severe anxiety/panic attacks plz help!?
ive been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for a little over a year now. i also have Irritable bowel syndrome and a sluggish gallbladder.
long story short, ive pretty much become house bound most of the time…i only go places that i absolutely MUST or if they are really close to my house. everytime i have an appointment or i know that i have to be somewhere, i cant sleep during the night i toss n turn, and i get really stressed. my stress will trigger an ibs attack(diarrhea, nausea, etc.) and then that will cause me to get a panic attack(nausea, suffocating feeling, heart beats way too fast, generalized weakness and dizzyness) bcuz im scared that im gonna feel extremly sick wen im out. i dont take anti-anxiety medications cuz ive tried it n it did more harm then help…(im very sensitive to medication)
i am currently doing counselling but so far it hasnt helped too much (mind you ive only had 2 sessions so far.)
my question is does anyone else get this? and if so what do u do so that u dont get anxiety attacks all the time…or is there anything u wud recommend.?? plz help me, ur answers are appreciated. Thx
btw im only 20.
oh yea…n it got soo bad with my ibs n anxiety that i ended up having to drop out of my 2nd yr of college cuz i was ALWAYS sick.
Filed under: Panic Attacks
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View the techniques for control of anxiety/panic attacks, in section 8, at ezy build, below. Begin, on this first occasion, only, by holding your breath for 5, or 10 seconds: this will give you the confidence to realise that YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR BREATHING, but not pass out, or die (your autonomic nervous system resumes breathing, if you become unconscious). Understand panic attacks, and what triggers them, in your life (if it is unresolved anxiety, or stress, see sections 6, [page N first] or 42, respectively). The paper bag method works for most people: try it.
If you are fairly suggestible, the following are reliable: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/
Your last alternative is psychotherapy, to address its fundamental cause: read section 1, and examine the http://1-800-therapist.com/ website, and use the locators, and phone book. I used to suffer from panic attacks, until I questioned what had changed in my life, at, or just before that time, to trigger them. For some people, this is enough. These days, I have instilled the habit of, whenever a situation occurs where panic is likely, I visualise a large, "STOP!" sign, as vividly as possible, followed by repeating to myself: "stay calm" in my mind. You could try the same method. It usually takes 30 – 40 repetitions, for most people, to establish a new habit. I also suggest that you learn, then practise the controlled breathing technique, until competent, then employ it, at the very first sign of a panic attack.
Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer: "Even though I sometimes suffer from panic attacks, I deeply and completely accept myself." Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms (as do medications/herbal remedies): you need to address the underlying cause, and this requires some form of therapy, and Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy has proved effective.
Advice from a published psychiatrist on controlled breathing. (1.) Get a clock, or watch with a second timer. (2.) Practise for 5 minutes, 4 times daily, until proficient. (3.) Take a small breath in, and hold it, for 6 seconds. (4.) Think to yourself: "RELAX", just before breathing out. (5.) Try to feel a sense of releasing tension, as you breathe out. (6.) Breathe in for 3 seconds, then out, for 3 seconds. Try to make your breathing very smooth, and light, as you breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, or nose. (7.) For the next minute, continue to breathe in, and out, every 3 seconds. (8.) Go back to step 3, at the end of the minute, and proceed through to step 7, doing this for 5 minutes. Use this at the very first sign of a panic attack starting, or any time you feel anxious, or tense.
Because many people can’t access/afford professional therapy, I include the EFT, and EMDR variant for them to try, free of charge. Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy is generally available in most areas, but EMDR (see section 33) may well be worth trying, and is becoming more widespread.
(The following is a variant of EMDR therapy, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, insomnia, and anxiety: it is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective. It is easy to be dismissive of such a seemingly unusual technique, but give it a good tryout, for at least a few weeks, to see if it is effective in your case).
Prior to using either of the methods in the above paragraph, first sit comfortably, and take a deep breath. Then, without moving your head, move your eyes from the left, to the right, and back again, taking around a second to do so (say: "a thousand and one": this takes approximately a second).
Repeat this procedure (without the words, although you can count, subvocally, if you like) 20 times: "A thousand and one; a thousand and two… " and so on, to a thousand and twenty. Then close your eyes and relax. Become aware of any tension or discomfort you feel.
