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I Think I am in Trouble

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1665

Hi CS: I like what you wrote about the hiccups. I will think of this next time I feel what I call the dizzies.

I'd like to mention today that since I have had many changes lately in my life and routine, I have had some symptoms visit me. (note, I said visit, 'cause they aren't staying). I have been through a lot of stress in the past three or more months. Some very good things have happened, but stressful nevertheless. Naturally, it will creep up on you even if you do all the things you have learned to do for relaxation. Sometimes you have to deal with sad or unpleasant things whether you like it or not and this adds to your stress level. Add a few sleepless nights and the symptoms start coming. For me it is the tight chest and throat and lightheadedness and fatigue along with the inside shakes all through the body. I recognized the symptoms because I am experienced with these. What to do? I lie down and do the breathing and relaxation and it gets better. I know that it will pass and it does not escalate into anything more. I eat healthy - cut back on sugar, caffeine that sort of thing. continue my walks with the dog even if they are shorter on some days because I feel I can't breathe and I feel so tired I can hardly lift my arms. I know it will get better.

If my BP is high when I have these symptoms, it usually is because of the stress, another reason to lie down and do the relaxation exercises which bring it down nicely.

I hope this post may help someone reading it. I know we are not the only ones who feel these symptoms. Even without this anxiety disorder people feel these things. We are not alone in this. It's because those with the panic disorder escalate these physical feelings into panic because they think the worse case scenarios, rather than just understanding that they are stressed out, burned out, exhausted unable to withstand any more stress. That's why we should take good care of ourselves to be fit again to be able to take some stress without going off the deep end every time. There will always be stressors in life, can't get rid of them. That's life with its ups and downs. Take the time to heal, you deserve all the pampering you can give yourself, the help others can give. It will take some time, that's all. Have faith in yourself and your body which wants to heal. Well, that's how I think about it.

Sunny

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 373

Hi Debora,

I wanted to echo what your friends here have been saying. I believe in you and know you are strong and I know that you can beat this.

One of the first strategies that my therapist told me is to weaken the power of Anxiety but calling it out for what it is - no more threatening to me than a case of the hiccups. This helps me so much in my day-to-day life. Every once in a while, I still get dizzy - and when I do (on a good day), I remember the hiccups, and it helps to lessen the anxiety.

Nothing is failproof and everything takes practice and I think that for all of us, the return of panic and anxiety is inevitable. I think that we all hope to get better at handling attacks so that they are not as debilitating and powerful.

I hope that you are able to get some rest and peace today, Debora

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

I wanted to clarify one thing. When I had panic attacks I was pretty much useless to me and anyone. I avoided people. Now I can socialize and pay back all I owe. Usually with stuff out of my garden or my shop but also out of my head if they are interested.

Debora. Take care of you and you too will soon be fit to help your family, but you do have to fix you first. That I do know for sure.

Davit.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 542

Hi Josie, yes I somewhat calmed myself. I took the dogs for a short walk before the rain and I took my pill and had a talk with my Aunt, she is the one person that has been wonderful too me {within my family} concerning this and I took a short nap and it helped. I am trying to put this day behind me and go forward and think positive tommorow will be much better. I fell apart today and I feel badly but I am going pick up the pieces and try to go forward and put today aside and go on.

Davit, I re-read you're post several times and I think I understand now. I am so busy thinking that I am letting everyone else down my progress is slower than it should be and you are right, I had a horrible panicky day and I got so caught up in feeling the "guilt" of what everyone else thinks and thought it made it worse, I have to STOP thinking what this is doing too my husband and think of me, that is going to be difficult but I guess it will have too be, my friend made a comment a few months ago that kept ringing in my ears I guess she said "you really dragged you're family down with this condition of you'res" and yeah that hurt that stung, I have prayed to forgive her she does not understand panic and the hell is can be, or depression so she does not know, but I guess that comment stayed with me, she did not need to tell me how I hurt my family I knew that already, I dont think I ever "hurt" them really, the only one I hurt was me with my scary irrational thoughts, they pretty much went on and lived thier own lives, but what you said really hit home, its bad enough with the condition but the guilt has too go!

I think I started obsessing about the new year today, worried that it would be like the last year and I got scared and yes I know that was very negative, I stopped living in the moment as I have tried to do these last few months. I think I realize when I try to turn a positive in too a negative I have to believe it not just think it, CBT is hard but worth it to get my life back.

You have helped many Davit, including me, you got better to help others and you have. Thank you.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Debora.

CBT is a personal thing. It is something YOU do for YOU. Who are all these people in your program? Even in group therapy it is still personal. It is sharing experiences but when you look at it, it is still you doing it for you.

