Yeah, I'm kinda scared

[lilbluinsomniac]

Hello!
I haven't visited the doctor for certain*buckkaw!!*reasons, but i'm sure I have a panic disorder. it's all quie scary to me. but i'm not as petrified now that I'm aware of the situation and that this predicament is not life threating. basically, i have unexpected panic attacks, that i'm sure you're all aware of. i used to have warnings, like headaches. but that went away. at night i am very tired as most sixteen year old are, but with the panicky situation i never get any shut eye until 1am. which has not intervened with my academic life so far. sometimes, on special occasions, i feel there is something lurking around my house. i think it's a demon actually. sometimes my head is filled with very mean ideas or phrases that i do not intend in any way. this does not happen often. and i never thought any of this way serious until today. i'm not scared of the dark, i'm afraid of what it hides. at night i am very on edge and jump to any sound. one night the door handle started to twist and shake like someone wanted in and i darted off to get my bat. my mom was in the room with me, and didn't take seriously what happened. she said i was just 'imagining' things. is this some sort of schizophrenia?? also, parents are a problem for those of us who are not taken seriously. mine, they think i'm overreactive. i'm not even going to bother with them. so this support group, you guys are all i have right now. it's really scary when you get things wrong that you can't sleep off, and we're all on the same boat. at the moment, i feel like i'm on the poopdeck. if anyone can help me, that would be phenomenal. i'm going to research this business a bit more and maybe i can help you too. thanks for listening!

[bodhee]

let me start by saying that i have been a sufferer of anxiety since i was 25 (im now 33).. i think the fact that you are 53 and just got your first panic attack proves that this is not a inherited disease..  i had my first panic attack playing basketball.  i had been taking diet pills (basically speed) and in the middle of a game, i thought nthat i was having a heart attack.. once you get 1 panic attack, its with you for life.. you always have that memory in the back of your mind of how horrible it was...its the greatest thing about being young.. no fear, until the first time that it hits you... since then, i have had periodic epsiodes of anxiety.. it usually comes on from either personal or work stress... once an episode takes control of me, i have it for a while..ill be anxious all throughout the day, then wake up and start thinking about anxious thoughts all over again..

there have been some very bad spells.. times when ive called in sick to work for days at a time..laid in bed because i was scared to face the world... when you wake up to fast beating heart and an overall feeling af fear and helplessnes, its hard to tell yourself that things will be alright.. the truth of the matter, and i dont care who the sufferer is, you have a deep seeded fear of something in your life.. i am a salesman.. i have had a few panic attacks during sales calls.. my deep seeded fear is suffering a panic attack in front of a customer... THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME YOUR ANXIETY IS TO SUCCESULLY CONFRONT YOUR FEAR..  i was only able to make it pass by going on another succesful sales call...there, i have saved you the money of hiring a shrink, and paying for useless meds.. i had a few more pretty poor sales calls (stuttering, couldnt wait until i could leave) until i eventually nailed one...
i took zoloft for years thinking it would help.. it did for a while, strictly for psycosamatic reasons.. bottom line is that you have to realaize that life is short.. the stuff that most people stress about is complete bullshit..i was worrying about going on a sales call when  i should have just been trying to be myself ..if you saw the movie bull durham , you'll remember when the tim robbins character onlly started to pitch well when distracted by wearing womens underwear.. only until he got his mind off the fact that he was pitching.. the same goes for anxiety disorder.. i relaized that i am a fun person to be around and that my firends and business associates would like me for who i am..  DO NOT WORRY WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT YOU.. trust me, if you are a genuine , honest person, others will like you and respect you.. if they dont, SCREW THEM!  you do not have to be mr/mrs perfect.. unless you are a brain surgeon or a nuclear physisist, what we do is not all that important... whats important is that we all have a short time on this earth and god did not intent for that time to be spent stressing about ridiculously insiignifant bullshit..
so just a few tips from a guy who has learned to embrace (you never overcome) his anxiety disorder:

1. shrinks are a waste of time
2. meds might help a little, but eventually you'll relaaize that only you can overcome it.. i was on zoloft for anxiet for 5 yrs and feel better now that im off it.. it was a crutch
3. your physical well being has a direct correlation to your anxiety/depression.. (work out regularly and i guarantee that you will suffer from less anxiety) the best drug in the world is a pick up basketball game/ jog...

4.  the whole disease of anxiety can be summed up with one word "confidence"... my worst times of anxiety have been when my confidence has been at its lowest..  when ive been dumped by a girlfirend, lost a sale, personal issues, etc..

I think that the biggest problem that anxiety sufferers have is that they dont see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...IT ALWAYS GET BETTER!!!!! if you are depressed or are anxious realize that life is beautiful and precious.. most problems are small in comparrison to the less forunate.. do not worry about what others think..if someone doesnt like you, its their problem,... you are the best!
i also suffer from socail anxiety even though im a succesful salesman, play football and have a lot of friends.. when i feel anxious, i just think to myslef that whjat i say and do does not have earth shattering singifigance.. make fun of yourslef.. ITS THE BEST ICE BREAKER!!!

oh.. and one more thing.. AVOID THE TEMPATAION TO SELF MEDICATE!! i spent the first few years of my disease trying to compensate with drugs and alcohol.. this is a quick fix and i gurarantee that in the long run, this will only lead to more anxiety.. suck it up and take your problems head on.. it hurts at first, but slowly and surely, you will build your self confidence.. hope that this help from a recovering and now extremely self confient anxiety sufferer. i feel its my duty to give advise to anyone suffering this terrible problem.. remember that life is alla bout a series of ups and downs!

3.