Thanks for all the replies :)
I have come to the conclusion that as Miki suggested the panic attack itself is when I completely lose control and just freak out, sometimes I do actually throw up when this happens but sometimes I also just feel incredibly sick. The times I consider to be just anxious thoughts are when I feel sick automatically but I am able to get rid of those feelings slowly but surely by a bit of rational thinking. I think that explanation works well for me :)
I'm only on my first week of this CBT and I have so far to go. What has surprised me a bit is I have only had to fill in the anxious thoughts print-out once, and haven't had any panic attacks. But I kind of know why, it's because of my extreme avoidance, as described in session 1, I avoid things so sucesfully that I don't leave the house and therefore don't have much to cause me anxiety. The exposure therapy from week 4 onwards will be the real test :-S
Jane, I'm really sorry to hear how you've suffered, and some of the other people in this thread too. The way I see it is this CBT will help me to cope with my anxiety better, it will help me to avoid the negative anxious thoughts rather than avoid the situations that cause them. It's so not about the sickness, or the fast heart rate or the sweating etc.. these are by-products of the anxiety and are a non-issue when it comes to treating the anxiety, which I really hope to do with the help of this amazing course :)
I hope you all have luck with it and find at least some peace in your lives.
Kind regards
Mark
Hey :)
Really looking forward to completeing this program and feeling somewhat better.
When I get anxious, I feel sick and not much else, maybe some heart racing, but it's mainly the feeling sick part. When I have been in the type of situations that makes me feel sick in the past I usually have thrown up. This has resulted in me not leaving my house at all, for like over 10 years.
My question is this: What is a panic attack for me? is it when I actually throw up or is feeling sick a part of it too? There have been times I have felt so sick but NOT thrown up, its lasted for ages as well. A lot of the time when I have anxious thoughts about things I will instantly feel sick, are these mini panic attacks as they dont last long? I dont understand :-S
Thanks for you time :)
Mark