alot goin on with me and just got an email back from therapist... my chest is heavy and i cant breathe and i wanna cry ... head hurts... light headed... .... what is this... the email was just a response to somethin i shared with her cuz i dont feel comfortable enough to talk and tell her....

[sundog]

Hi Angel. I'm sorry you're having a hard time with anxiety and panic attacks. Here's a link to a good article which explains the difference between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/W...ic_attack.html

Can you get back in touch with your T and tell her how you are feeling? Or can you get some support from someone else? The physical feelings of chest tightness and not being able to breathe should ease if you are able to calm yourself. You could try some deep breathing exercises. Or perhaps go outside in the fresh air for a walk?

Let us know how you are doing!

[shezbut]

Getting through high anxiety and panic disorder is very challenging. I do agree with the link provided by sundog.

My panic disorder started due to undiagnosed epilepsy. My cause was therefore physical...we just didn't know that. It took 3 years for me to gain strength enough to keep going in "life as usual" despite my high anxiety levels. That takes time ~ but confidence gained helped me fight those intense desires to run.

When my trigger (the seizure) generalized, and became tonic-clonic, that's when my panic disorder fell apart. The panic disorder fell apart because I finally started being treated for epilepsy ~ which was the cause.

There is hope out there. Even when it feels as though your world is closing in on you. It always passes. It may come back...but it will pass again. Hold onto that knowledge to remind yourself of when the times of intense fear are strong. I'd say that to myself over and over and over again. "It will pass." That was my mantra, I suppose.

Gentle hugs to you AngelPromise!

[sundog]

That's really interesting (((((((shezbut))))))))) I'm SO glad you were diagnosed correctly in the end and that you're now on the right meds!

[muncie]

Originally Posted by shezbut

There is hope out there. Even when it feels as though your world is closing in on you. It always passes. It may come back...but it will pass again. Hold onto that knowledge to remind yourself of when the times of intense fear are strong. I'd say that to myself over and over and over again. "It will pass." That was my mantra, I suppose.

Thanks for this, I suffer from anxiety attacks and found this to be very true. It provides some feeling of consolation when experiencing one.

[salukigirl]

Thanks for that link, SunDog. I never realized there was a difference and now know that I have anxiety attacks, not panic attacks. I do get the physical symptoms. Typically when something happens (like if my bf and I are fighting) I start breathing very fast and have to count out loud to slow my breathing down. I start shaking all over and sometimes get physically sick. Sometimes I wonder if these are a type of coping mechanism for me? If we are fighting and I start shaking, it kind of calms everything down. It makes him slow down and look at what we're doing and usually it ends up resulting in "this isn't big enough to fight about". I don't know if this is something I've learned over time or really a physiological reaction? Maybe both.