help dealing with future situations?? :(

[Harps22]

Hi everyone

I have recently started having anxiety and panic attacks again after having a great 2 years.  It has come back with a vengeance and going places at the minute seems impossible.  I get really bad anxiety attacks which lead to panic attacks.  I think I know how where this stems from seeing as most of my anxious thoughts are about my breathing like 'what if i can't breath'.  This is because when I panic I get really short of breath and then start panicking that soon I won't be able to breath.

Anyway the reason I'm here is I have a few events coming up and I can't help but think 'what if i start to panic' or 'what if I can't breath'. It's driving me mad. How do I get past this fear? I know that me thinking these things are making me panic but I can't stop.  I'm scared of panicking and showing  myself up I just feel  constantly anxious and on edge

Please help?

[Cuchculan]

You are most certainly ten steps ahead of yourself. Have to try and stay in the moment you are at. I always tell people that if they beat anxiety once, they can beat it a million times over. You had a good two years. So this is just a setback. One you have let get in on top of you. This can happen once we begin to think ' here we go again '. If we had of said ' I have beaten this before, I know I can beat it again ', the mind would be thinking in a different way. When we do panic we tend to gasp for air. Which is the wrong thing to do. This is were we need to stop ourselves. Take a step backwards. Compose ourselves. Them remember how to breathe the correct way. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Even place your hand on your stomach and feel the air flowing into your body and going back out again. Just try and practice. Remember to stay positive. You had been doing so good. There is no reason why you can't do that good again. Just believe in yourself.

[Ginger79]

This was advice that was giving to me that has helped so much over the years. When you start to feel the anxious feelings coming on take a slow breath in (while you are doing this count to three) then hold it in for three counts then release for three counts. It really does help. At the same time just keep telling yourself that it is just an attck, it will pass, and that no one has ever died from a panic attack. I having been having them for 8 years and this has helped me the most. Good Luck, just remember you can do this.

[silvermage2000]

I am glad that you have been doing good for so long. I believe that you need to tell yourself that your going to get through this and you should think and be proud that you were doing so well that you can be well again. Do something you enjoy.  And or something calming. Really try to think positive I know this is hard.  Think about the what the worst thing could happen would be and realise is this serious or not. And think about the good time you could have. And or talk to a friend.