Advice for Anxiety/Panic Sufferer

newbie15

Hey. Im new to this. Im 32 and have been suffering with anxiety and panic attacks for the past 4 years. Its mainly in social situations and unfamiliar surroundings. Does anyone have any advice on dealing with this? I am on medication and have been going to therapy for 18 months now but still suffering.

KMoon09

Hi OP, I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks really badly in the past. I have learnt that keeping my breathing under control is so important in dealing with my anxiety. You will find good breathing exercises in When Panic Attacks by Dr Aine Tubridy. This book is a great tool for understanding anxiety, and I recommend you get a copy of it.

I also find mindfulness very helpful. I tend to do it at night as it clears my head. There are plenty of videos up on YouTube. Mindfulness grounds your body. This is great for getting a break from your anxiety. Going for a run is also a great release for me.

You've identified social situations as a trigger for your anxiety. There is a fantastic book by Susan Jeffers called Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway. Its a classic because it teaches you how to deal with fear in any situation, which ultimately is key to preventing anxiety.

You've mentioned you are in therapy. I tried CBT which didn't help me. I found psychotherapy actually suits me much better. Therapy is a personal experience, so look at whether the therapy you are in at the moment is suited to you.

I can't remember the last time I've had a panic attack, and 18 months ago they were a regular part of my life. I find I need to work hard at keeping my anxiety under control, and I do that every day by looking after my breathing and taking time out by doing mindfulness. The books I mentioned above are like bibles to me. With time and work, you can have a life without panic attacks. Find what eases your anxiety, and this is your key to overcoming your fear of social situations.

newbie15

Hey. Thank u so much 4 that. I will definately go get those books. Ive heard alot about mindfulness but I find it very hard to focus and let my mind relax. Its like it is constantly in overdrive and I cant do anything about it.

I am feeling so not in control of my own mind and cant stop the negative thoughts.

newbie15

Hey. Thank u so much 4 that. I will definately go get those books. Ive heard alot about mindfulness but I find it very hard to focus and let my mind relax. Its like it is constantly in overdrive and I cant do anything about it.

I am feeling so not in control of my own mind and cant stop the negative thoughts.

KMoon09

A very active mind is typical when dealing with anxiety. The best thing to do is every time a negative thought comes into your head, remind yourself NOT to let it bother you and overwhelm you. This might sound ridiculous, but you need to remember that your negative thoughts are just thoughts, they are not facts. Keep reminding yourself of that.

Doing breathing exercises would be really helpful for you to gain perspective over your thoughts. Even though you find it difficult to focus and relax, mindfulness will help with this. To begin with, start off with videos that are fairly short, somewhere between 10-20 minutes. Your mind will wander and you'll probably start thinking about other things, but the mindfulness exercise will remind you to bring your concentration back to the mindfulness itself. Its a very calming thing to do and will actually give you a break from those thoughts.

The main thing is you need to gain control over your thoughts. You can do this many ways. You just need to find what works best for you.

LegacyUser

Hi, its not easy in the situation you're currently in...I have been there in the past few years, here is what I did, first of all books are ok, its interesting to read about them...Me personally after receiving medical advice, no one could tell me why the attacks occurred. I did a course in Meditation at Dublin Buddhist School which was great also I have been doing counselling CBT and ACT...This was good for other factors, not 100% sure about how it helped the attacks...But focusing on mindfulness did help when they happened.....(Besides that I started Reiki as well, I basically never wanted another attack and did anything and everything I could to get over it)...Changed diet , stopped drinking coffee etc....

Have a look at your lifestyle, alcohol in moderation is fine, it really is a confidence thing, I was briefly on xanax and wanted to get off it very quickly hence all the counselling\meditation\reiki etc I also increased exercise a lot and reduced alcohol, thats how I got over it, I would still carry the xanax with me till lately (even on holidays) people who have had attacks will understand this, best of luck with it....

The Bishop Basher

After 12 years of crippling anxiety and 10 years on Xanax I am now anxiety and Xanax free.

The cure ?

Well it's different for everyone but the key is to keep looking. Doctors will prescribe you pills to cover up the symptoms which is fine while you search for a cure but the only person that will find the answer for you, is you.

Personally I found CBT and Hypnotherapy of huge benefit. Talk therapy was close to useless. I did a lot of work with a Shaman which introduced me to Mindfulness and while it's a very broad term, there are lots of benefits in the practice. Meditation is a must as is diet and exercise. If you drink regularly, cut it out for a month, you might be surprised at the benefits.

Follow your nose, take every opportunity and try anything and everything. There's no one fix for everyone but you will find the answer for you. Just never give up.

Good luck.