Re: Anxiety attacks/Agoraphobia

[Guest guest]

,

So sorry to hear that you are struggling with Anxiety and

Agoraphobia. Dealing with RA alone is a task and can only imagine

what it's like dealing with both at the same time. While I suffer

from RA now there was a time in my life where I was nearly crippled

with Panic Attacks. Couldn't work. Didn't want to leave the house.

At time brought to my knees with fear that I was either dying or

going insane. I'm fortunate to have been able to work through these

and can say it's been many years since having an attack like that.

There is hope. They don't have to be a permanent part of your life.

Everyone's path to recovery may be different but can tell you in a

very simplified fashion what worked for me. First I recognized that

my attacks came from an acute sense of being overly self focused. I

was internally tuned in to every little feeling, pain, twinge and

whatever that was going on with my mind and my body. When a new pain

or " symptom " developed my immediate reaction was " Oh my God, here

comes something else.... " . And I usually played out that symptom or

twinge to the worst possible conclusion and that was either my death

or insanity. What I didn't realize was that my reaction (the " Oh my

God.. " ) or response to the thing I was feeling was feeding my body

with a shot of adrenalin which in turn amplified the symptom. Then

of course it confirmed my fear that it was getting " worse " so more

fear and more adrenalin. Ultimately the physical symptoms would

snowball and get out of control and there you have all the

ingredients of a full blown panic attack.

For me (and I stress " for me " ) it required breaking the chain of

events that lead up to the attacks. I started simply by reminding

myself that the attacks never lasted forever. At some point they

usually got better. Therefore I started timing them. It helped me

to remember that they pass in time. Keeping a record, I had visible

proof that the attacks would pass and when I made progress I could

see it on paper. Ultimately over time, the attacks were shorter and

shorter in duration.

Now here's the real hard part. Particularly when you are suffering

from a real malady like RA. I needed to shift my focus outward from

myself. I had to stop dwelling on my symptoms or at least take a

break from thinking or worrying about my symptoms. I know with RA

that may seem nearly impossible but there may be things that you can

do, even if it's just for short periods at first. Like reading a

book, or watching a movie. Maybe a little gardening, even if it's

one flower pot on a shelf in your kitchen at first. Or, take care of

a pet. Pets are great for getting our attention.

By all means, when you feel an attack coming on, try to

remember " This Too Shall Pass " . By the way, with me, prayer helped

too.

Hopefully this can be of a little help to you. There is a light at

the end of the tunnel and it doesn't have to be a train. Hang in

there. I pray you'll someday be free of the anxiety as well a be

able to live with painless days.

Best regards.

Bob

--- In , " eandsspivey " <emilyspivey@...>

wrote:

>

> I've noticed in posts that some of you suffer from these, as I do.

Can

> someone please tell me how to deal with the anxiety? My husband is

in

> Houston (the storm) and I can't go to the doctor....if I did, I'm

> afraid he would hospitalize me, which won't work because there's no

one

> here to take care of my dogs. There's nothing " wrong " to make me

so

> anxious, it just starts about an hour after I get up each day. I

have

> a dental appointment tomorrow which I have cancelled 3 times

because I

> just can't get myself to get in the car and drive there and there's

no

> one I can call to take me. I'm almost out of Xanax, which may be

> stressing me but I'd like to live without them. I just don't know

what

> to do to calm myself down. Any help will be appreciated.

>

>