I suffer from fairly extreme anxiety problems and am currently unmedicated. Lately I've realized that I can't stay that way - as much as I hate medication, I'm going to have to take something because I can't always function normally in everyday life without it. I was on Zoloft for a while, but I didn't particularly like it - I didn't felt that it helped completely, and it made me blackout drunk even when I only drank five or six beers (I AM a college student, don't forget). Has anyone had any better experiences? I've had successful experiences with Clonopin, but that's only taken on an as-needed basis - I'm looking for something more "every day" like the Zoloft.
― Reatards Unite, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:11 (5 years ago) Permalink
lexapro works for me, but it's not for everyone. i only notice side effects when i up the dosage or when i go without it for more than a day.
― get bent, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:26 (5 years ago) Permalink
it's also not available as a generic yet, and can be expensive if your insurance won't cover all of the expense.
― get bent, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:28 (5 years ago) Permalink
Effexor has worked wonders for my anxiety and I have very little side effects. It has a bed reputation because the withdrawal effects if you stop cold turkey are pretty bad but if you come off it gradually it's fine. Effexor is available as a generic but not in the extended release version.
― ENBB, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:31 (5 years ago) Permalink
I too suffered for many years with anxiety and panic. Pills never worked for me, just made me feel unreal (although I can't comment about the medication you mention). Medication works for many, I know, but the long term solution came to me in the form of a change to my diet with supplements, specifically multi vits and fish oil.
A nutritionist/friend prescribed the following:
Excercise daily combined with Less fatty foods (like Pizza) BioCare's Adult MultiVitamins BioCare's Mega EPA 1000 Cut out coffee
I had suffered from around the age of 14, and soon after starting the daily supps at the age of 33, my anxiety levels dropped for the first time, and I am much calmer these days. Excercise helps enormously, as does meditation, but diet is so fundamnetal... Getting older brings a certain calmness too..
This is all notwithstanding psychological factors, which would need confronting in their own right.
As bad as it seems right now, it will get better.
― Tongham Hobbs, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:35 (5 years ago) Permalink
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's some evidence to suggest that booze helps to aggravate panic attacks. I was suffering really badly last year, and the only thing that's regulated it is getting enough regular sleep and easing off on the drinking. Also breathing exercises and shit.
― Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:41 (5 years ago) Permalink
IF YOU'RE GOING TO START TAKING MEDICATION: Keep in mind that you're going to become addicted to it and it's going to be very, very difficult to stop if and when you want to. I've been on either Lexapro or Celexa since high school and deeply, deeply regret ever starting this shit.
Exercise, healthy diet, and regular sleep are all much better ideas than medication IMO.
― ian, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:20 (5 years ago) Permalink
benzodiazepines are really bad news if you are at all disposed toward abusing the fuck out of them and getting crazy addicted and ruining your life. though they do make the panic go away.
― adam, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:25 (5 years ago) Permalink
I've heard this too, but it's mostly an after-effect, right? Not while actually drinking? I smoked marijuana heavily for five years during my teenage years and that's what actually triggered my first-ever panic attack - one random time smoking marijuana after literally smoking it thousands of times in my life. I continue to have them whenever I smoke marijuana (as soon as I take a couple hits) and as a result I've sworn off that for life - never experienced one from drinking (as far as I know), but I have had a couple not being under the influence of anything.
― Reatards Unite, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:48 (5 years ago) Permalink
You said you were a college student; do you want to elaborate on that? i know for periods when i was in college i was having pretty serious bad times, incl panic attacks. a lot of the time they were triggered directly by school related shit, but sometimes not. not saying it's nothing to worry about, cuz it sucks, but that there can be a lot of factors involved. And please, think long and hard before committing to a daily medication, please.
― ian, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:52 (5 years ago) Permalink
It's really interesting to hear people's different experiences with meds. I have been on Effexor (as mentioned above) since 2001. However, I went off of it for two years between now and then without incident. For me, it really has been a lifesaver when needed and I honestly believe that for some people (obv not as many as are currently prescribed) daily medication is appropriate and extremely helpful. I'm not saying that I don't think exercise, diet, meditation etc. are beneficial because I'm sure that they are. I just to point out that not everyone has such a negative experience with medication.
