Anxiety Attack Help!?

Question

I have been getting anxiety attacks for a few months now. I'm not sure what specificaly causes them but it started when i told one of my best friends that my mom was suffering with alcoholism. And the nights that I talk to her about it or sometimes even the nights I don't the next day at school I feel really lightheaded and nautious when I know I will see her. I have a few classes with her and before those classes I usually get sick and even when I know I will see her passing in the hallway. I don't want to break my friendship with her because she is one of my best friends but it is beginning to effect my schoolwork and my friendship with her as a friend. I'd talk to another friend but she is the only person who knows and the only person I want to know. I really need some help with this its effecting my life!

Answer 1

There's probably something about your mum's alcohol problem that you haven't come to terms with. Do you feel worried about your mum? Or maybe even ashamed of her (if you are then please don't!). Or maybe there's something that you'd like to talk about with your mum and didn't get round to? Try to understand what it is. If you feel that you can't and just end up pondering this thing too much, maybe see a psychologist a couple of times to talk these things through.

When you have a panic attack, think of it as some kind of "misunderstanding" - your nervous system is pretending that something is wrong with you body, while in fact you're just fine. What you're getting is obviously psychosomatic, meaning that there's no real, "physical" reason why you should feel sick - and it's not dangerous at all, just annoying. So just tell your body "who's the daddy": Assume an "imperious" posture. Stand up straight, chin up, shoulders spead. Say to yourself: "I am in control, so I'm just going to stay calm and carry on even if I feel slightly lightheaded or sick: nothing is going to happen to me anyway, so why not".

Try also to distract your mind from these symptoms - the best way for which is doing some sport because it does the thing at the "biochemical" level by "burning out" the stress hormones. You might think that when you feel nauseous and lightheaded, the last thing you'd want to do is jog or play tennis, but this may actually be extremely helpful and simply a lot of fun.

Answer 2

Well it is not her that is giving it to you..she is just a sign you have it. Your body will pick apart different pieces of life and make you panic..or it could just be at a random time with no reason. I have had a panic disorder for over 10 years. The best thing for you to do is when you get it..or feel it..you keep one thing in your head and tell yourself that nothing is wrong and it is all in your head..cause it is! Me doing that really put a stop to it..it occasionally comes back but goes away once i calm down. It is all about calming down.

Answer 3

Go to a professional psycho-therapist to talk over those issures!! Your friend is NOT equiped to help you!! AND it's not fair for you to unload on her/him!! This is well worth your time and money!! Sort those feelings out NOW--OR they will come up later. You are worth MORE than just trying to suppress them!!!