new to the group

[crazysue37]

Hi I want to introduce myself my name is Susan however my friends call me Sue I have suffered panic disorder for over 17yrs now and still knw very little about the disorder I thought for along time I was nuts or losing it I haven't worked in 12yrs I had a very promising life ahead of me I don't know anyone that suffers from this in my very few circle of friends I rarely leave the house I don't find much joy in anything except for my children and a good husband.when I have a panic attack I feel like its so hard to explain I hear everything around me but I close my eyes waiting for it to pass I'm almost paralized my children deserve better than me I need to know I'm not the only one who feels like this HELP please
Sue

[Peter]

Hello Sue :-)

I'm Peter, I used to suffer from panic attacks. Though its several years since I last had one.

[anxietystricken]

hello sue

[anxietystricken]

hello sue
             Please understand that you are not alone by any stretch of the imagination. I have been suffering from panic attacks since the age of 17, (14 years). I have used alcohol to get through it for many years and it resulted in myself becoming a bad alcoholic. I have been through many detox and 28 day programs in the past but could not last because of my anxiety. I have lost jobs in fear of leaving town and being to far from home are a hospital. I have stopped taking my children for walks alone in the forest trails in fear of something happening to me and leaving them there alone. I do not leave the house much, and have just recently lost another very good job due to panic attacks. I have not had a drink of alcohol in exactly 50 days today and it has been sooooo very hard. I am pretty much housebound and have a constant unreal feeling. Things don't seem real and it causes me to panic....I have spent so many hours on internet searching for cures....One person on this site has been very helpfull to me (PETER). I want you know that you are not alone....we can change the negative thoughts to positive ones...I have been trying to go out side more and be More loving to everyone....At least we have families that love us...some people who have worse symptoms then we do without the support and love.

[bluefin]

hii sue
so whats your problem
i mean why are you getting these anxiety attacks
has anything shocking happened to you in the past
that has ruffled you
try to overcome your panic pangs and try to lead a normal life

[stillhanginown927]

Just wanted to let you know you are not alone in your panic world. I am right there with you........it is so hard for people to understand what is happening to us.............they just don't get it..................hope you get the help you need...........and thank goodness for your family............................ :)

[Hat]

Hi Sue,
you are not alone, there are a very large number of anxiety sufferers out here. Anxiety disorders I feel are of genectic origin, are caused by chemical imbalance and come with vaying degrees of severity.
Both meds and behavioural therapy can be helpful. I posted a thread under panic and agoraphobia which you may find helpfull.
Could you tell me a bit more about your "unreal feelings". These I feel have to do with malfunctioning of the brains "filtering system". The brain is constantly recieving informational input, but places what is not needed at the moment into the background, like background music. If this filtering system is not working correctly then we suffer an information overload. It happens to me a fair bit, mainly in busy places like shopping centres.

Hat :) :)