Need Help With Anxiety

[believes]

I have been troubled for years with anxiety, in one form or another.  Over the last few months I'm having what I believe to be anxiety, but in a different manner. I am incredibily anxious early in the mornings. When I wake up I usually have to work hard to keep it just below the surface. I feel so nervous and anxious. I feel like if I allow myself I will go to pieces. On a few occasions it has gotten the best of me. It has welled up and began to physically cause symptons - nausea, sweating, coldness, chest pains, breathing difficulty. On these occasions I've actually called my dr, or a nurse line. It's very embarrassing because these calls are always before my dr's office actually opens and I have to call the emergency number.  During these episodes I can feel something building inside of me - it feels like a wave - of nausea accompanied by other symptons I've listed here.  It is so real I'm sure something catastrophic is happening, but at the same time my head is telling me it's just anxiety. And apparently it is because after the episode subsides (usually a few hours) I'm fine. It's during the "after" times that I look back and think how silly I was to have been afraid. Until the next time. When I'm in the midst of the panic it's the most frightening and debilitating thing I've ever experienced - sheer terror that I'm not quite able to put a name on. Does that make sense?

Can anyone offer any help?

[edgyboy]

Yes! The feeling of being trapped because how do you get rid of this feeling? I hear the effective way is acceptance. To be submissive to it. Take it for what it is, your body's reaction to stress, nothing more.

People react to stress in different ways. Ulcers, high blood pressure etc. We react through anxiety.

[believes]

I really connect with your comment about it being all so new each time the panic happens. That's so true.  For me, when I'm in the midst of an attack I'm constantly afraid that something catastrophic is going to happen to me physically.  

Typical scenario:  I wake up feeling "weird" - like something is wrong yet I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that doesn't feel right.  I quickly go from that though to very distinct physcial symptons - dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations, sweating and cold at the same time.  And then the intense fear that something is happening to me and I'm going to lose control and die a horrible death. And this always happens when I'm alone which makes it all worse. I start thinking about all the "what ifs"  - what if I need help and can't get it in time, etc etc.  I tell myself the whole time that it's just another panic attack but my mind plays games and tries to convince me that maybe this really is the time that something goes terribly wrong.  I've actually given it to it a couple of times and called my dr's emerengency number to get advice. And then I beat myself up later for giving in and making that call when it's not necessary. I feel so ashamed and embarrased and angry with myself when I just can't control the panic on my own.

Is any of this familiar to your attacks?  Or anyone else reading here?

[edgyboy]

I am glad you are doing better today. Yesterday I felt kind of weird, like I was holding off a panic attack. so, I was kind of juiced up all day. I came homw and the weirdness continued. I decided around 830 to put my PJs on and try to relax.

I actually fell to sleep on the couch (unusual when I am anxious). When I woke up I felt a little out of it. I went upstairs to bad and fell asleep again. I ended up waking up at 310 in the morning with some panic. Not full blown but enough to make me scared and unable to fall back to sleep.

The thing is, and please let me know if this happens to you, I can think of anything in the world while in thios mode and it scares me. I know we look at the world through a veil of anxiety when like this but that is what gets me and creates the problems. Being scared to leave the house etc. Eventhough I go where I have to go it isnt fun. I worry constantly.

Been through this many many times before and I beat it but when it happens again it all so new again. Do you feel the same way? What are panic attacks like for you?

[believes]

Thank you so much for this very helpful reply.  I too have explored everything I could possibly think of that might be making me anxious and beyond that what could trigger the panic attacks.  Sometimes I can pinpoint things and other times there appears to be no rhyme or reason for the episodes.  Ive been an anxious person my entire life - when I was younger I wasn't able to articulate just what I was feeling. I just remember being "scared" of different things and situations.  As an adult I've gone through periods of years without panic - I don't know if I've ever been anxiety free but there have been periods of time without full blown panic attacks.  However I'm currently in a period of the panic attacks and as you well know it's miserable to say the least.  After I finally work through the episode (which I can usually do) and get on with my day it almost seems surreal. It almost seems less severe when I finally get through it. I almost convince myself it wasn't "that" bad - until the next episode occurs. Does that make sense?  But when I'm in the midst of a full blown panic attack I can think of nothing any more frightening. It's absolutely the worst feeling I've ever experienced - and I've been through some pretty bad things in my life, but nothing compares to the fear I feel when I'm in at attack.  

