Do you know why your panic attacks began

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Do you know why your panic attacks began
4
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 11:30am

I think that knowing why you had your first one can sometimes help you to overcome them. In my case it was because I was trying to make a big life change with no support from my family. I wanted to move to Maryland to make more money, work in a bigger city and have a fresh start after breaking up with my b/f. My mother was against it and told me repeatedly that I wouldn't make it. Those thoughts stuck in my head and caused panic when I got into situations where I was getting close to actually doing what I set out to.

I'm happy to report that I managed to overcome the negative thinking associated with other people's responses and I did end up moving, only to the NYC area instead. I got a great job making a lot more money and met my current b/f of five years at work.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2001
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 11:36am

From last January to April I had some traumatic events happen... it was as though my world fell apart. My tdoc says that she has never heard of someone have so many bad things happen in such a short time.


Just as my family was recovering ( I knew something was wrong, I had disconnected feelings) my dh was going away on a business trip.


The night before he left I woke up with a major panic attack and from there it escalated.. I went to my Dr right away and got on meds. The 1st time I saw my tdoc she told me that she had never seen anyone with all the anxiety symptoms at one time as I had.


She dx'd me with adjustment disorder with severe anxiety...

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2005
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 11:39am
Extremly stressful situations are usually the catalyst for the first one. Now that you recognize what may have caused it has anything changed/gotten better?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2001
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 12:00pm

Oh I am MUCH better..


In the beginning I was awful and on the verge of being housebound... now I lead a "normal" life.


My anxiety doesn't stop me from doing ANYTHING. I go where I want and do what I want to do..


I just need to keep fighting...


I am looking forward to getting to the one yr mark for me.. for some reason that to me is when I will really know that I will be ok..

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 12-05-2005 - 12:11pm
Much like depression, anxiety is triggered many times by a major life change, illness or traumatic event. It all boils down to stress. Extra stress that we might not even be aware of. As depression & anxiety sufferers, we seem to have the chemical imbalance present that this stress triggers. Alot of us can relate that other family members have anxiety disorders. There is current research being conducted by NARSAD on whether there is a specific anxiety gene that is passed or if it's passed along with another related gene. For instance, many folks with anxiety have MVP(mitral valve prolapse.) It is possible that these 2 genes are connected or passed together. I find this interesting as several people in my family have anxiety and/or MVP. HTH jan