Sufferers of anxiety...help please!

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Replies

  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
    Well I made it back but I don't know that I am going to put anything you havent heard already! Here is what works for me though!! Music and reading! I find that if I take myself away in my head then I don't panic so much! So I listen to music and singn wich takes up plenty of memory and consentration and I read wich takes me into a little imaginary world. Doing both these at the same time really tests your brain and makes it hard to panic! You will probably feel it simmering as I do but it is only simmering and not boiling over causing a panic!! Hope that helps!! Please keep us posted on how you get on!!!
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    Anxiety disorders run in my family. My mom especially. I believe I also have it, but my body takes the biggest blow (stomach aches for instance).

    However, last year the relationship I was in went South...I began to have Panic Attacks. That paired with some other very awful events...caused me to wake up in the middle of the night frequently...fearing.

    My mom was prescribed medication, but she hardly takes it. Even when she does, it is usually after it is too late to bother. She is becoming much more calm now though than growing up...I think due to SITUATIONS.

    I overcame my panic attacks etc by pinpointing everything that caused it (in your case, lets take bridges). I got away from everything that caused my fears...I started over. I have not had a panic attack since.

    I think the most important thing to do (from my experience) is to stop playing the victim. Tell yourself, "Grow up! Stop being so irrational and ridiculous. You are ruining your own life by doing this, and you are miserable. Fix it and be happy." That is what I told myself, and I still do...I am overcoming my fear of heights through this as well. It works.

    If bridges scare you, I suggest moving somewhere where bridges will not impede on you...From there, you can work on your fear of bridges, but it will be when you feel ready, not when you have to.

    Good luck!!! :)
  • bumflapassassin
    bumflapassassin Posts: 316 Member
    I hate to suggest "drug" use, but whenever I fly I have to take something to knock me out. I had terrible fears of flying and would get scared at the sight of a plane over head. I had a friend how helped me through it (he is a pilot). He worked with me for years to over come my fear. I still take someting to knock me out on long flights and never, ever do I look out the windows. Just a thought, definitely not a solution.

    I was going to suggest getting drunk before making the journey (as long as you're not driving obviously) but this could make things worse. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks but no real phobias as such and although mine have put my job at risk, I appear to be managing them much better now. You need to really look for patterns. There are triggers for the attacks, you need to find them. CBT is meant to be a good way of overcoming phobias but it sounds like you would benefit from seeking assistance from that doctor who doesn't see anyone unless they have insurance. I hope you find a way through it and that your boyfriend remains understanding.
  • PeaceLuvVeggies
    PeaceLuvVeggies Posts: 375 Member
    Thank you all so very much. You really are saving my life. :flowerforyou:

    I will keep you all updated
  • SooZ1138
    SooZ1138 Posts: 65
    I suffered exactly like you did a year and a half ago. After reading every single day for over a year on how to prevent panic attacks, I realized that I was over accessing EVERYTHING!!! The more I fed into the anxiety, the worse it got. I realized that in order to overcome my anxiety, I was going to have to face it head on. It was the most uncomfortable (and still at times is) thing I have ever done. You literally have to work on it every second of every day. You have to challenge your thoughts and belief system. I have a phobia of driving on the toll way... how am I working on this? By driving anyways. I allow myself to feel the way I feel, but while doing it, I tell myself that it's just my body going into overdrive. The feelings I am feeling are because of adrenaline and because my body and mind are use to feeling this way whenever I face this circumstance. The more you challenge, the faster you overcome your fear. You brain literally can change the way it thinks about things, you just have to give it the opportunity to. I was able to overcome my fear of flying by doing this. Will I get scared before taking a flight? Yes, absolutely... but I know it's only because my BRAIN is use to drawing that conclusion, not me. From time to time, I get dizzy spells when I get nervous, but again... I tell myself that it will pass and that I will be okay. I "ride the wave". I believe anyone can overcome anxiety, it's just breaking the habit which can be a very lengthy, difficult challenge.... the first thing you have to do is take that first small step and you'll find you can do more and more over time.

    FYI: I did have a prescription for Xanax, just knowing that I had it in case I needed it helped (though I only ever took it twice). I did take Lexapro for 6 months, but that actually did more harm than helped (insomnia, stomach issues, messed up my sight/hearing). Always have a way out of things... that helped too when I first started out. When I took my first drive on the toll way, I told myself that I could pull over if I felt a panic attack come on (my biggest fear was always passing out while driving). That way, I could allow myself to calm down if I needed to. I never actually did because I tried reinforcing the belief that I was safe and okay in my car and that I wouldn't pass out...