― ENBB, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:56 (5 years ago) Permalink
erm - "I just WANT to point out . . ." oops.
― ENBB, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:57 (5 years ago) Permalink
It's not just college - I have anxiety about everything. I worry about going insane or schizophrenic, I worry that when I cross intersections (I live in a busy city) the cars are going to lunge forward and hit me, I worry that my heart is beating too fast or too slow or irregular, etc. etc. etc. (the list goes on and on). I know most of it is absolutely silly - I can tell myself in my mind that none of it is true, and I actually KNOW that none of it is true, but I still get that anxious, tingly, worried physical feeling whenever my mind stops on any of those thoughts - hopefully some of you guys who have anxiety problems know what I'm talking about.
― Reatards Unite, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:59 (5 years ago) Permalink
And as far as "natural" medications go - I suppose I could exercise a bit more, but I'm a vegan so I don't think my eating habits are too bad, and I don't drink coffee and limit my caffeinated drinks to a couple a week.
― Reatards Unite, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:01 (5 years ago) Permalink
oh man living in the city sucks for anxiety. my commute this morning has me seriously considering moving to a farm and raising goats.
and my advice is...talk to a doctor. lots of different things work for different people. you'll probably have to try a couple different things before finding something that helps.
― bell_labs, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:08 (5 years ago) Permalink
Keep in mind that you're going to become addicted to it and it's going to be very, very difficult to stop if and when you want to
I've been on all of the meds you mentioned above RU and wasn't addicted to any of them. Your mileage, etc.
Each of them had their merits but the downsides nixed them for me. Klonipin is great short-term but is not a long term solution. Benzos definitely can be addictive so should be used with caution.
Currently I take a couple of psychological medications but none for anxiety. I work on this with cognitive behavioral therapy and basic confidence building and stress relief skills.
― Bonita Applebum, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:21 (5 years ago) Permalink
Oooh, I forgot to mention cognitive behavioral therapy. I know that it works really well for some people with anxiety. RU, if you haven't tried that you may want to look into it.
Also, I've yet to ever buy it but have had the following book recommended to me several times and it might be worth looking into as it's supposedly very good:
http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia-Workbook-Edmund-Bourne/dp/157224223X
― ENBB, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:25 (5 years ago) Permalink
By the way, I did not mean for my post to sound condescending or dismissive. I have no qualms with medication but think, especially if they're not currently working for you, that you might need to consider a different long-term solution.
If it is very bad at the moment I would recommend investigating benzos for short-term, as needed, help.
― Bonita Applebum, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:29 (5 years ago) Permalink
I've heard it said that panic disorder is largely about the fear of the panic attacks themselves, paradoxically, and that if one can overcome that fear one can mitigate the attacks. Does this seem true? And does it also go for anxiety attacks?
― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:31 (5 years ago) Permalink
ask your dr. about welbutrin and seroquel as well
― CaptainLorax, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 19:50 (5 years ago) Permalink
Any shitty job I take gets me all stressed out and depressed and makes me want to kill myself. Today I was so anxiety-ridden and mentally paralyzed that I drove a forklift into a dock door.
I believe I was born the way I was for a reason and a Special Purpose, but sometimes I wish I was one of the other half who wouldn't let a shitty job stress him/her out. I can't help it.
― wanko ergo sum, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 21:09 (5 years ago) Permalink
i understand
― Surmounter, Friday, 13 June 2008 18:21 (4 years ago) Permalink
sometimes, i feel like i'm going to burn up, from the inside out. and just disappear. isn't that poetic?
― Surmounter, Friday, 13 June 2008 18:22 (4 years ago) Permalink
I have been feeling really anxious this past week. Thoughts racing, trying to process shit going on in my life, always sort of hit a wall and get frustrated with myself. How do I not worry about other people, or say, control the amount of jealous anxiety I am having? I am upping my dosage of citalopram most likely, and I'll know for sure after I see the doctor next Friday. But for now, I'm having trouble falling asleep, and if I'm left alone and undistracted my thoughts race and I start feeling nauseous and overwhelmed.
