I know what you are going through I started getting panic attacks sense I was 19 and I'm now 27 and that use to happen to me I would not want to go out and going out of my house scared me believe it or not I went to a hypnotherapist to get rid of my social phobia and it worked. After I thought about it and I felt it was all in my head I was not really afraid of being around allot of people I was afraid of what people were going to think of me if I got a full blown panic attack. So what also helped me was thinking I don't care what other people think of me so what if I have a full blown panic attack nobody will notice anyways everyone is so busy doing their own thing. I don't know if this will help you but I know what you are going through it's a horrible feeling but it will work it did for me before I was not able to be with around allot of people around me and now I can I go to parties and I can enjoy them now.
I'm glad to hear that having panic attacks will go away I have had them for a while now and I started to feel like my life was never going to change I'm glad you ran into this program because you can also help us by giving us advice as to what will help us. This program has helped allot with I've had some setbacks but I blame myself for thinking things that make me feel scared instead of positive thoughts. Hope to hear from you often.
I have been getting more panic than ever I see myself and I cant believe my setback from last year its been really bad first of all one time I was going to go to dinner with my boyfriend so i decided that by eating 2 chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk until dinner would be ok. I was already feeling a little dizzy by lunch time but I ignored it we left to dinner and at the restaurant I started getting allot of panic just thinking about it right now makes me feel dizzy. So anyways we were ready to be seated and i felt really dizzy at this point I started to panic I felt really dizzy I felt like I was going to faint. So I thought to myself is this a panic attack or am I dizzy because I have not eaten all day so I go back inside the restaurant and ask for a soda but the food had not gotten there still so I tell my boyfriend to take me to get something really quick because they were taking forever after that I felt really embarrased and I apoligized then I realized it was a full blown panic attack. Now I'm scared of feeling hungry even after I eat and I take a sandwich with me to feel safe I never eat it because I just carry it with me. Another thing that triggered my panic was because of my sister she gets seizures and I have to stay with her and take care of her she is an adult and she is being treated but she sometimes gets her seizures and I'm really scared to stay with her alone I was never scared before and now after the dinner thing happened it was like another setback for me somehow everytime I have a big panic attack it sets me back this panic attack I would compare it like when I was working at McDonalds and someone came in to rob us.
Thank you very much for your response... No I have not told my boyfriend about my panic attacks I don't know how to tell him about it. It is very annoying to feel dizzy all the time I kind of figured it was because of the panic that I felt like this. I'm going to try what you do with your husband it sounds like it cn help me.
I'm extremely happy because it has been 10 years since I was able to do anything by myself. I was not really doing any exposure I would read the program and not even try to do it because I was extremely scared. I was scared of being scared I just didn't think I would be able to do any sort of exposure because of my panic attacks. After my neighbor passed away I was at a set back of not even being able to be with my siblings at home I needed my parents to be there. How does that happen? A grown women acting like if she was 2 needing her parents because it was very scary to be without them. This was 3 years ago.
Now I've been praying everyday, and it's like a meditation for me, it's the only time I don't think of any negative thoughts of having a panic attack. I constantly was thinking of what if I get a panic attack, this is an all day thing everyday and it drains me at the end of the day.
So, now I started doing my exposure homework before I never went past week number 4 because I was too scared to do week 5 exposure. I started reading it and I just said let's do this it's been 10 years I want to get over this. So I did, first it was extremely scary to do this on my own because I was afraid of having a panic attack and then who would help me.
The first time I tried it I drove around my block it was not to bad. When my negative thoughts were arising I just started singing as loud as I could just to drain my thoughts away. I did it I was extremely happy. Next I gave myself another goal to go around two blocks. I was getting some anxiety but I just told myself just go for it it will be ok. And so I did that made me feel allot better. And my hope was stating to build up, before I went to drive I would pray. The third day I decided to try 4 blocks but thought it was too much exposure and I felt I could not do it alone so I called my sister and was talking to her, and that kept my mind busy and didn't let any negative thoughts arise. And I did it it was the most amazing feeling I felt free for the very first time in 10 years. I set my goals to go to a 7-11 because it's close to me and there are not too much people there. I set my goal just to drive there and park but when I was there I went much further I got out of my car went inside and bought something. It was the greatest feeling in the world I just kept thanking God because I have not been able to do this in so long. Then I set my goal to put gas in my car and that was a little more tough because the gas station is always busy, and I though if I have a panic attack how am I going to flee fast enough there will be cars in front of me and behind me. So I decided to go early in the morning when it was not so full and so I did. When I was going to pay I could not go inside because there were too many people so I payed at the kiosk outside. When I was pumping gas I stated to get negative thoughts and I just wanted to leave without even pumping the gas into my car. I called my sister I know that was dangerous because were not suppose to pump gas and talk on the cell phone, but it helped out allot I was into the conversation and forgot about my negative thoughts.
I still have a long ways to go because I'm still not able to go out further than that or go into a big supermarket or stay home alone. I just wanted to share my story because it's possible to get over this it just takes time and allot of exposure it's the only way it's going to work. I want to set my goals to go even further and maybe I will be able to go to a store where there are allot of people like Walmart. I'm just taking it one day at a time and this time I will not stop doing exposure and praying because that's what has helped me allot. I'm also not drinking medication I use to be on zoloft and ativan but the side effects were making me feel worst. Now I exercise and take vitamin b-12 and vitamin c and complex B. I also drink chamomile tea in the morning and before I go to bed it helps me sleep better. In no way am I saying not to drink your medication if you need it. I'm just saying my side of the story and what has helped me. I also lost 45 lbs and I feel more confident to do things I don't know if that had anything to do with anything but I don't feel depressed anymore.
Sorry I just went on and on but I if my story even helps one person that there is hope, we can do exposure and it does work. It's just ourselves putting negative thoughts in our head we just need to drain them out by keeping busy. Like I said I still have a long ways to go but this exposure has boosted my confidence 100 percent.
I really want to thank you, you always know how to make a person feel even better. I wish I had a neighbor like yourself, I use to have one but she passed and she always knew how to make me regain my confidence. I really do want to get over my panic attacks I want to be able to work the whole shift without leaving because I had a panic attack. I want to keep a job long enough for me not to quit.
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