HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

why is this????

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/5/2007 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
 

   ok i have a question.  i went to church tonight and i just don't get it. every time i go i have panic attacks and anxiety attacks. i can't imagine what would be triggering them. i was raised in this church since i was an infant so i know everyone there like family so it is not like they are strangers but i just can't seem to handle it. i can go shopping, play tennis with my mom, etc. but church is a whole other story. if anyone has any ideas please let me know   sad sad

God bless you all

 

Posted 3/5/2007 10:58 AM (GMT 0)
HI there
I have always gone to Church too same one but since mom's memorial was there I hae a hard time being in the Congretaion seating
I dont know why that would be as I can go there and do my ten night and anything else it is just the Church sanctuary I have problems with
I get wasy to anxious and have all intent then 20 minutes before I am to be there I cannot go

DO you remember anything that may have triggered this was there a death or something happen that might have caused this or do you feel uncomfortable with your Church " family" fpr whatevr reason??
I really dont know what it could be thats why I am kinda throwing things at ya that I have dealt with and am dealin wit
I promised self that this coming Sunday I will go come hades or high water......
I do feel what you are saying
I wish I was more help hun
LYN          sad
Posted 3/5/2007 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hello there and God bless! I too experience the same feeling as well. I havent been to church in about 6 months sad . I just get sooo panicky while I am there, but I notice, as soon as I get in the car to drive home..I seem to be more relaxed. This is especially frightening to me because I LOVE to go to church and it bothers me...that I would feel this way while I am there. I mean..afterall....church SHOULD be the one place where I do feel RELAXED and safe..etc. The more I think about it, I am wondering if it is because in church you have to SIT for long periods of time and be reverant and maybe that subconciously makes you nervous. You mentioned that you can go play tennis with mom, and shop without any problems. Those are activities where you are MOVING...church..you arent. What exactly happens to you when you go to church? What kinds of panic symtoms do you get?? I usually get very dizzy/off balance, and sweaty, and just feel as though I am going to pass out right there in church. I have been going to church ever since I was baby, and NEVER had this type of thing happen to me untill I started to develope an anxiety disorder. It is strange, I know...because why, when we have gone all our lives( I am 38) would we just get this way now??? Very confusing.

I was wondering, if you dont mind me asking, is there anything you might feel nervous about concerning God? Like, have you had any dissapointments in your life recently, anything you might be upset with God over..etc?

I would suggest, since you mentioned you have always gone to church( I am assuming you are a Christian), that you take this to God in prayer..ask Him to show you...why would you get so panicky in church. Tell Him how much you love going there to worship..etc. and ask Him to help CALM you and reassure you that you are in HIS care ! 

Please keep us updated on how you are doing!

God bless!


In His Grip,

Dawn

Posted 3/5/2007 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hey there. Just wanted to say I can relate. I think I get anxious in church because 1) like Dawn said I am in a place where I have to sit still and be quiet and 2) when I do this I start reflecting on things in my life and it usually makes me sad or uptight. It's the only place where I have no distractions and I think about my deceased parents or I reflect on mistakes I've made in life.
Posted 3/5/2007 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
Paniccu.... That is exactly what I do. When I am in church I usually reflect on what I have done wrong that week, how my life is going, the problems I am facing, how I have acted toward others that week..etc.I tend to get upset, uptight, anxious, remoresfull, sad..etc. And all those emotions just send my system into overload. One of my biggest problems is I always tend to feel guilty about things, things that sometimes arent even my fault or that I have already been forgiven for. It is hard for me sometimes to make my mind relax! Like the scripture says " Be still and know that I am God"! A BIG part of relaxing is learning to LET GO and trust God to handle your life the way He sees fit. Through prayer I do believe that is possible.

In His Grip,

Dawn

Posted 3/6/2007 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
This used to happen to me...I started sitting on the last pew by the door...This gave me a sense of security, and if I had to leave for a moment, I would not be bothering the whole congregation by having to walk all the way down to exit...

I think it may be the quietness with only the Pastor speaking...I know for me that when noise is present I am calmer than when it's quiet...When we would sing I was just fine..It was when we sat to hear the message I started getting ansey....

Now, my husband is an ordained minister and we have started a home church...Very relaxing...