― ian, Saturday, 22 November 2008 01:11 (4 years ago) Permalink
different stuff works for different folks but when I have anxiety related sleep problems I watch my favorite movies to keep my mind occupied.
I know that's sort of bullshitty advice but what else can you do. I feel for u tho dogg--u gotta be the river not the rock--easier said than done.
― :) Mrs Edward Cullen XD (max), Saturday, 22 November 2008 01:15 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah advice for this is hard to give because everyone's got their own deal. my method is just disengaging, mentally and emotionally, from things i cant control in a positive manner. believe it or not, i really believe this is a skill you can learn with practice and persistence.
― ryan, Saturday, 22 November 2008 01:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah i wish i had something to say that would help because i used to feel like that a lot when i was 19-20 and i remember it being a really bad time. debilitating. somehow i got it to go away without any drugs or anything, now i go crazy only very rarely. i did learn to disengage from things, stay busy, be realistic, keep a regular sleep schedule. or if i feel like i am being dragged along by life i take day off to get stuff done, even if the stuff is just washing piled-up dishes and cooking and catching up on sleep. i just concentrate on being in control of things and not letting external stuff (like jealous anxiety and missing people, worrying about people thinking i'm weird or hating me, guilt over stuff that happened a long time ago, etc.) tear me apart. recognizing what you can't control and working on what you can.
sounds stupid and self-helpy i guess, probably nothing you don't already know either :(now i feel bad because i hate it when people act like it's so easy to fix when it's not. but anyway. helpig u.
― bear of the teddy (harbl), Saturday, 22 November 2008 01:55 (4 years ago) Permalink
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's some evidence to suggest that booze helps to aggravate panic attacks.
I've heard this too, but it's mostly an after-effect, right? Not while actually drinking?
At the very least, some people react badly/anxiously to the physiological effects of alcohol (increased heart rate, vertigo, etc.). And of course it can definitely lead to a rebound afterward.
I suspect a lot of panic attacks are mainly due to physiological issues, not psychological ones; I know that I sometimes get major anxiety symptoms from clearly physical causes -- for example, if I'm coming down with a cold, or if I eat something really heavy and sugary in the morning. In particular, I think undiagnosed hypoglycemia and untreated low-level infections are behind a lot of this stuff.
(So get your teeth taken care of, and eat a grapefruit, or some bacon, when you wake up.)
― Charlie Rose Nylund, Saturday, 22 November 2008 19:05 (4 years ago) Permalink
THE FUTURE IS LOOMING AND THERE ARE NO JOBS AND YOU ARENT AS TALENTED AS YOUR MOM TOLD YOU YOU WERE AND YOU WILL NEVER BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOUR PARENTS AND PROBABLY NOT MAKE ANY FRIENDS AFTER COLLEGE SO I HOPE YOU REALLY ENJOYED BEING 18 BECAUSE ITS BASICALLY ALL DOWNHILL FROM THERE
― rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:20 (4 years ago) Permalink
relax, dude, you could always become a video-store clerk
― Stop relegating Hull you miserable gits! (country matters), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:24 (4 years ago) Permalink
I don't mean to belittle your anxiety, Max, but all the life evidence suggests that the voices in your head are lying to you. Big time.
― guys i need to eliminate this business associate and im really nervous (Laurel), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:24 (4 years ago) Permalink
i'm pretty sure video stores aren't a thing anymore
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:24 (4 years ago) Permalink
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:24 PM (0 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
oh great another thing to be anxious about
― rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:25 (4 years ago) Permalink
sorry uh CD/DVD store
― Stop relegating Hull you miserable gits! (country matters), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:27 (4 years ago) Permalink
find buddies at the netflix factory
― cool app (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:27 (4 years ago) Permalink
/BluRay (wth)
i don't think there are any more of those either, sorry
xp
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:27 (4 years ago) Permalink
max it'll be okay, you are forgetting that being 18 was terrible
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:28 (4 years ago) Permalink
find buddies at the netflix factory internet
― cool app (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:28 (4 years ago) Permalink
lorazepam?
