Anxiety attacks any help please?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2007
Anxiety attacks any help please?
10
Mon, 01-01-2007 - 11:35pm

Hello I am new to this board and am in desperate need of some help and direction.
I am a 23 year old girl and everything is going well for me right now, apart from what's going on in my head. This all started just over a week ago now and I have been lucky to get a couple hours of sleep a night. I start to, for no reason at all imagine dying, how it will happen to me, when it will and everything possible to do with it. This makes me panic something dreadful. My chest becomes tight, my pulse races and I become so frightened that I dare not go to sleep incase I do not wake up. I have a very supportive partner and he knows all about this, he even stays awake with me to try and make me feel better but then I begin to worry about what all of this is doing to him? I am in such a mess and am scared about going to the doctors as my Mother has suffered with mental illness all of her life and I'm worried that I may become like her. I seem to have all the classic symptons of anxiety attacks and I am so petrified, I do not know what to do and am sure that I'm doing damage to myself being like this but do not know how to stop it? If anyone can help me I would so very much appreciate it, or any words of advice,maybe someone else is suffering from the same things?

All my love and best wishes x

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 01-01-2007 - 11:51pm

Hello! I am sorry to hear what you're experiencing. What you describe COULD be anxiety attacks. However, we cannot diagnose you. That must be done by a health care professional. I know that's a scary prospect for you, but there are some medical illnesses that can cause these sorts of symptoms. It would be in your best interest to find out for certain & get treatment if that's the case. Family doctors are able to address these issues. You don't have to see a psychiatrist or a specialist. Although, your dr. may suggest you see someone else

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2007
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 12:06am

Hi there,

Thank you, it is so nice to hear those kind words and support, they really do mean so much. I will get a doctors appointment right away and try and stop whatever this is eating up my life.
It's beautiful to see people like yourself coping and taking control of your lives and then helping others. I only hope that one day I'll be able to do the same. Thank you again and I will let you all know how it goes.
x

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2007
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 12:37am
hi, i'm new to this board also. i also feel like things are great for me except for what's going on inside. i'm 24 and i feel like i've had anxiety all my life. mine is more of a social anxiey; i've had panic attacks mostly in public, but i can relate to your symptoms and how scary it feels. i've gone for counseling before but i was resistant to it (mostly i didn't want to be couseled or take meds for fear of what other people would think). my husband is the one who helped me understand myself a little more; he takes meds for depression and comes from a family full of mental disorders. he's my inspiration because he lives day by day and always accentuates the positive (that just goes to show that eventhough he has a fam. history of mental disorders and had a rough time growing up with depression, he got help and didn't become what he was afraid he would). i don't think it's something you can stop on your own; i've tried. i'm in the process of getting help; there are people who can help you, they study these disorders and help you find solutions. i hope you strongly consider finding someone to help you, and like you see here, you're not alone. good luck and lets keep posting.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-28-2004
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 4:02pm

Hi,

Welcome! Jan gave some great advice. I don't have much to add, just that it's good to "meet" you and I hope you feel free to hang out and talk here whenever you need support or just to say Hi. This is a really a friendly group. :)

Seeing your doctor or a counselor and getting some help, I think really is the way to go. Hope you feel better soon and talk to you again.

Hugs,
Dee

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2007
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 6:17pm
It's comforting to know I'm not alone, I feel much better since joining this forum and reading all these messsages of people surviving similiar situations and like yourself letting me know that your here for me. Thank you and all the best x
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2006
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 7:55pm

Hi,
Just a quick message to let you know I went through the same thing when I was your age. I still have a huge fear of dying, but with therapy it no longer consumes me. You're not alone girl, hang in there! It does get better once you get help. Take care.

J

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2007
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 6:45am
Wow thats nice to hear, I'm so pleased for you! I'm hoping to follow your footsteps x
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 11:04am

Hi there-
Boy, I so understand how you feel! I too have health anxiety and I really relate to your post. I was about your age when it started and my mom too has suffered from mental illness so I too was scared of the unknown for me. I went to a councelor who was wonderful and listened and got me on a regime of medication and therapy. Some people do not need medication for ever, some do. That was another fear of mine, taking medication forever instead of being thankful it was helping me. My personal advice is to find a councelor and talk it out. Im so glad your partner is understanding and supportive. That really helps. Stick around this board, these women are great and you are not alone.

Hugs.....

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 9:47pm
I have had the toughts of dying many, many times over the years.

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2007
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 10:22pm
Hi there,
I have anxiety/panic disorder since I was 18 years old. This was brought on by having my son very young and being in a abusive relationship with his father at the time. From what i've reserched about this disorder it is usually brought on by some sort of stress or trauma that has happened or is happening in your life. Iam going to be 31 next month and from what I've learned through the years is that you really have to take care of yourself and make sure that you put some r&r into your schedule. I don't know if you have a hectic life right now but my best suggestion would be to go to your family doctor or a psychologist and from there you can decide what kind of treatment you want. There are many out there including cognitive therapy without medication or both. I myself do take medication but it really is your choice. I really hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck.