Hello peeps

[Viper]

Hey new to this forum hoping I can find some people I can relate to with anxiety so on .... Been getting anxiety attacks off and on for a year now or so didn't ever think would happen to me I live a pretty great life with things most people could want or dream of I am aprechtive of life and my spoils... Only to find myself not being able to breath shaking scared of traffic and even really exciting holidays and other things.. I was a guy with no limits no cares in the world sometimes I wanna punch on with the anxiety someone who was so strong to even say to his own friends nah anxiety is just in your head its all going to be ok to now no how it is... Really stuck in life at the best parts I should be enjoying not scared to get into a car and drive and hour or convince myself I am sick to make myself nearly sick arghhhh 😞 positive note I have learned to manage things better breathing especially sleeping and being out doors but for some reason just creeps up on me at times or my mind is always making the story before it happens filling it with the worse case to happen that never does anyway hope I can share my tricks i learned here to others to help if I can that's my story so far

viper 

[White_Rose]

Hello Viper

Writing your first post can be a bit daunting so well done and welcome to this forum.

Anxiety is horrible and from your description it seems you are also having panic attacks. Have you talked to your doctor about this? Getting a professional slant on this is always a good thing. Foe one thing it may help, and therefore reduce your anxiety, to know how and why anxiety works.  If you click on the blue tab The Facts, at the top of the page you can go to Anxiety on the drop down list. There is a huge amount of information available there which you can download or send for. Always good to be informed.

How are you with reading? I recommend a book called Living With It by Bev Aisbett. 'It' is anxiety and the book looks at how to manage 'It'. The book is small, quite funny although the topic is serious and the comments are very helpful. You can read it in an hour and go back and find lots more. If you like it and it's helpful you may want to read the two following books in the series.

No one ever believes they will have any mental illness although the odds are quite high. It is no respector of persons no matter their gender, age, status, friends or job. The Black Dog can definitely be termed egalitarian. So do not be too despondent, there's nothing personal about it. And by that I mean it's nothing you have done that has resulted in your anxiety.

I do urge you to have a chat with your GP as a first step to returning to full health. Very few people manage this on their own simply by the nature of the illness. It does indeed mess with our minds.

Please stay in touch.

Mary

[Stormi71]

Hi Viper,

I have suffered with depression on and off for a long time, but over the last year or so started having worse anxiety and panic attacks. The thing about anxiety is it isn't logical. Even if our logical mind says the "bad things" won't happen, our illogical mind still makes us fear them. Panic attacks can suddenly happen, even when you feel fine. Sometimes it helps if you think more of the positive end result. I do this as I often will start to have a panic attack when driving somewhere, especially somewhere I'm not familiar with. For example, when driving to the shops, rather than be thinking about the driving, I will think about the end result - being at the shops, maybe finding a bargain, maybe treating myself to a new pair of shoes or something. That then makes me look forward to what I'm doing. Other times I have the radio on and I make myself focus on the songs playing. Singing along stops me thinking about the fact that I'm driving somewhere. 

[Viper]

Hey guys was really happy to get your views and knowledge and I am glad I am not alone. That book sounds great to:) reading responses and bein apart of this forum even helps with the anxiety..tell you what's funny I have learned to control my breathing really well basically I  can manage that when it comes so rarely it will come...so now my body's throwing on the nausea/ vomit phobia funny story 2 days back I had perm soloution on my head was so bad bang gaged anxiety kicked in to haunt me.. Was like stuff it if I spew I spew bring it I did freak out a bit in the shower lol trying to wash it off my head but I was 110% going to vomit now what's funny is nothing was coming up had all the sensation. I felt like I caught the anxiety panic out at its on game I was ready to vomit lets go body and it backed off its like everything I beat with the anxiety or panic attacks it try's to throw something out to mess with me but I am managing everything and going against it when the attack happens.. I guess it's like ok going to vomit go vomit make it happen can't breath hold your breath maybe going against the phobias and sides can ease them to disappear tricking your body back ??

[Goanna]

just wanna say youre not alone with that thing about the traffic.  sometimes i cant drive on the freeway because i either feel an anxiety attack coming on or im already on the freeway and have to stick to the middle lane because if i dont my heart beats so fast and i get that anxious that i feel like im going to crash into the barriers.