new member

I am a 61 yr old woman who has had anxiety disorder all my life. I have terrible panic attacks, including all the usual symptoms. It started with panic attacks when I was a pre-teen, that were provoked by music in a restaurant or on the car radio. Vibrations from music and wind coming in the car windows will sometimes cause an attack. My symptoms have become more frequent, accompanied by constant underlying anxiety, obsessive worrying about everything, & paranoia, & agoraphobia. sometimes I cannot ride in a vehicle.

My Dr. has me on 2 mg Klonipin, 3x a day. I also take Vicodin for back pain, & Soma. This causes me to sleep a lot. I am most prone to attacks when I first wake up, even from a nap.

I am married (not so happily) for 32 yrs. I have two grown sons who do not live nearby. I live in the boonies & Drs. are fairly far away. I cannot afford to move.

I am getting desperate, so would appreciate any help I can get. I have no one to talk to about all this.

Thank you for letting me find a place where I can even just find someone to talk to.

Thank you.

yaffa

Yaffa,

Hello and welcome to HealingWell.  I am sorry to read you are having an increase in your anxiety and also that medications have not helped you.

I am also wondering if some of what you are feeling is depression?  Often depression and anxiety go together. 

Has your Dr. ever looked into other reasons for why vibrations set off your anxiety?

Also some medications can cause anxiety and Vicodin is one that many people find causes them anxiety.

One of the most common and well supported styles of psychotherapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The hallmark of CBT is an intense focus on thought processes and belief systems. The overall goals of the approach are to help people identify problematic beliefs and thought patterns, which are often irrational or unrealistic, and replace them with a more rational and realistic views.

There is a free online version you can use right from your home that many of our members have taken advantage of.  Here is the link for the online version:

the MoodGYM: http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

 

Just click on the link and register for this online version. You can work through it at your own pace but the trick is to stick with it even though the beginning can seem simple.

 

Remember we are here for you.  We know where your coming from and what your going through.

Hi Yaffa and welcome. Good advice abounds here! All I can add is post often, chat and read up in the archives-lots of good stuff there. This is the most loving and supportive forum-I think that you will finds a lot of help here:)
Glad you joined,
Scaredy Cat

Yaffa,

I am glad you are going to stick with us as I feel it is a great help to talk with others who understand how we feel.

This is a good place to vent or share.

Kindly,

Kitt