Panic Attacks Support Group

Hello everyone, I wanted to say that I have returned to the support group and I am sorry for such a long absence, I did not want you all to feel abandoned but I hope you understand I needed to take time for myself to focus on my well being and end that destructive cycle of non stop panic. I am in a much better place today but anxiety is still an every day struggle. I am finally ready to return to college 2 years after I had to take time off because I was no longer functioning from my panic attacks. I start at the end of January and am pretty worried about the panic attacks being triggered by the stress of returning to school. The first attack I ever had was in college during a lecture course and I am now returning to 3 lecture courses. Your support got me through the roughest mental period I have ever had, I want to do the same for those of you who are struggling with it now, I am here and I know you are all here for me too. I would also like to add that I have successfully beat a cocaine addiction which my therapist(s) and I have concluded was the main source of my panic disorder and on January 1st of 2012 I celebrated a year of sobriety. All my love.

Avovcenco,

Welcome back! So proud if you recent accomplishments!

I remembered how you were suffering each day.

Awesome your back in school!

You know what, everyone gets nervous, when they have to speak publicly. You'll do great.

Again Congrats on your sobriety!

Thank you so much! It feels good to be back on here, especially now that I am in a better place. But anxiety still sneaks its way in. Living with it for the rest of my life is something I can accept but the condition I was in before was not right. I hope you are doing well my friend!

Hi there I don't think we have met but so glad to hear that things are looking brighter for you and my gosh congratulations on beating the addiction!!! Just remember that you can do this you have to believe that!!!

Avovcenco, I am so happy to meet you! Your story is an inspiration to us all! Keep it up because you have found the road! My first attack was also in college during a final exam. It made no sense because I knew every answer on the exam and finished in record time. But, suddenly there it was. It has taken me a long time, but now I have no trouble most of the time. In fact, a couple of years ago at work, I spoke about Sexual Harassment law in front of over a hundred people with no problem! It CAN be done and you have proven it. So glad you're here!

I am very happy to meet both of you and it feels good to be back here in a better place. Like I said before, anxiety and panic is something we live with for the rest of our lives but we don't have to be consumed by it. Just like my drug addiction, my panic was keeping me from LIVING. I was numbed by it, numbed by overwhelming fear of death brought on by the many overdoses that brought me close to death. Once I found the root of the evil that was my panic disorder, I learned coping techniques to keep the attacks from taking over my brain with thoughts of dying and doom. Eventually (keep in mind that I am pursuing a psychiatry career) I read all the psychology and self help books I could find on panic attacks and found biological explanations for each terrifying physical symptom and learned that they were natural responses brought on by adrenaline in inappropriate situations. They were harmless. They ARE harmless. And every time an attack came on, I would sit and do my breathing exercises while reading the list of symptom explanations. When I learned it couldn't hurt me, I beat it. It feeds on fear. Beat the fear and be free. I'm only 20 but have had enough psychological problems to feel like I am 70, ha ha. I am always here for all of you.