 

Posted 3/6/2007 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
Ditto on the thinking of all the bad things and of all the deaths I have had to face in the past
Just losing Mom almost a yr ago and the memorial was there
'
I will go back I want to s badly and yes just sitting there bothers me as head dont stop or sometimes it seems like Sermon is directed at me ya know
Posted 3/6/2007 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys, ladies. i know what you mean about the anxiety attacks in church. i tired to figure it out my self. it is a place where we can feel relaxed and speak to God, and worship. Maybe it is because we become so emotional. I know when I get very upset i can feel an attck coming on. I heard that any emotion whether it be a sad or happy emotion it can treigger a panic attack in those who suffer from this disorder. I also consulted this with a apstor, and he told me that it was an attack from the enemy. that he knows our weakness and uses our sickness or fear not to go to chuch, so then we can not get closer to the lord, and thats what the enemy wants. so i dont know. i have not been to church in a long time either.continue to pray and ask the lord to show you why. Hope you get the strenght to contiue to go to church. I dont drive too much anymore because of my attacks, so not only church have i stopped going, but also all my other errands.instead of going to church i watch church or anything related to God on tv..hope you all have courage and strength to continue going to church.Maybe it will help if someone accompanies you. thats what i am waiting for, my husband.but in the meantime i will pray at home. i will pray for you all. god bless
Posted 3/7/2007 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Just checking in to see how you are doing today
LYN
Posted 3/7/2007 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
I too can't handle church anymore. It is not that I don't want to go, but anyplace I feel confined or have to sit still sends my anxiety into overdrive.

Church all occasions
Work Meetings
Movie Theaters
Restaurants
Concerts

Any place that my mind has a chance to wonder or I feel confined by social norms is a trigger.

If it is something that you love or need it is worth fighting for. Don't give up.
Posted 3/7/2007 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I have had the same thing happen only it wasn't in church and what I realized is that once you have an episode somewhere (church, mall, driving) you tend to then worry it will happen again.  Worry being such a vicious cycle you worry yourself into an anxiety attack about not having one.  I have learned that I need to be in places where I can leave if I need to, if it is church I tend to sit in the back so if I need to leave it goes pretty unnoticed.  Hey, mothers leave with little kids all the time why can't we if we need to.  I always feel better when there is a way out, and usually am fine and don't have a problem.  These are my thoughts anyway, I hope they help.

Take care,

Sara

Posted 3/7/2007 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning, yes Sarah i totally agree with you.The anticapitory anxiety. You try to avoid the places where you have had a panic attack.so when you are there you fear you will have an attack. It alsways happens to me. that is why i avoid going out. It has been very hard for me lately to go out, especially alone. I do not go alone anywhere. Need my husband with me> I do not feel comfortable with another adult with me. I feel secure only with my husband.WHY IS THAT. anyone else feel like that? I wnat to go to church, but am waiting for my husband to decide to start going to church.In the meantime i pray at home. hope we all can find the courage and strenth to continue with our daily lives. thanks for all of you and your thougthts and recommendations. have a great day. God bless
Posted 3/7/2007 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Your husband is a safe person, it is the same for me as my safe person is my mom. I was very young when my anxiety started so she was always around. I feel safe with her because she doesn't judge me, if I do have a problem she doesn't get mad at me or make me feel worse with funny looks and comments. I am sure your husband is the same for you in that sense. Over the years when I have made friends and started to open up about my anxiety I found that a lot of people have experienced it themselves. Most of them on a lower level than I but it helped to find a few close friends who I trust enough to go out with. They all know I need an exit and are usually okay if I meet them somewhere etc. It does help when I know these people accept me exactly as I am anxiety and all. It is sometimes hard to find these kind of people but they are out there and maybe once you find them you can have a small circle of people you are comfortable with.
Posted 3/7/2007 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
yes miwoman1, i know what you mean. My husband knows my routines and rituals that i have with my anxiety. He understands and i dont have to worry what people think of me.I dont have too many friends for that reason> i dont think ppeople will understand my anxiety and panic disorder. I dont like to tell people that i have this condition. i guess because it makes me sound weak. I wish i could find a support group around me. I have family but they dont live around me about 550 miles away. it is hard trying to raise a family with no family or friends around you, and especially with this panic disorder. i feel so alone.You are so forunate that you have your mom. My parents live in another country, but so happy that i still have them on this earth. My husband has been laid off of work. he has been with me everyday since novemeber, 2006. he will be back to work in 2 weeks. i am starting to freak out. the thought of being alone scares me so bad. i dont know how i will do. i am trying to be strong, asking the lord to help me. what to do, i dont know. Any suggestions!!!!!would apprectiate. thanks. thanks for understanding, and your support
Posted 3/8/2007 6:47 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know the answer but I had a psychogenic seziure in the middle of service once....talk about embarassing. The next time I went i had to take my klonopin. But after that, I always asked God to give me a peace, that only he could bring when I went to church. I mean, that is a place where I should be able to break down from my stuggles and give them to God. Pray, pray and pray. GOD can do amazing things.
God bless you all,
Ang
Posted 3/8/2007 12:44 PM (GMT 0)

