Post by carrie86 on Aug 27, 2013 7:14:34 GMT
Hello I am new to all of this, I introduced myself yesterday and thought I would post more about my condition on here I have suffered with anxiety for a few years now but never really went to the doctors about it I just kind of swept it to one side and carried on (not a great thing to do but so easily done because you are "busy" or feel "silly" talking about it) gradually the panic attacks got worse and then last year they got so bad I was signed off work because I was having 3 to 4 panic attacks a week, I was having them so severely I felt I needed to lay down and rest until it subsided so work just was not an option. At that time I was feeling overwhelmed, anxious 24 hours a day (panicking at night) and really felt like I was losing control....so off to the doctors I went to address it all and we thought a few weeks rest from work would really help me get on top of things.
After a few weeks I was not ready and I was having the same amount of panic attacks so a few weeks turned into a few months and so on. My general anxiety had turned into a panic disorder which led to me having agoraphobia (don't worry if you are reading this and you have general anxiety or a panic disorder it doesn't always lead to agoraphobia) I have found my agoraphobia very difficult at times there was a real upsetting time when I didn't even want to look out the window or watch TV I just couldn't handle looking at people outside I wondered how do they do it? why could I just not go out there? I would see children going to school in the morning and I would feel silly and ashamed that I couldn't just walk outside like them and I was an adult!! I remember days of not even recognizing my own face in the mirror I looked so tired and different it was a face I didn't relate to and days of staying in bed all day and hiding away from the world!
The good news is, those thoughts and feelings fade over time, I'm not saying its easy or quick but it does get better and now I get up in the morning and I actually want to get dressed and put some make up on I feel I do have something to fight for I want to get my old life back and I just take one day at a time! I can't go anywhere really without people (safety people) but I am working on that, I go to my local shop 3/4 times a week alone to see how I feel it's 5 mins away from home and I always take my phone but it all starts with small steps....they lead to bigger things! Don't get me wrong some days I can go there and buy something and I feel fine, some days I get half way and can't make it so I head home, other days I get in the shop and don't feel brave enough to buy something so I leave...but its all progress, no 2 days are the same with this illness but when you accept that it's a little easier to move forward!
Here are a few things I do that have helped me:
*Keep a panic diary, I always use this on a daily basis to rate my anxiety and write down thoughts and feelings I had that day and thing's I have done ie: shop, standing in the garden. (over time you will see your ratings lower as your anxiety gets better)
*I set my alarm in the morning and keep to a routine Mon-Fri. This was not easy at the beginning but I find it has really helped me now and hopefully when I return to work I won't find it so hard
*Yoga or any form of exercise you find helpful. I know motivation for this is hard but even just a little will help over time.
*CBT I was given 12 sessions by the NHS and they really did help and have given me lots of techniques for me to use.
*Safety behaviors, my therapist told me they are fine to use to get me started then I can gradually reduce them over time.
*Chill day's it is so important you have day's where you relax as much as you can and try not to think about all your worries and what you feel you should and shouldn't be doing. Try do something you enjoy...whatever it is! On these days as an agoraphobic I do not venture outside I just make that day about me.
Hope some of these help. Sorry for going on a bit....hope you didn't get bored! Take care and remember go easy on yourself! some days are bad some days are good it's just the nature of these illnesses...thing's will get better xx
After a few weeks I was not ready and I was having the same amount of panic attacks so a few weeks turned into a few months and so on. My general anxiety had turned into a panic disorder which led to me having agoraphobia (don't worry if you are reading this and you have general anxiety or a panic disorder it doesn't always lead to agoraphobia) I have found my agoraphobia very difficult at times there was a real upsetting time when I didn't even want to look out the window or watch TV I just couldn't handle looking at people outside I wondered how do they do it? why could I just not go out there? I would see children going to school in the morning and I would feel silly and ashamed that I couldn't just walk outside like them and I was an adult!! I remember days of not even recognizing my own face in the mirror I looked so tired and different it was a face I didn't relate to and days of staying in bed all day and hiding away from the world!
The good news is, those thoughts and feelings fade over time, I'm not saying its easy or quick but it does get better and now I get up in the morning and I actually want to get dressed and put some make up on I feel I do have something to fight for I want to get my old life back and I just take one day at a time! I can't go anywhere really without people (safety people) but I am working on that, I go to my local shop 3/4 times a week alone to see how I feel it's 5 mins away from home and I always take my phone but it all starts with small steps....they lead to bigger things! Don't get me wrong some days I can go there and buy something and I feel fine, some days I get half way and can't make it so I head home, other days I get in the shop and don't feel brave enough to buy something so I leave...but its all progress, no 2 days are the same with this illness but when you accept that it's a little easier to move forward!
Here are a few things I do that have helped me:
*Keep a panic diary, I always use this on a daily basis to rate my anxiety and write down thoughts and feelings I had that day and thing's I have done ie: shop, standing in the garden. (over time you will see your ratings lower as your anxiety gets better)
*I set my alarm in the morning and keep to a routine Mon-Fri. This was not easy at the beginning but I find it has really helped me now and hopefully when I return to work I won't find it so hard
*Yoga or any form of exercise you find helpful. I know motivation for this is hard but even just a little will help over time.
*CBT I was given 12 sessions by the NHS and they really did help and have given me lots of techniques for me to use.
*Safety behaviors, my therapist told me they are fine to use to get me started then I can gradually reduce them over time.
*Chill day's it is so important you have day's where you relax as much as you can and try not to think about all your worries and what you feel you should and shouldn't be doing. Try do something you enjoy...whatever it is! On these days as an agoraphobic I do not venture outside I just make that day about me.
Hope some of these help. Sorry for going on a bit....hope you didn't get bored! Take care and remember go easy on yourself! some days are bad some days are good it's just the nature of these illnesses...thing's will get better xx