Welcome! Reading through session 1 of the program might help explain to you more what is going on. Panic attacks are a terrible feeling, but it's even worse when you don't understand what is going on to your body when one is happening. This is a great program to help recover from these issues - the users of this site are at all different stages. Some are just starting, some are totally recovered, and some like me are working through it all right now. The sessions of the program are great but this support group is equally as helpful, so feel free to post anything here at any time! It's a great place to get questions answered or to really feel like you aren't alone in this.
For the last week or two I have had a strange feeling when I wake up. During the first moments of waking up I feel totally calm, then as my thoughts start to get going I literally feel anxiety enter my body like a wave. It's not a panic attack, just a heightened state including an acceleration of my heart rate.
I've had a more challenging couple of weeks with my big trip to visit family and now my boyfriend's family visiting us here, which has been stressful for several reasons. The accelerated heart rate is a sensation I take as a cue that my body is getting more worked up. I'm not to the point where I'm having panic attacks, but it's telling me there is something going on I need to address and take care of.
I try some of the breathing exercises I have learned but they don't seem to help my heart rate, and I'm not sure what else to do to address this now before it spirals further out of control into panic. I remember reading from others that they had to practice breathing for a long time, maybe even months, before they experienced the benefits. I've practiced it off and on for a long time but still haven't noticed the benefits, but I feel like I'm missing something because so many people say deep breathing, box breathing, center point breathing, etc. are a huge key to their recovery.
I like what you said and I should repeat to myself the notion that I'm getting better and my mind just needs to catch up to what my subconscious already realizes.
Ashley -
I'm trusting that continuing to work through the program will continue to help, and that eventually this morning anxiety will go away too, just like the daily panic attacks have.
Red -
It's always reassuring to hear you aren't the only one who has dealt with something like this! It usually goes away for me too after I'm up for a while.
For the last week and a half or so I've had a strange sensation off and on under my left lower rib. It started out like a muscle twitch, and then some soreness for a few days. My acupuncturist said the point where I'm feeling this exactly corresponds to one of the lesser known anxiety points, and indeed after my appointment the sensation went away for four days. Now it's starting to come back again, and I'm not really sure how to describe it - it's not pain, or soreness, it just feels....weird.
Of course being a worrier I've searched about this online and it seems to occur often for people with stress and anxiety, so I'm pretty sure that's what this is for me too. I was just wondering if anyone here has had this as well? The only reason I think it's odd is that I've never had this before despite dealing with lots of anxiety in the past!
That must have been really unpleasant! I've had a similar thing happen as I've readapted to living away from my parents this spring. For a while no place felt "safe", but soon the new place I'm living became that place.
I used to be really upset when panic attacks would come "out of the blue", but as I've worked through the program I've realized that there is always something that triggers a panic attack - something in the situation or something that's going on that you're not recognizing is causing anxiety (that's what it often is for me - I ignore emotions, things that upset me, etc. until they come out as panic). Since you've had a lot of anxiety about being at one home or the other, maybe going for a visit just stirred all of that up for you?
I recently have been really afraid of developing agoraphobia too, but I keep making myself go out and face at least some of my lesser fears to keep it from getting worse.
Congratulations on this decision! I know personally how hard that is to do. I'm one month into doing the same thing for myself, and it has definitely been the right decision for me. I hope you feel the same way as you work towards your goals. Your resolve is inspiring!
Welcome to the site. I commend you on your decision to recover from your panic attacks and to do so without the aid of medication. I've made a similar commitment and it is not easy!! I am working through the program and while it can be hard work I am noticing definite improvements. I suggest working through it at your own pace and taking time to really do the homework. This support group is just as valuable as the program in my opinion, as you always find someone who understands here. We're here for you!
Ploppy - I think the key to exposure is to take it one step at a time. Jumping right into the deep end (the things that cause great panic) is not the way to go with exposure, but rather experiment with the things that cause moderate anxiety until they make you less anxious. Progress to things that are slightly more difficult one at a time and by the time you get to those steps that at the beginning caused great panic, they should be in the more manageable moderate panic range. Developing an exposure plan will help you figure out what step to take next, and what step is too big for now.
I also have the fear of panicking in public, and have found that giving yourself permission to take short breaks either in the bathroom or outside is a great coping mechanism. I also practice with shorter exposures - like going to a one hour lecture - and occasionally do more difficult ones like going to a movie (something longer). I've found over the last couple weeks the shorter exposures are getting easier and easier.
Way to go! I was so happy to read about your success. You deserve to be
proud of yourself and to celebrate this big step. Keep us posted about
how the wedding is - I too like how you're practicing with positive self
talk leading up to it. You can do it!
So I have been continuing to work through my exposure plan and have been pleased with my progress - I've been going out to eat, attending a class, etc. with very little anxiety....quite a different place from where I was a couple months ago!
But there's something looming on the horizon that is causing me lots of anxiety and I'm not sure what to do. My boyfriend wants to fly back east to visit his family around the holidays, and wants me to come with him. Flying in an airplane is a big fear of mine. Even during times when my anxiety hasn't been much of an issue this has been a really tough thing for me to do.
It's getting to be time where we have to book tickets if we are going to go, and I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should book my flight, then have weeks to try and work through all my anticipatory anxiety and try to build up to this being a manageable thing to do; alternatively, maybe I should acknowledge that this is too big of a step right now, and let him go by himself (which he is open to if I don't want to do the flight at this time). I'm now having all this anxiety just about making this decision, and I don't know what to do!
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