Anxiety & Panic Community

I've spent a lot of time worrying in my life and here is what I have found. 95% (or so) are things that never happened. 3% did (I did not see them coming and couldn't do anything about it). It was uncomfortable or worse but you can make it through them. Most were worries (silly ones) over my children, or world events or such.

Being able to talk to someone about what is bothering you helps but know you have more ability in you than you think. Yeah I still worry today but I am happier knowing I can get thru it some how.

Sorry you depressed but you will be alright - and for the good news - It may not happen anyway.

I just responded to this post and, unfortunately, the Internet swallowed it up, so I'm going to try reposting.
I can see that you would like to have a typical, happy family life but you feel that panic is making it increasingly more difficult to realize this dream. Panic brings with it depression, unfortunately, and the two together cloud our ability to actually see what we realistically can do if we can manage both of them. I believe you can.
A number of the things which appear to be interfering with your being able to realize this plan for the future can be handled by working with an experienced, licensed cognitive psychologist. Although you are not currently married and do not have children, you can begin to work on your skills around children, to find the areas where you need improvement, and this is where the cognitive psychologist can prove extremely helpful. If you have relatives or friends who have small children, this provides an opportunity for you to interact with them and, based on this interaction, to formulate a plan with your psychologist for future interactions in order to improve them. It's really a matter of learning a skill and you can do it.
Managing panic is also something that you can begin to work on with the psychologist. Many people are reluctant to go to a psychologist because they don't know what to expect. I have a whole chapter in my book, How to Be Your Own Therapist, where I go through a number of things that may be helpful to you. I would suggest that you do read this chapter.
It may even be a good idea for you and your boyfriend, whom I am supposing might be your future fianc?e, to have a few sessions with the psychologist so that he can help you. It's up to you what you would like to do.
Don't allow panic and depression to take over your life. You have a right to a happy life but you have to work on it. Others may post things that they have done in their married life which has proven helpful in terms of their panic. This is wonderful, but these things may not be workable for you. You have to develop your own strategies.

AJ. There is plenty of treatments for Anxiety/panic attacks.Mine started in July of 1974 while in the service in upstate NY. Over the years things got worse for me. Chocking feelings in the day and middle of the night ,couldn't breath. Tingling feeling/ear aches/sensitivity to light/headaches/stomach problems/equilibrium problems. The bottom line is my panic attacks were cause by untreated Lyme Disease which was correctly diagnosed by a specialist in Boston in August of 2008. You need to get checked by a doctor who is Lyme literate to either eliminate Lyme as a cause of your attacks or confirm it. There are a number of medications that stop panic attacks. I still take Sertraline and it works for me. Also there are other medications too but some of these make the panic attacks keep coming. This happened to me and my primary care doctor switched me to sertraline like I said. Good luck to you ajRod. There is help
All my Lyme tests came back as being negative because present day testing is not always reliable. Also Columbia Lyme Research Hospital in N.Y.has a wealth of information to look at online and research results as well. Even if you don't have Lyme panic attacks are very,very treatable.

Hi, I used to suffer from what the Dr's couldn't figure if it was an anxiety attack or a panic atttack but I worked with one graeat Dr (shrink) who also had ! hrs of therapy to help me learn to overcome such attacks in a very unique way and though it did take me some time I did learn how to successfully overcome such attacks using only my mind. At the time I was diagnosed I had a 7 month old baby and my husband was in the Navy stationed overseas. This fnatastic Dr taught me to simply shut my mind down until the adrenaline receded, No today once I feel and anxiety/panic attack coming on that is exactly what I do-I shut my mind down cuz that adrenaline will only lead to strange thoughts that compuound themselves while that adrenaline had conttrol of my system. I know that it is a hard thing to train your mind to do but it works! Just remember that such attacks are only temporary and will happen less frequently as time goes by-DON'T LET YOUR ADRENALINE GLANDS GET THE UPPER HAND and do not fear that you will not be able to handle the responsibilities of living that normal life we all wish for, paninc disorders will lead to agoraphobia (being outside) along with other phobias that you may begin blaminf circumstances on that are happening at the time the panic attack starts, that will only make things harder for you. I would suggest you find a counselor who has heard of my Dr's methods and can help teach you to have control over them instead of their having control over you jin5858

I had my first anxiety attack at 15 but was clueless. I had one every few years after-still clueless. At 26 I was admitted to a mental hospital for depression and told I had an anxiety disorder and possible thyroid issues. I took meds for a few months, felt better and stopped them on my own (not a good idea). I had a baby 1 year and a half later and was diagnosed hypothyroid. The panic attacks got worse, but I was afraid of what people would think if they knew and managed to endure them. When my husband was gone for 3 months to truck driving school, I fell apart. I still didn't get help mostly because I didn't want to admit my 'failure' and I used the excuse of no help being available because I didn't have money. About 6 months later my husband threatened to leave if I didn't get help. I asked my pastor and found a counselor and psychiatrist I could afford. I've been on effexor for about 4 years now and rarely have a panic attack. It's still in the back of my mind--panic disorder doesn't go away because it's managed--but I have learned to tell people close to me about it and to try to help them understand. I don't know that they really understand, but I know there are some who love me and that makes all the difference. I lean very much on God and I make sure to be careful how much responsibility I take on. I work at keeping my balance and feeding those all important relationships with those who love me. And I try to live today, because if I think to much about tomorrow I get scared and paralyzed and I want to just live. I hope and pray that you have a great doctor and people who love you. Know that you aren't alone. I hope my story helps. By the way, I have a happy, healthy 15 year old daughter.

I am an 19 year old. Dealing with panic disorder and anxiety. I have also been in a relationship for about two years. I find sometimes that my panic disorder effects not only my relationship but also my friendships. It sucks to feel all alone sometimes. you sometimes wish it could all go away. I just want to feel normal. I sometimes look at other people and wish i was happy and normal like them. I am on 1mg xanax and just taking a half seems to not help anymore.
Geeze wish i could have a new brain..

Reading your response to the anxiety question made me wonder if you believe there are mental techniques to increase adrenaline output. I am now 75 years old but for 15 years have suffered from headaches any time that I am idle for a period of time. The headaches never appear when I am working physically or working intently on a mental task. I believe adrenaline is the difference.