Then open your eyes, and take another deep breath, and repeat step one, closing your eyes, and relaxing afterwards, in the same manner. Then, repeat the procedure one last time. Some people may find that this is all they need do. With experience, you may find that you can practise this in public, with your eyes closed, which greatly widens the window of opportunity for its use, and avoids attracting unwanted attention. I have found that the 2 – 3 minutes spent using the EMDR markedly reduces distractions to the relaxation process, and is repaid many times over. See http://www.mercola.com SEARCHBAR: "i.b.s."
I take medication.
I’m 16.
and have anxiety.
To the point of many Phobias..
It doesn’t help me as much as it should..
but since i don’t like telling people my problems..
I haven’t gotten much excess help yet…
Good luck..
and hey,
try to go outside on a nice, breezy sunny day.
Have a picnic with friends..
i have moderate anxiety and my boss is consumed with it. in the past, i used ativana nd he used xanax. honestly, 1 mg of ativan worked. i think it’s just bad brain chemistry. i’ve always had it.
I had been going to a gym for about 4 years to keep mine under control until the social scene gave me panic attacks…Long, brisk walks help. Laying off the caffeine…Celexa and Lexapro are really good for this kind of thing, but I also take no prescriptions.
I don’t feel protected, no matter what, and I wake up in the middle of the night or become dizzy during the daytime. I don’t know who to talk to who can tell me what I need to know to allay my fears. I am also a victim of BPD. Sometimes I don’t know if I can take the guilt and panic and bouts of low self esteem, but I keep trying to push myself. Being nice to others and making rounds to favorite bookstores and cafes to stay in contact with others on a regular basis sometimes helps. I’m lonely with all these people around me. I feel cutoff and unable to initiate and form stable and long-lasting relationships…I am afraid of people who are on my father’s side of the family who may try to find me to get even for some of the terrible things he has done to others during his lifetime…Lawyers won’t talk w/o being paid. The covert side of politics and the government would rather push things under the rug…and I don’t want to have to get married to some man in order to be safe in this society…He had a lot of money and was a 33rd degree mason and was a veteran of the U S Army. He had very a undesirable past…I am afraid no matter what anybody else says…Makes me look like a bit of a nutcase, and I have to keep everything inside. BC
That really sucks but you have to get this under control. You need some medicine to control the IBS. You can’t live like this. The panic attacks are controllable. If you feel the feeling like you are getting one you need to say to yourself its fine i always get this feeling. Panic attacks are litterally like 10 seconds long but if you react you start hyperventilating. Stay in the therapy it will help you. you need to find a good medicine possibly a very low dose because you are very sensitive. Talk to your therapist about that. You deserve to get better and need to go back to college and get out of your house. No need to hide out you need to fix this and get back into life you are too young. You will get better just have faith and you should consider going to an IBS specialist that can help you with keeping it under control because there are ways. :] feel better hun
Here’s a technique that I learnt to help me get through my panic attacks quickly…
I simply repeat the words ‘cream cake’ over and over in my head as quickly as I can without stopping. You could use any word or words you like really but that’s what I chose (because I like cream cakes). It apparently works because it doesn’t give your brain time to process the panicky thoughts and so helps you to relax again. Seems strange I know … but it works for me!
There’s also a free ebook that I found really useful called ‘Get Rid of Panic and Anxiety for Good’. If you want to take a look you can find it at: http://curepanicattacks.premiergold.info/get-rid-of-panic.html Even though I got it for free it has helped me absolutely loads!
I am also 20 years old, and experience anxiety too. Mainly I experience it when I attend college. My classrooms are soo big, and there soo many students, that I constantly feel like everyone is watching me, judging me, and I can’t concentrate. I just sit there and feel at any moment like I’m going to pass out. I become hot and sweaty and i try and pay attention, but im too worried about just trying to stay calm and under control. Its terrible and as a result i sometimes skip class and miss and i can’t control it. I don’t know what to do either? Its embarrasing to say the least, but i have no control over it, it seems like
During panic attack,body prepares to face a great danger and the emergency hormones are produced.The person may experience a heart attack feeling.
‘Panic away’ is a program that helped several people to escape from panic attack and anxiety
http://www.panicaway.co.cc
Good Luck