― elmo argonaut, Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:28 (4 years ago) Permalink
"voices in your head"? i feel like this is exactly what i'm hearing on all sides! you know, our generation is spoiled and entitled and doomed to failure and starvation.
at least we have the internet, though. you're right.
― Maria, Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:28 (4 years ago) Permalink
how many eyes are in this picture
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:27 (1 minute ago) Bookmark
oh shit then what am i working at :-/
i'm living a lie
― Stop relegating Hull you miserable gits! (country matters), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
i am graduating and i don't have a job but i don't feel anxious really and i'm worrying about how maybe i should, and it's making me anxious!
― (lbrah) (harbl), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
if you can manage to not feel anxious about it, that's GREAT! as long as you are putting out applications and don't need anxiety's kick in the ass to do it, it wouldn't do you any good anyway.
― Maria, Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
i would start updating that resume, louis. maybe you can get a job at the internet factory.
― meat of beef (Jordan), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:33 (4 years ago) Permalink
no i have not done many applications but i haven't moved or taken the bar yet so i have time
― (lbrah) (harbl), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:34 (4 years ago) Permalink
the internet factory probably requires experience in factories :(
― Stop relegating Hull you miserable gits! (country matters), Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:39 (4 years ago) Permalink
max no lie one of my friends is becoming a small-time publisher and if u want we will publish u in your hour of need, ink onto paper, that one can feel with the hand, it is there
also his (our) press is gonna be called ⓒ_ⓒ Press (at my instigation, mostly)
L0uis jagg3r's cooking with camembert
― Mr. Que, Thursday, 26 March 2009 21:39 (4 years ago) Permalink
so how do you deal with OCD? are there CBT-like techniques that help? i guess i've had this my whole life - it just seems different than my fear-based anxiety. i feel afflicted by anxiety like i'd feel afflicted by illness, but the OCD stuff seems more like it's just my worthless, disgusting self being worthless and disgusting. in other words, anxiety is a problem i have, and this other stuff is just who i am.
― eh mec, elle est ou ma caisse? (ytth), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 05:09 (6 months ago) Permalink
i mean, i can identify with ocd a bit -- my general philosophy is don't worry too much about it unless it gets in the way of other things i want to do. when that happens, i check myself (however necessary) and so far i have wound up ok.
do i think this could last forever? honestly, maybe. i hope so! it is kind of who i am. obsessing about things is fun for me in most ways! the c and the d are the things that need to be checked. everyone's different though so obvs ymmv.
― passion it person (La Lechera), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 05:16 (6 months ago) Permalink
OCD is (can be dealt with as) an illness, too. If you can move compulsions from the "worthless & disgusting self" category to the illness/pathology/maladaption category, that's a start.
― Fieri-brand sausages into my and your ready holes (silby), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 05:57 (6 months ago) Permalink
(but don't move those compulsions to the "do I have a life-threatening illness?" category, because lemme tell you from personal experience that shit will drive you insane)
― it just might not jive with you (fadanuf4erybody), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 06:36 (6 months ago) Permalink
how to deal with OCD.
well there are a few things. 1 is you have to realize that some wheels are just going to turn. like, you don't have a choice. certain obsessions will just turn round and round in your brain and you have to let them. help what you can change as opposed to trying to change what you cannot.
OCD is very, very personal, so dealing is v different for everybody. some CBT mechanisms work more universally than others. 1 is embracing imperfection. a lot of people dealing with this are obsessed with perfection and beauty and so training yourself to find the beauty in imperfection, disorder and ugliness can be crucial. those things are beautiful too. say the wrong thing, mess up your hair and act like a total goofball when you need to. it helps.
other than that i'm still tryin to figure it out so i'll keep you posted
― surm, Wednesday, 21 November 2012 13:32 (6 months ago) Permalink
appropriately enough i have been going thru a series of extreme OCD attacks for the past couple of days, and i was hoping to wake up on the day of thanksgiving feeling thankful and free of anxiety but that didn't happen. i am at a loss. every time i think i may have a good go at a reasonable day my brain flips out. and at this point i am just tired, all i want is to lie in bed. but it's thanksgiving and there are people coming here and as much as i feel like a broken record, and as sick as i am of all of this, i really just don't know how i'm going to put on a face and be full of mirth. pretty sure my only answer is to get tanked.
