Anxiety and Panic attacks

[Guest guest]

I was doing just fine (or so I thought) when the NC started and for three months

it looked like I was getting my life back on trak. Then out of the blue, I began

to be ovecome with anxiety and panic. A conditon I have battled and medicated

myself for in the past. Mostly whe she was around. Well now the medication isnt

helpig. I discontinued use (with permission from the doc of course) and after

some talking with a trusted friend, I am beginging to think I may have PTSD.

Sounds normal. Heres the thing. Some days I am so anxious and panicky, I want to

run out of my own mind. I could take something to ease the feelings but I also

dont want to mask or bandage the feelings I need to have in order to work

through the trauma. Does anyone else feel this way? I just want to know I am not

alone or Crazy. I feel crazy in my head because of what she has done. I cant let

her control me anymore.

My " condition " is affecting every aspect of my life.

I would love some great advice or validation.

Thanks~

[Guest guest]

Hi Micimij --

I have the same issues. I've been working on some workbooks that use a

cognitive/behavioral approach to anxiety and panic, and they seem to be

helping me. They mostly try to change the way you think about your anxiety

and panic, and teach you ways to learn to endure it, which slowly but

surely reduces the strength of the attacks as you stop " fearing the fear "

or " panicking about the panic " , which one book I've read refers to as

" double trouble " . That is, you not only have anxiety and panic over the

thing that's upsetting you, but you have additional fear and/or panic over

the fact that you're upset. They pile onto each other in a nasty way.

The one I'm currently going through is the " Cognitive Behavioral Workbook

for Anxiety " by Knaus. It's pretty bare-bones but has a lot of

good info about how various fears, anxieties, and panics can overcome

people and ways you can work on reducing them. I've also taken out

" Cognitive behavioural therapy for dummies " by Rob Willson and Rhena

Branch, which isn't focused on anxiety but is a general overview of the

principles of CBT. And to finish the trilogy, I've checked out " The

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety " by Chapman,

Gratz, and Tull. Yeah, that's the same DBT we all wish our Nadas and Fadas

would do -- it's good for other issues as well.

Are you getting any social support? Hanging out with other people working

on issues can help take the edge off of bad feelings. I go to Al-Anon (not

for everyone for various reasons, but I get a fair amount out of it), and

to the local Depression/Bipolar Support Association meetings when I have

the time. I also drove 60 miles last weekend to go to an ACoA meeting

(Adult Children of Alcoholics) which is another variant of the " Twelve

Step " concept and thought it was good, although it's too far for me to go

every week. DBSA isn't a 12 step, but they're pretty good, and they won't

turn you away if you show up asking for support with anxiety.

I don't know if there are any support groups specifically oriented toward

anxiety/panic but you could call around to your mental health centers and

see if any of them have any groups going. Sitting home alone tends -- for

me, at least -- to make fears and panics much worse, so I try hard to stay

out and stay active and social. In my case that helps a lot, although I'm

fortunate in that my fear issues don't generalize toward social situations,

so I'm comfortable walking into a group of strangers and settling in, while

I know not everyone is.

Anyway, best of luck and hang in there.

-- Jen H.

> **

>

>

> I was doing just fine (or so I thought) when the NC started and for three

> months it looked like I was getting my life back on trak. Then out of the

> blue, I began to be ovecome with anxiety and panic. A conditon I have

> battled and medicated myself for in the past. Mostly whe she was around.

> Well now the medication isnt helpig. I discontinued use (with permission

> from the doc of course) and after some talking with a trusted friend, I am

> beginging to think I may have PTSD. Sounds normal. Heres the thing. Some

> days I am so anxious and panicky, I want to run out of my own mind. I could

> take something to ease the feelings but I also dont want to mask or bandage

> the feelings I need to have in order to work through the trauma. Does

> anyone else feel this way? I just want to know I am not alone or Crazy. I

> feel crazy in my head because of what she has done. I cant let her control

> me anymore.

> My " condition " is affecting every aspect of my life.

> I would love some great advice or validation.

> Thanks~

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Mici,

I know what you mean. Sometimes the full force of the feelings surfaces when

you are in a safe place. I'm not really sure why. Maybe part of the trigger is

that you escaped, and escape is perhaps not allowed and something you expect to

be punished for.

Usually the feelings need to be in a manageable range in order to be worked with

to help you to move forward. I wouldn't worry about masking them too much with

medication. I'm sure they will still be there, just somewhat blunted and less

overwhelming. When the feelings are too much, you usually just shut down before

any work can be done. Just my experience.

Take care,

Ashana