Anxiety/Panic Disorders

Well ya'll, I have a date with a very handsome fourteen year old and I need to shower and primp as to not scare any little kids.

Thanks again for the advice ~ and for listening.

Keep it comin!

Love,

Rae

I just hate cold calls on job searches. The only good thing I can think of about them is that you get to find what people and companies and people are really like. I mean, the ones that will kick your dog just because nobody's looking. I have also had some good surprises.

First of the year? Good timing.

Hi Rae

New to all this myself, but I work with a lot of people who experience panic/anxiety attacks. Breathing really works, from what they've said. It takes a bit of practice, but if you can mange to give it a go, most people I've worked with said it helped. Breathe in for the count of five, hold for five, then out for five. Repeat for six, then seven etc. Anyway, keep faith in youself and I'm sure work will come when you least expect it.

Thanks, Axon.

I learned the breathing techniques at my first couseling visit and yes, they do work for mild anxiety ~ at least for me. During a full-fledged attack, it's kind of hard to remember to breath. But, I'm getting better day by day.

Thanks for your support.

Love,

Rae

Welcome to the support session Dear Axon.Your suggestion of breathing exercise is interesting.Breathing exercise has become a part of many physical and psychological difficulties.

Rae was talking about rubber band and de=sensitising techniques.I wonder whether the effectiveness of these techniques actually show that they are a sort of Awakening . I mean that these emotional difficulties are the nigtmares we undergo and these techniques awaken us out of our sleep!

K.V.SHANKER ~ the systematic desensitization technique is a confidence builder for me ~ the more I do something, little by little, the less fear I have. I believe that continuing this along with the medications I've been given will prove to be more successful.

The rubberband trick really, really, really works for me. An example would be walking from my car into the grocery store.....if I keep plucking at the rubberband, it takes my mind off all the millions of people that I'm convinced are staring at me.

I've been given a job lead through a family member that I'm going to try to get the nerve up to go to tomorrow. Ya'll keep your fingers crossed please!

Love,

Rae

Oh Rae, {{{{HUGS}}}}. That's tough. Good luck, girl. I know you can face this one down.

I had a short experience with panic attacks after 9/11. I suddenly became very nervous going over our long and tall Narrows Bridge. I found myself having to open the window, turn off the radio, and sing like a maniac to get across. As you can imagine, I was freaked out!

I arranged to go to a counselor. He told me that if I had a problem going over the bridge, I should open the window, turn off the radio and sing like a maniac. Well, in fact, that is almost exactly what he said! He said that I needed to develop coping skills, that my fear of driving and going over the bridge had some basis in reality, but was so unlikely that I just needed to "trick" myself.

He said that I needed to allow myself to feel the fear, but that I had to just concentrate on something else. That I could only truly concentrate on one thing at a time, even if it was singing some corny song. So, for a while, that's what I did. I don't know how helpful this is to you, but it worked for me.

Yeah - not thought of it like that before!

Thanks for sharing your story Piffka!

A very long time ago, I feared crossing any bridge ~ would even get in the left lane so that I couldn't see over the edge. Somehow I overcame it and didn't have a problem until this recent episode.

As I said, the bridge was under lots of construction, the lanes were narrowed considerably with cement barricades on each side, and the lanes also kind of zig-zagged a bit. Add into those facts that it was dark.

I didn't lower the window because I was afraid to let go of the steering wheel, but I kept saying 'you're okay' and the Lord's Prayer ~ both repeatedly and as loud as I could. Once I got over the bridge, I had to pull off the side of the road until the shaking subsided. It was just as bad on the way back.

Interestingly enough, two days later I had to go to my counseling session over on the mainland and had no problem getting over the bridge. By the time I got over it, I realised that I did fine. Then the next day, I had my medical consultation ~ same thing. The only differences were that these bridges weren't under construction and it was daylight.

This makes me thing that it actually was a panic attack.

On another note, I'm doing okay with the Paxil. I didn't realise that one of the side-effects is sleepyness. The Klonopin I take very seldom ~ want to keep those handy for panic attacks. But the Trazadone (sleep aid) is really too strong. I've since cut all the pills in half and might even quarter them. I was in bed at 11 p.m. last night and didn't wake up until 12:30 this afternoon. Not good.

I didn't make it to the job I was told about today because I got up so late and even five hours later, I'm still not completely functional. I will go tomorrow ~ come hell or high water.

Thanks again for your support, ma'am!

Love,

Rae

Hello, Rae!
Nice to see you're back!
I'm sorry that things are so trying for you right now & certainly hope better days are ahead! Soon!

Love,
Olga

Thanks, Olga!

You are such a sweetheart! I probably won't be around the site as often as I used to, but I will certainly keep this thread going ~ it's cathartic.

Hugs and kisses,

Rae

((((( Rae))))))

And hug those pussy cats for me, OK?

Rae, there was another thread on a2k about a month ago on panic disorders. Several people posted excellent, helpful, responses. If I find it, I'll give a link here.

Consider the kitties hugged from Olga ~ and they loved it!

Thanks ossobuco ~ I don't remember seeing that thread at all.

:

Good luck with the job, rae!!!!

Ah, RaeGirl. Good to see that the counsellor has been coming up with some really usable, practical tips that you can use. Lots of luck with getting the meds to a good level for you. I'm sure you can do it. I know you can do it (and I won't look). Love you, RaeGirl. I'm glad you came in to work on your journal.

The possibility of a job! Oh, GOOD LUCK, RAE!!!

CAN YA FEEL THE LOVE PEOPLE? :wink:

Thanks everyone, from the bottom of my heart.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15530
This is it, Rae.