Hi Cassie,

I'm no medical expert, but I know about panic attacks.

You describe the attacks pretty much like I have them, and then you describe the feeling of edginess in between.

People have different experiences of panic attacks, the physical symptoms, but I think that the one common thing is the fear of the next attack. If a person hasn't had an attack there are no words to describe this fear to them. I guess it's the illest that a person can feel.

Now the good news. Once you've had a physical check up and you know that it's panic disorder, then you know what your dealing with. I've had this thing for years and I can survive it. I'm sure you can too.

Also, I know about not seeing family and not having money for treatment. With this sort of illness, those things come with the territory. It's hard, but you have to think of yourself and your health before anything else.

My aim has been to face the fear of the attacks. I can't do anything about the attacks, but I can deal with my own fear.
I have done this, and survived for a very long time.

The situation with your house is an added stress factor, but the main thing is to look after yourself and not get caught in a cycle of worry. In a stressful situation (that I can't avoid) I do some breathing exercises and they have helped loads of times. I go somewhere quiet and breath to the count of 4. I breath right down into my stomach and let myself feel my legs and arms getting heavy. I'm sure there are plenty of books on breathing relaxation.

Another tip is to find some small thing that you can enjoy, and do it. It doesn't have to be much. It's just about letting go of some worry, and being in the moment. There was a time when I couldn't do this, and then I slowly found my way back.

I know that the anxiety will come again, and I that have not had my last panic attack, and I feel able to deal with that.

I hope things get better for you.

Good luck