Question about anxiety?

Question

I have been having anxiety for about 2 yrs now, I went to the doctor for something small and they wanted to do a catscan (stupid) and I started having a panic attach because I was scared to go in the tunnel thing.So they ended up hooking up all the machines and freaking out telling me to lay down and stay still I wanted to leave but they wouldnt let me sit up...so as a result I was freaking out more.Fast forward 2 years and I have been having more anxiety I am prescibed anxiety meds (ativan) but I have a fear of going to the doctor and having my blood pressure taken.I also have been having anxiety about school (college) because they have a policy for if there is a threat to the school that they would lock us in the rooms and we have to wait there until they figured it out.I have panic attacks when I think of being locked in there.I have anxiety when I think about bridges, going far away from my house like on a long trip, flying in a plane, it just seems like its worse what is going on?

Answer 1

Hi! I’m so sorry to hear you’re feeling bad. Try the following 3 steps (they eliminated my panic attacks of 15 years):

1.Breathe properly - if you control your breathing, you control panic. As soon as you notice the signs of anxiety, check your breathing: breathe in slowly through your nose pushing your tummy out (to the count of 5 or so). Breathe out slowly and for a bit longer (to the count of 7 or so) through your mouth. Do not breathe rapidly or shallowly (in the chest area). This will soon restore the balance of oxygen and you will feel a lot better.

2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy! CBT is proven to be the most effective thing for panic attacks and social anxiety. It takes a bit of work, but it is super effective. You can speak to your doctor about taking a course or you can take a course for free online at: http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/ It has been funded by NHS Scotland and has had great results thus far.

3. Try relaxation exercise tapes (progressive muscular relaxation). They really help if you practise often enough. This site has instructions on how to do it without the tapes (and other useful info): http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/minipax.cfm?mini_ID=23

With each of these steps, practise makes perfect. I hope this helps and you feel better soon. Don’t give up hope! Best of luck!

Answer 2

First, the episode you describe in the beginning tells me you have a common fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia). The idiots who were not letting you leave should be fired. Never let anyone do that again.

Second, you don't need medications to make things worse, you need counseling to give you tools to get past this anxiety, and you can get past it.

Third, once an anxiety starts, it usually balloons into other anxieties.

You need to get help, talk therapy, with a good counselor to get you through this. Understand that it is in your mind, you have control of this. You are thinking irrational thoughts and need to remind yourself that and begin to think rational thoughts. I want you to get some books on anxiety so you understand what you are dealing with and can overcome this. Good luck, you can do this. I know, I overcame mine.

Answer 3

Wow.,..the ativan doesn't work for you?? Sounds like you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have it as well. I am on a high dose of Ativan, when I am having anxiety..I take it, and falls asleep peacefully. It's def. NOT a long term answer, though. You may want to consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which teaches you how to change the thoughts you are having. good luck

Answer 4

You are here: Life Challenges >> Coping With Anxiety

Coping With Anxiety - Stress Response
Coping with anxiety begins with an understanding of the body's stress response. The body undergoes three stages of stress. These stages are as follows:

Fight or Flight: During this stage, the body perceives threatened danger. A surge of energy overtakes the body, enabling a person to fight off the threat or flee from the danger at hand.

Resistance: This stage occurs when danger remains beyond the fight or flight period. The body secretes several hormones in order to mobilize the body during long-term stress.

Exhaustion: If the body successfully completes the first two stages, it will enter a third stage, exhaustion. This is a time when the fatigued body replenishes itself.

Coping With Anxiety - When Does Stress Become a Problem?
Coping with anxiety is a necessity in our modern fast-paced world. Busy schedules, intensified by traffic jams, money problems, and relational difficulties keep many people in chronic states of stress.

Stress becomes a problem when a person undergoes a sense of prolonged danger. During the fight or flight and resistance stages, the body produces many helpful hormones. However, excessive amounts of these same substances can cause damaging effects to the body. For instance, adrenaline helps with energy production during stressful periods. Prolonged use of adrenaline by the body, however, leads to a weakening of the heart. Cortisol and vasopressin, both released during the resistance stage, raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels and may narrow artery walls by increasing blood platelets.

During prolonged stress, the body rarely has time to replenish itself. The body remains in a cycle of fighting, fleeing, and resisting, with little or no time to rest. This affects the body's sleep cycle, only increasing the body's fatigue and decreasing full restoration.

Coping With Anxiety - Symptoms
Coping with anxiety begins with the understanding of the symptoms of excess stress. These symptoms include: exhaustion, sleep problems, tension headaches, constant worry, dark circles under the eyes, bowel disturbances, lowered immune function, irritability or angry outbursts, lack of concentration, and so on.

If you think you are experiencing the symptoms of anxiety, check with your health professional. He or she can diagnose anxiety by evaluating your medical and personal history. Dealing with anxiety is easier when you have help.

Coping With Anxiety - Steps to a Worry-free Existence
Coping with anxiety entails that a person actively engage in positive changes. There are steps that one can take to encounter safety from a worrisome world.

Coping with stress and anxiety includes the following steps:

* Laugh: Don't take your life so seriously. A sense of humor helps overcome worry by distracting the mind. Laughter may also produce endorphins, which help ease pain and offer a sense of relaxation and joy. Tell a joke, watch a comedy, and laugh when disaster strikes. You'll feel better with a smile on your face.


* Make plans: Worrying solves nothing. It cannot change situations or outcomes. The only way change comes about is through action. Instead of worrying, empower yourself by acting toward change. Worried about money? Create and implement a budget or seek professional financial counsel. Productivity creates an atmosphere of positive change that worry cannot achieve and makes overcoming anxiety po