Today is good - this morning I feel no panic.  I prayed so hard when I went to sleep last night that I wouldn't wake up with the fear and dread and thankfully I didn't.

Please keep posting. I need to hear positive things.

[edgyboy]

Ladies, please take a deep breath and try to calm down. I know, easier said than done. I've been there and still go there occassionally. I was anxiety free for 6 years at one point. The last 3 end of the summer seasons I got hit with anxiety real hard for about a month.

I got over all three. However, I got hit with it again a few weeks ago. Its really strange how I can rebound back and feel like I have it finally licked when I get stressed over something and bam, I get hit with a panic attack.
Then follows the scary thoughts, the panic feelings, unreality and sometimes depersonlization. I still handle it pretty good. I go to work each day and go about my daily routine (gingerly i must say lol).

You really have to explore what is going on in your lives. There must be some sort of underlying issue that is causing the anxiety. At least in my case, I can always figure out what triggers the brain chemistry to make this happen. I usually worry about money and finances, the kids, job, you name it. If I get overly angry about something, that really lights the fuse.

My recent bouts have been caused by two things; the death of my father and some big arguments with my wife (really over nothing). Its stress! I also concern myself with the conditions of our world. The world and our country are in a decline and it is stressfull to hear everything going on. We worry about our kid's future People like us are sensitive to our environment. We get bombarded with constant negativity and this is how we react.  

This forum is a blessing to us all. I have sent out personal messages to some people that I think were helpful.

Both of you just hang in there and weather the storm. oh, one more thing. Mornings are the worse time for anxiety for me. Especially if I didnt sleep well.

[believes]

The anxiety continues. I am battling it every day it seems - or every morning - that's when it's the worst. When I first wake up I begin the battle with it.  This is so difficult. It's hard to carry on a "normal" existence living with this.  

[goawayanxiety]

Good for  you on a better morning. I also pray for the relief of the anxiety in the morning and night. Today was a little less than yesterday, but I am beginning to feel conditioned to expect the attack. I am trying to be positive, but it is getting hard.

[believes]

So sorry - I feel your pain. I know what you mean about trying to get through it without waking anyone else. I do the same thing. Try to handle it on my own but it's so very alone. I'm ok this morning. I prayed really hard about it before I went to sleep last night, praying I wouldn't wake up with it today. So far so good. I hope your day is getting better.  

[goawayanxiety]

I am trying to work through a wicked attack right now. Been up for two hours with it. It is the worst one I had in a while. I am starting to get anxiety about going to sleep. I even tried melatonin last night. I woke up once and wasn't too bad and went to sleep. I work up the next time and that was it. I try to work my way through them until a decent hour as to not wake up the hubby and kids, but today was a rough one.
How are you doing?

[Irishred77]

Yep I am in the same boat. Waking up in the middle of the night feeling nauseated, shaking, heart racing, actually have vomited from it. Went to the er twice. All tests are normal. I went to my family doctor and was told its all anxiety. I am on meds now which seem to be working. I had an attack a few nights ago and took a klonopin which knocked it right out and I called my brother with FaceTime on our iPads to talk me through it. He also suffers from anxiety and the attacks.

[believes]

Thanks so much for your reply - it helps to know someone is in my situation. I don't know what to do. I'm trying to carry on my everyday routine but it's not easy. Once I overcome the anxiety (which can take hours) I feel so "normal" and in control. But the anxiety is sheer terror and panic. I've never felt anything so frightening as it.

Keep my posted about your progress.  Sorry you're suffering but it helps to know I'm not alone. Thanks

[goawayanxiety]

Completely makes sense! I am the exact same way. I have been calling a crisis line at those times to help talk me down from the attack. (Three times this week alone.) I have all the same symptoms and always get woken up with them. Definately see you doctor and talk about it. They may have something that can help you. Good luck and know you are not alone in the attacks, someone else is probably going through one at the same time as you.