Help anyone have experience with anxiety/panic attacks?

[Wojaczek]

i cant deal with this shit anymore, everything is so fucking scary, it feels like im losing my mind or consciousness, i get stomach aches from anxiety.

my next appointment with a doctor is on the 10th next year but idk if i can wait so long, i just want my mind to be a rest again.

 

[bed]

yes, used to get panic attacks daily for the longest time and still struggle just to leave my room, let alone the house. I am also agoraphobic and at one point didn't leave the house for roughly a year. I've tried so many meds and the only class that has ever worked for me has been benzos, specifically clonazepam. Gabapentinoids helped for a while. Non-medication related, meditation has helped slightly in terms of anxiety but nothing really else in my life. I still experience anxiety and panic attacks but not to the same extent that I used to.

I wouldn't really recommend benzos if you haven't tried other meds first because long term they can destroy your life even more and your baseline anxiety will be higher. I hope your doctor can help you find something that works.

 

[Wojaczek]

yes, used to get panic attacks daily for the longest time and still struggle just to leave my room, let alone the house. I am also agoraphobic and at one point didn't leave the house for roughly a year. I've tried so many meds and the only class that has ever worked for me has been benzos, specifically clonazepam. Gabapentinoids helped for a while. Non-medication related, meditation has helped slightly in terms of anxiety but nothing really else in my life. I still experience anxiety and panic attacks but not to the same extent that I used to.

I wouldn't really recommend benzos if you haven't tried other meds first because long term they can destroy your life even more and your baseline anxiety will be higher. I hope your doctor can help you find something that works.

thanks, i really cant wait for some release

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

Idk what your living situation is like, but I can almost guarantee you need to get outside more and try to interact with the world a bit. Our minds tend to play up when we have absolutely nothing going on and no contact. Make some minor plan or goal that can get you plugged in to life somewhat. Nothing crazy, just something to occupy your mind.

At your appointment I would just take whatever meds they offer tbh. If you need immediate help I say take the immediate solution, and worry about tapering off or whatever later. You might be able to get on like an SSRI/benzo combo or something. Of course, no meds are really ideal, but if you get the right balance, you will at least have greatly reduced anxiety.

 

[theboy]

Many times!

 

[littlelady774]

I just had 3 panic attacks last weekend. It's been a rough week

 

[Wojaczek]

I just had 3 panic attacks last weekend. It's been a rough week

tell me about it...

 

[foreverfalling]

When I do unknown or out of comfort zone things (and my comfort zone is quite small), I'll get butterflies in stomach every time I think about it, and I'd procrastinate from doing it. I've realised that this anxiety is a conditioned response, because it does not help the situation one bit, and I can't rationally think of a reason that I should get butterflies in my stomach even thinking about the thing. But nonetheless my body just tenses up by itself.

I don't think I've gotten many events as serious to be called 'panic attacks', but once I fell into an anxiety spiral trying to sleep. I wasn't falling asleep, which made me think why, which made me think that I couldn't fall asleep because I was anxious, which got my heart rate up, which made me more anxious, which made me think I wouldn't fall asleep. This cycle continued until my heart rate was so high I had to go to the doctor because I thought I was going to die.

I've found having these experiences actually helped me to control future experiences from spiraling out of control. For example, I knew if I let myself spiral out of control I'd get a panic attack, so I'd try to distract myself to not let myself spiral. I also know that the anxiety will correct itself, e.g. if I do actually get a panic attack, I've made it through and I won't actually die, the body will tire itself out eventually.

 

[lionetta12]

i cant deal with this shit anymore, everything is so fucking scary, it feels like im losing my mind or consciousness, i get stomach aches from anxiety.

my next appointment with a doctor is on the 10th next year but idk if i can wait so long, i just want my mind to be a rest again.

Panic attack sucks, the only thing keeping them at bay and making them managable for me now is sleep meds. If I get a panic attack or a horrible flash back I take some sleep pills and go to sleep instead. Without this I would have CTB earlier in the fall because my anxiety reached a level of being unbearable.

 

[CowsAreCool]

i cant deal with this shit anymore, everything is so fucking scary, it feels like im losing my mind or consciousness, i get stomach aches from anxiety.

my next appointment with a doctor is on the 10th next year but idk if i can wait so long, i just want my mind to be a rest again.

I've had anxiety and panic attacks on and off my whole life. Even when I was a toddler.

Quit all caffeine and any stimulant. Even excess sugar.

Exercise. To the point where your shirt is dripping. Hard. Strenuous exercise. Preferably earlier in the day. And I'm not saying that as some silly "self help" get-fit advice. I've been able to stave off really severe anxiety through exercise. You tire yourself out, and it helps you sleep at night. It does magic for anxiety. I'll go from uncontrolled shaking pre-workout to completely fine post-workout. Your physical health is just an added benefit.

And lastly set a rigid schedule. Anxiety is amplified by uncertainty. Laying in bed or allowing yourself to be paralyzed will make you miserable. Distance yourself from things that stress you out, and get up every morning at the same time.

If it gets too much, get a prescription for either SSRIs or other more immediate relief. I've come very close to resorting to prescription drugs, but I can say that I've never actually taken a pill. These drugs can have serious side effects, and can be dangerous to quit. I'd be careful, but if they're necessary they're necessary.

Good luck :)

 

[Wojaczek]

I've had anxiety and panic attacks on and off my whole life. Even when I was a toddler.

Quit all caffeine and any stimulant. Even excess sugar.

Exercise. To the point where your shirt is dripping. Hard. Strenuous exercise. Preferably earlier in the day. And I'm not saying that as some silly "self help" get-fit advice. I've been able to stave off really severe anxiety through exercise. You tire yourself out, and it helps you sleep at night. It does magic for anxiety. I'll go from uncontrolled shaking pre-workout to completely fine post-workout. Your physical health is just an added benefit.

And lastly set a rigid schedule. Anxiety is amplified by uncertainty. Laying in bed or allowing yourself to be paralyzed will make you miserable. Distance yourself from things that stress you out, and get up every morning at the same time.

If it gets too much, get a prescription for either SSRIs or other more immediate relief. I've come very close to resorting to prescription drugs, but I can say that I've never actually taken a pill. These drugs can have serious side effects, and can be dangerous to quit. I'd be careful, but if they're necessary they're necessary.

Good luck :)

thank you and you are right, my anxiety is always the worst when i just laze in bed all day and o nothing