Very generally, the concept in my head is to just get to know me. I just keep asking what is it that I want and why do I feel the way I feel. To help me get these answers, I feel creation helps a lot. Expression.. through painting, writing, singing, breathing in yoga, and figuring out what represents my existence. And Inspiration.. listening to music, getting feed back through here, reading. It's like an experiment everyday starting from the smallest things... like getting out of bed, and I need the patience to never give up these experiments even though it seems like nothing is changing.
That's pretty much what happened to me, "staying inside, having no life and no friends".
But after a while, I've come to realize that this is another lifestyle so, I believe I do have a life still. But yes, I stay inside and I've given up most of my 'friends'. What happened to me was that I was juggling my life, my ex's life, and my friends' lives, during the first onset of my anxiety. I was always in a rush and felt responsible for everything and everyone.. so I took care of it all, until my body really stopped me with anxiety. Now I've let go of everything, doing the thing that I've feared most (being alone) and have focused on what I want. It will be 4 years now since I first had anxiety, feeling like I'm going to die, divorce, ending friendships, on and off meds (Lexapro).... and maybe I am ambivalent about change now (my stage of change may be contemplation). I try to take advantage of this time as much as possible, when I feel up for it. The thing I do with my anxiety is I try to understand it, I ask why it's happening and why it maybe caused.. I try to talk to the demon. I also get anxious when I'm hot and overwhelmed too, and lately, I get it when I'm eating dinner with the whole family as we watch TV, whenever I'm out in public
PS. I sometimes wonder if I have PTSD, I've never been physically abused but I have a lot of recurring nightmares about my ex and I catch myself thinking about it unconsciously.
my anxiety started due to marriage too. I was always frustrated because I couldn't "control" or take care of things the way I wanted too and I had huge expectations.
Today I've actually had an accomplishment too. I was able go pay my bill at the hospital. Usually I feel more secure when I'm riding the van but we went in the small car today and we also had to ride the elevator and I was able to do this too (although I was really really nervous and anxious). I can't even remember when the last time I had gone on one was. And after that the way home, I didn't feel anxious at all, just relieved.
The other day I saw a t.v. program about stress and how some people use stress to fight stress. They did all these experiements on people who are stressed and tested thier stress level and made them ride roller coasters or do something extreme like high dive and their tests showed that they relax completely after they do this.
I've also had trouble figuring out what my trigger was, but I've realized that it is fear... that I fear. Or sometimes it could be of a memory when I had an attack at a certain place and that would make me worry it may happen again, that it ends up happening again at that same place/situation. I also have a fear of sleeping. I am afraid of loosing consciousness hence, I fear sleeping that I may not wake up. I think this comes from my fear of fainting and loosing control. Also, I sometimes have the same nightmares and I am afraid of these night mares that I prefer not to sleep either. But I tell myself that tonight may be different and I am able to sleep, I just hope I don't wake up in the middle of the night. Also, just like what Davit said, I've read that the tingly feelings are due to the flight/fight response. I've read that your body brings all the blood away from easily bleeding areas (fingers, toes) when your are in this response that creates the numb and tingling feelings. (My tingling always happened on my nose and face too.)
nice to meet you. You are not over reacting... there is no such thing because everyone is different. We all react differently. I feel for you for having a family member say that. My ex husband wasn't supportive and he was always angry with me too. I would be great, as Davit mentioned, if you can somehow show her that there are a lot of other people with this. There are a lot of good books with some people's experiences with panic disorder too ( I recommend "Living with Panic Disorder"). The other thing that has helped my mom understand and also myself is by saying "I am not perfect".. I used to think I was and that I've misled a lot of people that I was superwomen but it's nice to let them know that we can fall sometimes too. Best wishes for you and your daughter.
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