― surm, Thursday, 22 November 2012 15:08 (6 months ago) Permalink
you're gonna be ok, surm. take breaks from the people if you need to. hell, take a nap if you need one! <3
― passion it person (La Lechera), Thursday, 22 November 2012 15:15 (6 months ago) Permalink
thanks sweetie. Ryan just reminded me to breathe and take it one step at a time, dunno why i always forget my own advice. i hope you are enjoying this feast of food!
― surm, Thursday, 22 November 2012 16:21 (6 months ago) Permalink
You too! I am cooking up a storm, already full after breakfast, wondering if I can eat even 1/4 of the food I'm cooking. I have cursed the people from America's Test Kitchen already multiple times.
― passion it person (La Lechera), Thursday, 22 November 2012 16:33 (6 months ago) Permalink
baby steps, surm <3 hope you make it thru okay
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 22 November 2012 18:32 (6 months ago) Permalink
i made it thru, but i need to talk to my mom. i'll call her tomorrow.
― surm, Friday, 23 November 2012 04:18 (6 months ago) Permalink
goodgod my anxiety levels really shoot through the roof whenever i decide to sort out/find receipts etc for tax purposes + feeling like i'm The Most Disorganized Person in the World, who should have better systems for all this by now right. haha wrong. aaaagh! i need some preventative care in the form of organization, but that feels like kind of a mystery.
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 21:59 (6 months ago) Permalink
i almost cried but i didn't cry
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:01 (6 months ago) Permalink
might still cry
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:02 (6 months ago) Permalink
I haven't filed my 2012 taxes yet, how's that? And I'm not even a freelancer.
Take heart, young rrrobyn. You are a good person who knows things and is competent at life. Just maybe not this one little skill that you only need once a year anyway and can probably get by without.
― grossly incorrect register (in orbit), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:04 (6 months ago) Permalink
in orbit otm
buck up, lil buckaroo
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:16 (6 months ago) Permalink
logically, it's coolin my anxiety brain it's like zoopzoopzoopbraaaahurrrrr
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:33 (6 months ago) Permalink
but a good thing: i just called about an old govt money-owing thing that was a mistake on their part i'd never dealt with and they said it's all good, zero balance, not gone to collection or anything scary like that, owe nothing. taking care of business, slowly but surely...
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:35 (6 months ago) Permalink
i let my desk get beyond crazy in the past couple of months but am dismantling the mountain...thanks :)
― obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 23 November 2012 22:37 (6 months ago) Permalink
when things really aren't going well in a longish-term (for a 22 year old at least) relationship, and you're constantly worried about money and having to work 55-60 hour weeks to cover rent/bills/food/life, and you're neglecting your MA (which is what has gotten you into the money worries, and then the stresses that brings to a relationship)...that's an ok time to feel horrible anxious all the time and live with a permanent sense of very real dread, right?
― Blue Collar Retail Assistant (Dwight Yorke), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 13:44 (5 months ago) Permalink
yeah
clear ur mind and stay focused on the ma though, it is the one non-transient thing that will get u out of this in time
― r|t|c, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 14:05 (5 months ago) Permalink
which isnt to freight it like its ur one shot at life, just yknow it's learning and creativity and stuff, it's cool, dont look at it purely as a source of stress
― r|t|c, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 14:08 (5 months ago) Permalink
my anxiety treatment involves thinking of something very simple to do, carving out a slice of time, and then doing it. even if it means going a few blocks away from my normal routine to sit reading the newspaper over coffee for half an hour. not as useful if your anxiety stems from a lack of having any sort of routine, but intentionally doing something trivial can be a break.
― mh, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 14:52 (5 months ago) Permalink
It's bad.