Never mind what your husband thinks or I think or sunny thinks. Don't do it for us do it for you. What we say is just personal experience. Take what you want from it and make it yours. Use it if you want to but don't do it for us. The breathing, the positive thought, all the coping skills. Make them yours. That is how CBT is done it is done for you and for the moment not for any one and not for the future. The future will take care of itself and you can go back to taking care of people and situations after you are capable of it. You can not do the two together. If you keep trying you will get nowhere. I'm sorry but that is why you are getting better slower than you want to. This trying to please everyone is dragging you backwards every time you take a step forward. You had a good Christmas but the negative and the symptoms are still there. Why? Because you are still looking at how you are is affecting others. They don't count. They will in the future but right now you have to do all of the CBT program for you, and you only. You are the sick one, no one else. Do it for you. For once in your life be selfish. Take what ever time and what ever medication you need so you can do this without worrying about how it impacts others. If they love you like we do they will give you time and space. If they don't then take it. Be assertive. You will get better faster if you do it for you and you alone. You can still love your family and take care of yourself and if they love you they will take care of themselves till you are better. The sooner you are better the sooner you can get back to them. Treat it like a broken leg. You need the same amount of time, maybe more. Lucky are those who's family gives them space. Lucky was I that I had no one to get in my way. Even my therapist just gave me information. She did not tell me how to do it or to do this or that because she wanted it done. I did it for me. So I would get better. And I did and now I can help others. I'm better, I can pay back all those that helped me by helping and staying out of the way.

You can too. I do know this.

Davit.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 12049

Debora,

Hoping the members have assisted you in the last couple of hours. Did you take the dogs for a walk? Have you calmed yourself down somewhat?

The members have offered some great suggestions and advice, take what you need and keep it close.

Josie, Health Educator

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 542

Thank you Hugs,

I feel very spent and tired from the attack. I am going to try and walk one of my dogs, I know if I dont I will just curl up in bed and sleep. I wish I could just hold my husbands hand like Leanna suggested but he is very angry with me right now, he just "knew" if would come back he said and I was praying he was wrong but he was right, I thought through after two months he would be happy but I guess not, I am staying out of his way, when he is mad it is best, he really is not supportive about this.

I was diagnosed as "panic with anxiety and depression" by my physc-nurse which I pretty much figured out, I thought when I read it was more than 90% treatable with therapy and meds I would be OK, I hope I dont fall in that small ten percent, I am just very very mad at myself right now for allowing myself too go down I have to somehow nip this in the bud, my body cannot survive anymore of this I know and that scares me, how I wish I was younger and healthier to be able to function better with this, does it ever go away? or just remission? I guess there are no easy answers, The in-house Dr made a lot of sense with his words about the panic cycle symptoms, I must learn how to use them better. I dont want to live like this, I want to recover for good this time.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Deb,

Glad to hear you're better.

Here's what the resident Psych Doc. says about the panic cycle in his toolbar column, since so many of us get caught in the cycle. Of course the fear is that there is an underlying problem, and only a physician with the help of a nurse, as Leanne suggested, can start the assessment leading to a diagnosis.

Hang in there!

Subject: Panic Symptoms

I get more anxious when I start to have panic symptoms. How can I control this so that the cycle doesn’t get worse and I have a panic attack?

The short answer to this question is that you are describing the core symptoms of Panic Disorder. Panic symptoms become a problem when people start to feel the physical symptoms of panic, and they start to worry that their symptoms are going to get worse, and that they are going to lose control or go crazy. This kind of thinking starts an upward spiral of increasing physical symptoms of fear, and anxious thoughts. People get stuck in the trap of trying to control their symptoms because of their fear of what will happen if they don’t. Unfortunately, the more you try to control the symptoms, the worse things get. There is no quick solution. The solution is to better understand the panic cycle and how to break it. The answer to get evidence-based treatment (CBT) for Panic Disorder. The Panic Program is one option and I encourage you to give it a try.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 542

Thank you Leanna

I am probably not having a heart attack the stomach issues are more prevalant right now. I am going to try to eat some soup take my pill and breathe. Thank you for you're words of encouragement, you said you were where I was right now and survived. I am trying my best right now to calm and live in the moment. I do not understand why this came back after over two months, I wish I could figure it out but I cant. Yes you are right its my mind, I awoke like this and it was a unexpected shock to have these feelings come back so strong and severe after a brief period of feeling better. I have to hope and pray and believe its temporary.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 24

Debora,

First and foremost, if you feel you are having a heart attack, you should probably go to the hospital. I have called an emergency help line through my local hospital to speak with a nurse who would help me identify my symptoms. From their advice I would have a better idea on how to act.

If you make the decision this is more of an anxiety issue then hopefully the following is helpful:

Its hard to say what your anxiety was triggered by. I know how desperately you want to find out, but right now the most important thing is to try and calm yourself and reach the level where you can think rationally then analyse. Breath...inhale for an 8 second count, hold for 7 seconds, then exhale for 4 seconds. Your body will respond. It is a physiological response. Is there any way your husband can call your doctor? Sometimes I would do that just for peace of mind. During this time focus on how far you've come. How in control you know you can be. Know that anxiety is only a feeling. You can totally do this. It sounds like your mind is spiraling which is making things seem worse. Focus on the now-this is all you can control. Read some inspirational stories, that has helped me bring myself down.

You are NOT alone. Trust me. I have been right where you are many times and so have many other people. I've felt the stomach churn, the chest pain, sweating, shaking, and the dreaded panic. Its no fun and it definitely plays tricks on you. Hold your husband's hand and breath.

Please let us know how you are doing. Remember you can be more powerful than this anxiety--You ARE more powerful than this anxiety.

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I Think I am in Trouble