    Good luck!!
  • SooZ1138
    SooZ1138 Posts: 65
    The last thing I would mention is to really pay attention to your body when you get anxiety... don't feed into it, just kind of "observe" it like a different person, attach no feelings to the anxiety. I noticed that the first that I do when I start to get anxious is that I start to tense up (especially my jaw). I have been working on learning how to relax the different muscles when it times of stress to activate the "Parasympathetic Nervous System" (when you have an anxiety "disorder", your sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive). When you are in a car, consciously relax your entire body and try to pay attention to only that. Try to dedicate 10-20 minutes a day of pure relaxation (I did it in the tub first as the hot water made it easier to relax my muscles). Of course, no one thing is going to work for everyone, but I say stick to one strategy for about a month before trying someting different to really give your mind and body a chance to try to remember everything you are teaching it. =)
  • PeaceLuvVeggies
    PeaceLuvVeggies Posts: 375 Member
    Sooz, thank you so much for your insight. I'll try taking your advice :)
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
    My mom has it bad and she could not leave the house for years. When she was able to leave the house, she couldn't do bridges either, same as you.

    She got help. And she got better. The help she got has made all the difference. You have made an excellent choice!

    With the right treatment you WILL get better. Keep that in your mind as you make the journey there.

    Just a thought, - My doctor recommended 1/2 a Unisom (Doxylamine succinate) for motion sickness during travel for me because Dramamine doesn't help me. I tried it and it worked really well for motion sickenss, and I have found it also really helps me relax and doesn't knock me out. (Not all sleep aids use the same ingredient - many use diphenhydramine HCl which is like Benadryl, which I do not tolerate well) Obviously if you're not comfortable with OTC sleep aids then disregard - I just thought I'd mention it. If you do want to try it and have never taken a Unisom before, you might want to try it at home first at bed time to see if you tolerate it well. (My husband can't take Benadryl or Unisom.)
  • mikey1976
    mikey1976 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I suffered exactly like you did a year and a half ago. After reading every single day for over a year on how to prevent panic attacks, I realized that I was over accessing EVERYTHING!!! The more I fed into the anxiety, the worse it got. I realized that in order to overcome my anxiety, I was going to have to face it head on. It was the most uncomfortable (and still at times is) thing I have ever done. You literally have to work on it every second of every day. You have to challenge your thoughts and belief system. I have a phobia of driving on the toll way... how am I working on this? By driving anyways. I allow myself to feel the way I feel, but while doing it, I tell myself that it's just my body going into overdrive. The feelings I am feeling are because of adrenaline and because my body and mind are use to feeling this way whenever I face this circumstance. The more you challenge, the faster you overcome your fear. You brain literally can change the way it thinks about things, you just have to give it the opportunity to. I was able to overcome my fear of flying by doing this. Will I get scared before taking a flight? Yes, absolutely... but I know it's only because my BRAIN is use to drawing that conclusion, not me. From time to time, I get dizzy spells when I get nervous, but again... I tell myself that it will pass and that I will be okay. I "ride the wave". I believe anyone can overcome anxiety, it's just breaking the habit which can be a very lengthy, difficult challenge.... the first thing you have to do is take that first small step and you'll find you can do more and more over time.

    FYI: I did have a prescription for Xanax, just knowing that I had it in case I needed it helped (though I only ever took it twice). I did take Lexapro for 6 months, but that actually did more harm than helped (insomnia, stomach issues, messed up my sight/hearing). Always have a way out of things... that helped too when I first started out. When I took my first drive on the toll way, I told myself that I could pull over if I felt a panic attack come on (my biggest fear was always passing out while driving). That way, I could allow myself to calm down if I needed to. I never actually did because I tried reinforcing the belief that I was safe and okay in my car and that I wouldn't pass out...

    Good luck!!

    this what i learned in a group setting a few months ago. she knows what she is talking about. it kinda sounds harsh but you have to learn to breath right to calm down and then set goals itty bitty steps to over come the anixty. but sorry to say you can't ever make it disapper for ever but you can make it live able. hang in there. i can get my binder out and give you more info if wante. just know your not the only one battling this so you don't have to fill weird. hang in there

    from mike
  • cycle_queen
    cycle_queen Posts: 49 Member
    I think that going back to NY will be a god send. Have you tried meditation for the anxiety? I found that it helped when I left an abusive relationship. I was petrified to do anything and had frequent anxiety attacks. You can get free guided meditation podcasts on iTunes!!! Love them.
  • PeaceLuvVeggies
    PeaceLuvVeggies Posts: 375 Member
    I think that going back to NY will be a god send. Have you tried meditation for the anxiety? I found that it helped when I left an abusive relationship. I was petrified to do anything and had frequent anxiety attacks. You can get free guided meditation podcasts on iTunes!!! Love them.

    I haven't tried this, but I would like to :) Thank you.
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