So bad that I almost called an ambulance for myself last night because I thought I was having a heart attack and I don't know what to do at this point. Either I actually have developed a heart condition which, you know, I guess I could have or I am more anxious than I've ever been before. I feel horrible and I'm really scared.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:23 (1 month ago) Permalink
And now I feel dumb for even posting that.
medical advice or at least a therapist is pretty much your best option here.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:24 (1 month ago) Permalink
don't feel dumb. it's ok.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:25 (1 month ago) Permalink
x-post - I know. I see my therapist tomorrow. I just don't know what to do right now.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:28 (1 month ago) Permalink
find some kind of task, even an organizational one that you can turn your attention to, or some kind of exercise or music or something to kind of immmerse yourself into. the more you sit and think about it the more you're going to feed the anxiety. without any meds or tools to help you, you just kind of need to shift gears for right now.
pull back out of that mindset however you can for right now, because it's sort of addictive, like an itch you can't stop scratching.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:31 (1 month ago) Permalink
your brain is tell you that you're under attack, and your body is responding to that feeling. whatever you can do to tell yourself you're okay *right now*, whatever you can do to try to relax, will help for the moment. but you need to try as hard as you can to not relive that experience from last night.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:33 (1 month ago) Permalink
*telling you
Ime cognitive behavioral therapy is a big help managing those physical symptoms - learning to control your breathing etc.
Can you get out and go for a walk? That has always been my go-to emergency treatment. It usually only helps the duration of the walk but at least its some respite.
― just1n3, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:51 (1 month ago) Permalink
Thanks guys. I took two ativan and just called my doctor. I can't keep having this happen. I've never felt like like before and it's horrible. I have a couple meetings to get me through the afternoon but fuck I feel like I'm literally going to die. I know I'm not but that's what it feels like and having this happen over and over is making me feel like I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 17:55 (1 month ago) Permalink
major stress can make you p vulnerable to anxiety, and then once they set in, the fear of having the attacks can bring them on, putting you in the kind of spiral you're in now.
just even somewhere quiet, somewhere outdoors for 10 minutes where you can breathe and center again can help. but don't hunker down waiting for it to happen. try whatever distraction you can to get out of the headspace you're in right now.
one of my best friends went through a horrible period where she didn't leave her house for a year because of anxiety attacks...that was a long time ago but it's still really scary for her when they come back. she's mostly fine now though. you can manage them and you can have a normal life.
the biggest takeaway is you won't feel like this all the time. it'll just take a bit of work to undo and diffuse the anxiety.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:15 (1 month ago) Permalink
I know. I mean, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder so anxiety is not new to me but panic attacks of this intensity and frequency are. Also, I had my GAD pretty under control but this stress has just completely reversed that.
I just wrote to some friends and asked if I could stay over tonight. I'm literally afraid to be alone because I'm afraid I'm going to die. I know this sounds crazy and that I'm not I just don't know what to do. I have to fly on Thurs and am freaking out about that too but I can't not go see my parents - they've been waiting for this visit since Christmas and if I don't go they'll freak out. I just don't want to panic on the plane which is exactly what you were explaining here: major stress can make you p vulnerable to anxiety, and then once they set in, the fear of having the attacks can bring them on, putting you in the kind of spiral you're in now.
The Ativan kicked in and I feel a little better but fuck me.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:21 (1 month ago) Permalink
keep your head in what can i do in this hour, what can i do in this afternoon, what can i do tonight, break everything down into small chunks.
ask yr therapist specifically to help you address the flight on thursday. whether it's upping or changing yr meds for that flight so you can deal, some kind of toolkit so that you know that that is a thing that is now 'taken care of'.
but yeah the generalized worry about yr new panic attacks, flying, your parents, etc etc is going to make you crazy. do whatever you can to make everything really small and manageable.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:30 (1 month ago) Permalink
Hey VG? Thank you. Seriously. This is some really good advice. You're extremely kind. <3
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:33 (1 month ago) Permalink
aw np. I was just going to apologize for overdoing it <3
i just know how scared and lost my friend gets when it happens, and I have had a couple of bad attacks myself. it's a horrible, horrible feeling. it's nice to have some cognitive things, kind of like a handrail, to help get you out of that place.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
Crap! I have been there.
