral to a psychologist can help, as they can assist you in getting a better insight as to the what/where/why/how of your anxiety. If exercising is difficult, perhaps meditation or mindfulness work will help. Everybody is different as to what works for them.

This is your thread to discuss your situation, thoughts and feelings. I look forward to hearing about your progress, cheers M 🙂