Chat Room.

[Reimu]

Hey, is anyone awake?

I tried logging into the chat room but it didn't take my user name and password. How do I register for the chat?

I'm having a particular panicy day today and I'd like to talk to someone. It's 3 am and none of my friends are currently online.

Had a severe panic attack, and I've been out of meds for a few weeks.

Thanks.

[josh12345]

It's on the right hand side in blue, above that little window like think and there is red beside it saying Members chatting now. Hope you feel better soon,

[Reimu]

I'd also like to take a moment to explain my situation. I'm a male who is almost 19 years old, I will be later this month.  I've had panic attacks for about 2 years. But haven't seen psychiatrist till November. My first panic attack was alcohol related. I used to drink quite heavily, and often just to relieve the symptoms of anxiety. I called the ambulance on that occasion. They told me i was fine and just left. I never called the ambulance again untill recently this year. In October i had a sever panic attack for absolutley no reason. I hadn't drank in months. I've been an agoraphobic for a 1 year before this incident. I rarely leave the house, I haven't left the house at all in at least a year. Only leaving for hospital visits for what I have perceived as heart attacks. I'm still not convinced that my heart is fine. But every doctor I've seen has said I'm perfectly healthy with no problems at all. I was originally diagnosed with super ventricular tachycardia. But that was scratched on my second visit to the hospital, they decided i had anxiety and gave me 2mg of ativan. It helped but also caused me to have a great deal of depression while on the drug. I felt like a zombie and felt almost suicidal.

After my second visit to the hospital, i was referred to a psychiatrist. This was in late November. She diagonosed me with the following disorders:

General anxiety disorder,
Panic disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Agoraphobia
And possibly depression but she thinks it may just be a side effect of my agoraphobia.

I was given xanax since the ativan caused such severe side effects. It helped, but not in the dose she gave me. She gave me 20 of .25 mg to last untill January 13th. They lasted maybe a week, as I had to take 3 to abort my panic attacks bceause .25 mgs did absolutely nothing. But .75 mgs was perfect for me. It would relax me enough to watch a movie and then go to sleep. But .25 would not lower my anxiety level what so ever. My panic attacks have become so frequent that it's hard to live my life. I have no idea what to do. I've always been shy, i've always been a worrier, and I'm an extreme germaphobe. This has caused me to stop leaving my house at all. I haven't hung out with friends in about a year. I had a hard time making friends my whole life untill i started drinking in my early teens. This caused me to be much more outgoing and I made several close friends. But my relationship with them has ceased because I recently moved with my mother to the other side of the country. I stopped hanging out with anyone about a year ago, as soon as i quit drinking. Alcohol was the only thing that ever made me not afraid to talk to people. I hate alcohol, though. As it has gotten me into a lot of trouble. I now have a criminal record for public drunkenness.

I hadn't drank for a year until this month. Once I stopped drinking my agoraphobia and anxiety skyrocketed. And I have not left the house since. I suppose I should have begun therapy when I was in my early teens. I can't be around people, it's too hard. Currently I have several family members staying at my house. It's extremely hard. Sometimes I skip meals so I can stay in my room and I don't have to talk to them. They are my family, but they're not people I'm used to dealing with at all. We see each other only on Christmas.

I recently started drinking again, not on purpose. I've been on a 3 day bender. Although I haven't been "drunk". Just enough to relieve my anxiety. And I believe I have what is called "kindling". Where when you drink any amount, the next day you experience withdrawals, because of past drinking problems. But, it probably isn't that. It's probably that just when I have a hangover, I experience anxiety 10 fold. And since I already have panic attacks about 2-4 times a week, this just makes it worse. It's like.. a panic attack that lasts all day. It's hell.

I'm sorry about the length of this post. I wasn't expecting to type this much, but I haven't told very many people about this.  I'd like to close with a description of my panic attacks. It always happens very suddenly. It starts with a feeling of dysphoria. I feel something is wrong, like a feeling of impending doom. My chest becomes tight. I start to sweat. I feel extremely dizzy and I start to think I'm having a heart attack. My pulse is through the roof, sometimes it feels as if its so fast that i can't even count it. I pace around, and I hyperventilate. I start to wonder if I'm having a stroke, or heart attack. I wonder if perhaps I'll start convulsing. It's the worst feeling in the world. Everytime it happens, it feels as if I'm about to die. And I often wonder if its truly another "panic attack." I usually dismiss it as a heart attack. And end up calling 911. Although when I have medication on hand, and take enough of it, I feel normal in about a half hour. If left untreated, the panic attacks can last hours.

Does anyone else feel this way during an anxiety attack? I feel alone.

Thanks for putting up with the length of this post.

[Pan]

Hello

I noticed you in chat earlier so it would appear you have sussed out how to register etc...good news!

Wow, it sounds like you have a whole load of stuff going on at the moment.  As you have no doubt seen there are a variety of folders on here which relate to specific anxiety disorders so you could benefit from having a look at all of them.

I'm a tad concerned that you have gone to the effort of writing out and explaining your history and circumstance in this thread but this may not be seen by many people as it looks just like a chat query at face value.  It is of course up to you but it may well be worth your time copying and pasting your introduction post into a new thread entitled something like 'New Here & Looking for Advice' etc etc...this is only a suggestion as it could be that your post is missed by many.

If either myself or another mod notices a new introduction thread from you we will lock this one for you.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and hopoe you find it helpful.

[tmicrowave]

Hi!!
i have been through the same thing it sounds like
im 19
and when i quit drinking alcohol
i had a nervous breakdown
but i knew i had to quit
and i had to face all sorts of emotions i had been supressing

ive had a ton of heart attack fears and ive had all the heart tests and to this day i still have some heart anxiety
i even had the echocardiagrahm

when i was a little kid i had some anxiety but the lot of it began right when i quit drinking
and now im getting my life back together and it feels great i never thought id be almost normal again
and so i know its possible for you to

mommy and plentyofanxiety told me you're cool hope to see you in chat sometime!

i was house bound for 3 months
and basically room bound
i was sometimes even afraid to move
so im with you

first thing that helped dramatically was exercise
i was horrified but after i made myself slowly i realized that my heart could take some jumping jacks every day and being healthier helps too
the tests help ease my mind
i know its really hard

 

i still have some beers sometimes but it digs me into a hole. really does