Regarding the trip: on the one hand, you don't want to avoid stuff and reinforce the anxiety, but otoh it sounds like you need a serious TIME OUT. A big part of self-care for me has been setting boundaries and sometimes disappointing people when I am simply not feeling up to certain things.
You'll get through this patch, though. I thought I was truly dying almost every day for the past year & I thought I would never be ok, I would always have attacks & never enjoy life again. None of that was true.
Veg has great advice, especially about manageable chunks! I think part of my anxiety problems stem from ADHD. I get overwhelmed and can't break things down easily. Are you like that, too?
― emilys., Tuesday, 2 April 2013 18:39 (1 month ago) Permalink
One thing you should know is that literally no one has ever died from a panic attack, so just remind yourself of that frequently. Make sure you're breathing through your nose and not hyperventilating.
― just1n3, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 19:02 (1 month ago) Permalink
Yeah, not going away this weekend isn't really an option at all and I think it'll actually be OK. I'm just gonna lay around the pool and let my dad cook for me basically. There's a bunch of potentially really stressful shit that could happen while I'm down there but I'm not gonna worry too much about that until it happens.
My PCP Dr. called in some Effexor for me which is what I used to be on for anxiety and I think I'm gonna start again even if it's only for a couple months until I get better adjusted. That should be ready to pick up early next week. Hung out with friends last night which was good and feel generally better today.
So it goes.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 20:17 (1 month ago) Permalink
yay <3
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 20:19 (1 month ago) Permalink
Glad you're feeling better :)
― you may not like it now but you will (Zora), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 20:20 (1 month ago) Permalink
chill with Maggiisho
― I, rrational (mh), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 22:43 (1 month ago) Permalink
oh there will be lots of that :)
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Thursday, 4 April 2013 00:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
i probably said this upthread, and so i apologize for repeating myself -- this sounds like bogus self help advice, but it has really helped me with panic anxiety symptoms in the past, both situational and non. panic symptoms feel like things that happen TO me, even IN SPITE OF ME, and they have this inevitable, unavoidable quality around them, which is a large part of why they're so terrifying. however, simply realizing (and coming up with rigid cognitive steps to help me remember) that i can control my response to the symptoms, and that controlling my response to the symptoms will make them go away, has helped me avoid countless panic attacks. i even managed to fly without medication using that simple cognitive foundation. it took a lot of exercise to really drill it into my mind, but even just starting the process helped an amazing amount. i really hope you feel better soon.
― eh mec, elle est ou ma caisse? (ytth), Thursday, 4 April 2013 01:16 (1 month ago) Permalink
Aw hey ytth I only saw this now and it doesn't sound bogus, I've also found that to be true when I can help it.
So, I went to Florida and managed not to have one on the flight but then did totally out of the blue while I was hanging out with my parents which, of course, scared the shit out of them. I broke down and cried and told them it was happening at least a couple times a week now and then promised to talk to my therapist and make an appt with my primary care physician when I got back.
I talked to my therapist about it (specifically about how they often seem to come out of nowhere and without triggers) the other night and learned something very interesting. He said that once you have a couple in short succession your body's fight or flight response can get so screwed up that you might not need an actual obvious trigger or be in an anxiety-inducing situation. He said that something like hormones or lack or sleep or any emotion at all (anger, sadness) can wind up triggering them after a while and in someone prone to them. Anyway, I found that kind of fascinating.
I started back on Effexor on Monday and hopefully once that kicks in a couple weeks from now they won't happen as often and this will all be much more manageable. I also did make the appointment with my PCP for tomorrow just to reassure myself that I haven't, you know, developed an actual heart condition or something.
― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Thursday, 11 April 2013 20:18 (1 month ago) Permalink
that's good to hear, E
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 11 April 2013 20:38 (1 month ago) Permalink
cheers E, glad you're making progress towards getting to the bottom of all this (:
― 乒乓, Thursday, 11 April 2013 20:44 (1 month ago) Permalink
Glad you powered through the trip and at least didn't have an attack on the flight. I hope the effexor helps as it did before. Viibryd seems to have helped me break out of that constantly-primed mode.
― emilys., Friday, 12 April 2013 01:10 (1 month ago) Permalink