Wannabbetter, that is the AMAZING thing about God( one of many amazing things I should say) while no human being can be with you ALL the time, GOD can! I know it is not the same thing as having someone with you in the flesh, but who can watch over us better and with more care, and love, than our Heavenly Father? When you husband goes back to work, I would suggest you start each day in prayer, ask God to send people your way who may help you through this adjustment time..maybe one or two close, nonjudgemental people, who you would be able to call upon when you are feeling anxious..etc. I KNOW it is hard being alone, while I live with my mom, I still dont have any CLOSE friends( my mom is my closest..but you know what I mean), which have this anxiety disorder that I have. But who knows better what I am going through than Christ??? I try, when I am anxious to meditate on all the verses of scripture which deal with fear, anxiety, sadness, depression..etc. I am also thinking, do you have any hobbies you like to do? Any kind of craft you might be able to get into that could help occupy your time and get your mind on??? I like to make wreaths for various holidays, seasons..etc..so I try to get involved in one of those and get my mind on something otherthan myself. I am NOT a crafty person, but I just pick up wood shapes( like flowers for spring, eggs , crosses for Easter..etc.) and paint them and glue them together in a wreath form. It is very theraputic. You might want to try something like that. :-) . I dont know if you and your hubby garden, but now is a good time to send away for and read through gardening magazines...I find those very relaxing and beautiful to look at!

God bless you and Take care!

In His Grip,

Dawn

wannabbetter said...
yes miwoman1, i know what you mean. My husband knows my routines and rituals that i have with my anxiety. He understands and i dont have to worry what people think of me.I dont have too many friends for that reason> i dont think ppeople will understand my anxiety and panic disorder. I dont like to tell people that i have this condition. i guess because it makes me sound weak. I wish i could find a support group around me. I have family but they dont live around me about 550 miles away. it is hard trying to raise a family with no family or friends around you, and especially with this panic disorder. i feel so alone.You are so forunate that you have your mom. My parents live in another country, but so happy that i still have them on this earth. My husband has been laid off of work. he has been with me everyday since novemeber, 2006. he will be back to work in 2 weeks. i am starting to freak out. the thought of being alone scares me so bad. i dont know how i will do. i am trying to be strong, asking the lord to help me. what to do, i dont know. Any suggestions!!!!!would apprectiate. thanks. thanks for understanding, and your support

Posted 3/8/2007 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
I agree it can be very very hard to open up to people about your anxiety but like everything else take baby steps.  At first meeting maybe just mention you sometimes have attacks, like I said I was surprised to find how many other people have some sort of "issue" in life.  I had to weed through some people that you could just tell wouldn't understand and that was ok but trust me there are some there.  I have been at the same job for many years and people here actually joke with me about it and are right there to jump in if I need them.  It takes along time and isn't easy but don't give up hope there are alot of people around who are dealing with their own thing and will understand.  I am not an overly religious person but believe everyone should believe in their own faith and in their own way.  But when I was first diagnosed and so bad that I could not even function I couldn't figure out why god would do this to me, what had I done to deserve this wrath in my life.  I guess we have to remember there is sometimes a bigger picture down the road.  If my past wasn't what it was I wouldn't be the person I am today and I like who I am.  It was a struggle and still is some days but I have survived.  I know all to well what feeling alone is like and I will always chat with you if you need it.  Just realize that you know what it is and think about how many episodes you have survived, you WILL make it this time too!  I hope everyone is having a great day!
Posted 6/15/2009 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
hi my name is jeff

 have been going through panick attacks on and off for 9 months   i tryed lots of meds they just make me feel sicker   i take klonpin 1mg once a day have bad stomach pains abdomial pain  i dont know what to do any more  have 3 kids 9-10-4  wonder if i should stop taking the meds   feel better when i dont take them for a day  and chest pain comes back  feels like u are dyeing  breathing  pains   dont know what i should do  anymore      stop klonpin slowly and see where i am  dont do good on antidepressants  not depressed   not panicking anymore    just pain  stomach abdomial chest  someone  who made it through all this please help and pray for me    i pray for u all of us going through this  thanks

 

Posted 6/16/2009 9:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jeff

Welcome to the healingwell forum this is a great place to come and find support and understanding of the problems you are facing. I would suggest you go and speak to your doctor and tell him/her what is going on with you at the moment, There are antidepressants which help with anxiety and it is normal to try a few and see what works best for you and you also need to give your body time to adjust to the medication which can take upto six weeks and you will get side effects but these tend to pass after a few weeks. An other option would be talk therapy such as CBT which has great results in helping people to deal with anxiety related mental illness and maybe something you could chat with your doctor about?. You have come to a good place and we are here to listen and support you so keep posting, I would recommend that you start your own thread as you will find that you will get more reply's to your posts or maybe a Mod will be able to move your post to a new thread. Welcome again and take care we understand what you are going through.

Take Care

Ben
Posted 6/16/2009 2:03 PM (GMT 0)

Jeff,

Welcome to HealingWell and the A & P Forum. For the sake of clarity and to be sure your post  does not get missed it would be best  to make your  own thread .

Posting onto an old post such as this one does not give the members a chance to meet and greet you. 

Click on this thread and you will find information on how to post your own thread.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=1497348

Again welcome,

Kitt

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply