Anxiety and panic attacks

leeannjackson01

Hi everyone how are you today. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. 

Sam_Alumni

Hi @leeannjackson01
Welcome to the community, are you getting any support for your anxiety and panic attacks?

Han_Solo

Welcome!!!

I am glad that dependable Sam has already made contact with you and will try to help you out, alongside her excellent support team.

There are also knowledgeable users on here and I do hope you make some good friends.

All the best for 2018. 

JennysDad

Hi Leeann, @leeannjackson01, and welcome to the community. I'm no stranger to anxiety or panic attacks and you will find you are far from alone here. So, tell us a bit more about yourself. The better we get to know you the more easily we may be able to find ways to help and support you.
Warmest best wishes,
Richard

leeannjackson01

Thank you everyone. I am a single parent of two boy's. I work 16 hours per week, term time only. I have had panic attacks and anxiety for over 13 years. Some day's  I find it hard to go to work and some day's if I'm not well I have to leave work early. I have trouble being by myself and find it hard to go go any where new. If I do I have to have someone with me. I stay home most of the time with my pet's for company. I find I can't work more than 16 hours per week so financly it is hard. I have a few freinds I can talk to but don't like to bother them.

Han_Solo

Well you have come to the right place to talk to people about anything.

Feel free to express yourself

JennysDad

Hello Leann, @leeannjackson01. Good to hear back from you.

As Sam_Scope asked earlier; are you getting any support for your anxiety and panic attacks? Have you spoken to your GP, for example? I was prescribed citalopram a number of years ago, am still on it, and it does make a difference. You could possibly ask your GP about it, or something like it.

For years I believed my own anxiety/panic attack history was based mostly on self-esteem and self-confidence issues arising out of my childhood - the fact that my mother seems to have blamed me for her separation from my father, for example. Whilst that is almost certainly a part of it, chemical imbalances also seem to have a lot to do with it, and my current medication seems rather to demonstrate that.

So, you are on your own, with two sons, and THAT is b*****y difficult to start with. You have probably achieved far more than you realise in just getting to where you are today.

Let's see if we can make it any easier

Warmest best wishes to you,

Richard

leeannjackson01

Hello I was on  citalopram for years and it stopped working, I am now on sterline wich seems to be working for me. I also had not a very nice childhood.

leeannjackson01

Hi Richard, I was on the same medication as you for years but seemed to have stopped working a short while ago so I was switched to steraline. This is working better for me. I also did not have a very nice child hood. 

leeannjackson01

I get support from my freinds but I don't always like to bother them.

JennysDad

Hello Leeann @leeannjackson01 It is good to hear from you - I'm sorry I could not get back to you sooner today. I'm not familiar with sertraline but. if it works for you, then so much the better. And yes, 'childhood'. So many of us here would say the same. As they say; fortunately we can choose our friends.
You're in a different sort of place, here, Leeann, I am glad to say We're all friends and we're all ready to be 'bothered' any time you need us.
Keep in touch and try to tell us what we might be able to do for you.
Warmest best wishes,
Richard

leeannjackson01

Thank you. I find thing's hard when I can't go anywhere by myself so I am mostly at home.

JennysDad

Hi Leeann, @leeannjackson01
I am sure you are finding things very tough. You've obviously seen your GP, since you're prescribed sertraline. Has he/she suggested anything else to help or put you in touch with anybody?
It would be helpful to know who, if anybody, is helping you and who, if anybody, is letting you down It will give us a clue as to what to do next.
Warmest best wishes,
Richard

thespiceman

Hello @leeannjackson01 Pleased to meet you.  Welcome.  I am sending a message of support and I hope you understand.  We as a community are here to listen.

I know from reading your post you suffer from panic attacks, plus anxiety.  I can understand this is not easy and I feel for you.

I live on my own and have mental health issues plus a disability.  I am aware of how differcult and hard it has been to talk about what is troubling you.

I come on this forum to have a chat, listen, debate and catch up with any body I know.

The SCOPE team have given some advice, plus support.  You have met @RichardVR good guy that.  My friend who I talk to every so often.

This about you now and how we as a community can help.  I am here to listen.

Please take care nice to have met you

leeannjackson01

Hello Richard I have a few freinds I can talk to. The doctors haven't suggested anything else. When I do suffer a panic attack I have learned to try and breathe through it or ring one of my freinds. I also take propananol.
Hi Spice man nice to meet you. I also feel for you it must be awfull being by your self do you become scared like me. I have two dog's who keep me company well their my son's dog's but I do their day to day care.

thespiceman

Hello @leeeannjackson01 Hope you Ok thank you for reply.

I do get scared a lot.  Evenings worse.  Had try to cope.  Being on here helps a lot.  Have to talk chat, debate.

I have to talk about how I help myself.

Try to remain calm deep breathing put relaxing music on if home.  Have cold water that helps.  Chilled in a glass.  Please may I suggest look at lifestyle changes.
Use of caffeine gave that up. helped me.  Coffee tea cola chocolate plus alcohol.

If anxious stressed reach for any of these.  Excessive use.

Doctor if not treating you right either change or consult advocacy services.

Please I am only making polite suggestions.

I have given up caffeine still have anxiety problems but I feel a little better.

Take care

thespiceman

Hello @leeannejackson01 Please can I add .  Because of stress and anxiety you reach for a drink, to help.

This in turn makes you drink more.

That what I was told and have now absent from alcohol and caffeine.

Pleased to meet you.

JennysDad

Hi Leeann, @leeannjackson01
I almost missed this latest post of yours for various reasons. Glad I found it, and glad to learn that you have evolved some strategies for dealing with the panic attacks. And you can add us as friends to call on.
I think that if you just put somebody's ID in, like my own @RichardVR, they will be notified and drawn to check out your post.
Let us know how you get on, or if there is anything you think we can do,
Warmest best wishes to you
Richard