Very happy to find people like me..

Hi everyone. I am looking to find people to talk to about my everyday challenges that I face with anxiety and panic attacks. I am also a good listener. I am 22 years old, and I feel like I am and have been missing out on alot of my life. Everyday I wish I could drive, have friends, have a job, and so on. This just isn't happening for me because my anxiety is holding me back. I really want to be working on these goals so I can feel like my life is normal. Please if you know what I am talking about, write a suggestion or anything.
Sometimes I just want to wake up a different person.......

Thank you for listening,
Lindsay..

Lindsay,

You have come to the right place...There are many here who know exactly what you are talking about. Hang out and read up. Please ask any questions (within the rules). Remember also to take 1 day at a time.

Hi Lindsay! I'm also 22 and have been living with anxiety & panic since I was a young child. I can relate to how it feels to miss out on experiences that everyone expects you to have in your teens and twenties. Because I haven't experienced a life without A/P, I've come to accept this is 'normal' for me and tried to build my life around it the best I can. One of the biggest fears that can hold us back is having a panic attack in public or unfamiliar surroundings. I force myself to measure achievements in terms of the big picture, so if I have less than a certain number of panic attacks per month/year then I'm proud I've made progress. Even if I have an attack on the bus or at uni I remind myself that I can survive this because it's happening less frequent than before anyway!

I think another key to gaining control over your life is to focus on positive things that are completely unrelated to A/P. The more you define yourself by A/P, the more it remains a presence in your life. Aside from letting you momentarily forget about A/P, hobbies and interests get you out of the house. (Sounds awful but I find them a lot more effective/therapeutic than loved ones...going somewhere with family is usually so laden with stress that it makes my A/P worse!) Try to find an area that you love, and that you have complete control over (a hobby, TV show, author). The more you get immersed into it, the urge to go out or meet people with similar interests will begin to override anxiety.

Control is another issue that affects my A/P a lot. I like knowing exactly what I'm going to do for the day so I feel comforted by the predictability. If you're finding a certain situation stressful, try visualising exactly what you're going to do. Don't take on too much at once, and look forward to 'rewarding' yourself with being able to return home by a certain time. You may also consider taking medication or herbs (if you're not doing so already). Because A/P is quite emotional-based, the knowledge that you're actively doing something to fight it often makes it better (in addition to the actual medicine, so it's a double whammy!)

Lindsay I am sending hugs and I will put you on my prayer list also.

We can certainly relate around here. This is a wonderful group.

God bless.

Thank-You all that wrote back to me. Your replys have been very helpful to me. Thank-you soo much. I am on effexor, lol how ever you spell the silly name. I have just recently broke up with my boyfriend and was and am feeling alone. I do have the support of my mom and dad, also my dog, lol. I am realizing that I need more then that right now that is why I am soo happy to have found this site. Thanks again..

HI Lindsay,
I've had A/P for 20 years now and tried everything you could think of. Nothing worked for me untill 4 years ago. I found out my uncle had panic attacks for years and had started taking xanacs everyday to keep it in his system at all times. He has used this approach for 16 years now. So I tried that approach and I am also taking luvox for OCD since I think to much. I now have 2 daughters which I never thought would happen. Keeping the xanax's in my system seems to work great and I don't have to think about having a panic attack anymore. I know there are alot of people out there that don't think this is a wise move and Dr's. that won't perscibe xanax's this way because it is addictive. They say take it when needed. My thought on that is at that point it is to late and why would anyone want to struggle everyday to just go outside. It is like waiting for the panic to hit before you take it. I would rather be addicted to something that can prevent me from having A/P than have to fight each day. I really got tired of that daily fight. If it is in your system all the time, you don't have to constantly worry when the next attack is going to happen. The only thing is the fatigue problem which I am not sure if it caused by the xanax because I've always been fatigued since I was very young. I am working on the fatigue problem now since I have to work to support my family. Think of it this way. If you had diabetes, wouldn't you take the medication daily. Remember your brain is an organ that is not working properly. Your not crazy and there are meds out there that work the same as if you did have something like diabetes. I don't know how others feel about this approach.  I hate to see all these people that are suffering from this and I know one day I will have to fight this differently than I am currently doing it.  Just keep up the fight and you will find a way to live a normal life without A/P

I don't know how others feel about this approach. I am curious for some feedback but it seems to work.

Post Edited (ebefree69) : 3/9/2007 9:03:07 PM (GMT-7)