It's been one year and I finally started winning the battle

[stefanta]

Hello guys and girls,

In the beginning of last December I had my first panic attack. It was terrible and I really thought I was going to die. My heart was racing, my head was light and I was in a complete panic. It was the most terrifying experience I ever had. After 20 minutes or so it got better and the terrible feeling was gone. A few days later I had a second attack while trying to go to sleep. After that I got really scared for my health and I cut off my bad habits - smoking 2-3 packs a day and having a drink everyday after work. It took me one year to feel a lot better, a year that brought a lot of changes to my life - I found my soulmate, got married, I am waiting for my first child to be born in a few months. I went through taking clonazepam, 5-htp and all other possible supplements out there and finally I realized that everything's in my head and all I need to do is learn to control it. This was two months ago. Since then I am trying to weed out checking my pulse all the time, worrying for each and every pain I feel, thinking about life, about it's ending and worrying about my loved ones without need. Little by little I started feeling like my old self. I started to challenge the anxiety - when I feel an attack is coming, instead of running away or trying to avoid the situation I try to jump in it and prove to myself that nothing is going to happen and that everything is coming from my head. I am a person that always tries to be positive and I am always trying to find the positives in everything, no matter how negative it is. So here's what my anxiety gave me :

- A healthier lifestyle. No more cigarettes, no more coffee, no more alcohol, no more fried stuff, no more fast food
- Finding my soul mate - my anxiety made me change the apartment that I was living in when it first happened, and one thing lead to another :)
- I realized that I can and I need to take it easy. I found a way to be more positive at work and do more while being stressed less.
- I ditched the people that make me anxious

 
So this is my story. I haven't had a full blown panic attack in 3 months now and I wish everyone that has this terrible problem achieves what I achieved and more. My advice - try to keep it cool and repeat to yourself that everything is in your head - because it really is. Try to look for the positives of your anxiety. It is your body trying to tell you, to teach you something.

[floridaguy65]

HI:) Thanks so much for sharing your story! Yes, most of what you say is crucial, IMHO, to learning how to best live with our anxiety / panic challenges.

Those that can get into "acceptance mode" quicker will, inturn, find a healing path more readily. Acceptance can be quite a challenging tenet to embrace. But, it is vital to a longterm healing path.

As you alluded to, avoidance is not the answer. Sure, it might peg down our anxiety / panic for a little while, as we have avoided what we PRECEIVE to be a situation that might have precipitated a panic attack. But, ultimately, avoidance expands its bounderies and there can be little left of which we are not afraid. Acceptance and pushing through is a major key. Of course, this can be excruciatingly fearful and trying in our attempts to NOT avoid. But, it gets better, eventually, and we can build momentum and adopt new habits which help and will keep us wanting to embrace new actions (as we can see and FEEL successes) that can continue moving us down our healing paths:)

Again, thanks for sharing:)
 
Best wishes for you and your baby and hubby:)

Peace and Feel Well:)

[PinkIcePrincess]

Congrats!!!!
 I so LOVE to read about those that overcome it shows that it is possible and it is a work in progress!!
 I am so Happy for you and the new spouse and wow a baby!! YAY!!

 Keep up the Positive Thinking and everything you are doing and if rears its ugly head again now you know you can beat it back down!!!

Thanks so much for sharing!! People do need to read Positive Outcomes also!!
PinkIcePrincess