Anxiety

BigWillie

All-Conference
Ok, so I am going to go a bit off the normal routine of this forum and talk about a serious problem I have.

As you all can see, I haven't been around as much as I normally have been as of late. The reason being, I am suffering from an extreme form of anxiety/panic attacks.

Three years ago when I was 17, I complained of chest pains for almost 2 months. During that 2 months, I had doctors mis-diagnose me time and time again about my problems and how they were heart related. My problem was a simple gallstone. Over that time though, I developed anxiety and began to have panic attacks. I would literally sit up at night, scared completely if I was going to see the next day. Night after night I experience chest pains, shortness of breath, shaking, it was all just so insane. I literally lived in the ER of my local hospital, scared I was dying. After a while, I began to cope with it without medication and without help from a professional.

Now after 3 years, my problem is beginning to flare up again. This time, possibly worse than before. I spent yesterday in a hospital with the same problems as before, thinking about only my chest pains and so on. After countless blood examinations, a stress test, blood pressure readings and everything of the sort, I was told I was okay. But it just isn't enough for me. Even as I type this, I feel like I am about to literally explode in a full blown attack. It's to the point, I am just ready to breakdown over it all. It has gotten to me that bad. Even though all the doctors say I am okay, and even in the back of my head I know I am okay, it just isn't enough.

The one problem I see in all of this is that I am not open about my problem. Outside of my immediate family, no one knows how severe my problem is. People know that I have taken anxiety attacks, but not to the point where I stay home alot because of it being my "safe zone" (if you have anxiety, you know what I mean). They don't know how I would be in the ER in the middle of the night, trembling in fear. They don't even know while they talk to me, I may end up cutting a conversation short because all that fear in me begins to burst out, even though I try to hide it.

Now I feel it is time to get my problem out in the open a bit, and openly discuss my problem with people I know, even though it may only be through a screen and a message board. Baby steps in openly discussing my problem is how I'll try to do it.

The one thing I was surprised in reading through the internet is the fact that so many people suffer from the same sort of thing I do. Even people like Burt Reynolds, Johnny Depp and even Howard Stern himself suffer from a form of anxiety. Reading that in itself helped me a bit today, because before that, I really felt alone in what I was going through.

The one thing I realized throughout all of this, the mind is more powerful that anything we can imagine. The way your fears can instantly be felt as pain throughout your body, but at the same time, positive thinking can take it away.

Now I am willing to discuss my problem in hopes that someone suffers from the same sort of problems I do. The one thing I haven't done is discuss my problem, so maybe in some sort of way, discussing my problem with someone else who suffers can help me cope.

 
Hey Big Willie,

The best start is taking the first step. I'm no psych nurse and don't have much experience with anxiety and panic attack disorders other than meds that are effective. That being said, maybe a MD is not the best choice since they have ruled out cardiac related or other physical causes. Finding a counselor or psych tech with a treatment regimen that suits you is important. If they can determine the root cause or trigger points and help you avoid those situations or activities is as important as just prescribing a anxiolytic(xanax, valium, etc.) or antidepressant. As you have stated, talking about the problem is important and the more people that you talk to especially in your immediate family/friends/acquaintances/coworkers group will be a healthy start towards recovery. The people closest to you may notice things that you don't realize being the affected person. Seeking help whether from family or a professional is a vital step in reducing or eliminating the problem.

There are probably people on this board with the same problem that may have gotten the needed assistance to put their life back in order and can steer you in the right direction also.

 
500 and rawhide, thanks very much.

But for rawhide -- I was prescribed lexapro while in the hospital. So I'll begin taking that and see how it helps me.

I am also scheduled to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks to see how my medicine is working and also to set up an appointment to see a psychiatrist.

Right now, that is also a tough think to deal with. I always thought if you had a problem like drugs, alcohol, or in my case, anxiety, that it would be easy to admit it and face what is going on. But it really isn't. It's tough to take these medications that people think of as stuff that only 'crazy' people take. The same for seeking professional help for a 20 year old. It's just tough to admit and face all of that.

But seeing as how I just managed to suffer through another attack just then, I guess it is better to suck it up and get the help I need, rather than hoping the problem fixes itself.

 
It's tough to take these medications that people think of as stuff that only 'crazy' people take. The same for seeking professional help for a 20 year old. It's just tough to admit and face all of that.
Honestly, i work at a hospital and actually a lot of people take meds for anti-depressant,bi-polar,anxiety,stress, and so on i mean trust me, no one should think u are crazy or wierd, thats part of being human no one is perfect everyone has some sort of problems some worse than others

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The first thing to realize is that everyone suffers from anxiety at some time or another - the issue is how severe those attacks are, and thus how disabling. But understand that anxiety is not "abnormal".

Second, opening up to friends and families is fine, but remember that they are not, and will not substitute for, trained counselors and professionals. No matter how much they may want to help, and no matter how much they say they understand, you need the expertise only a professional can offer.

What I'm driving at is that the best thing to do is to seek that professional help. Don't be "macho" and think you can, or should be able to, deal with it alone. Follow through on the referrals - they will help.

This is something you can control with the right assistance. Make sure you get it.

And best of luck - this is a battle that will take time, and in which you frequently take two steps back to enable you to take one step forward. But it's a battle that you can win.

 
It is the people that do not recognize the problem that fall into the dregs and sometimes never come out. You have made a big step and as a Husker brother we are here for you. There are brighter days ahead.

I do have one question and I am trying to lighten things up. Do these attacks occure more during the off season, Maybe you need MORE Husker Football.

Good Luck Bro and don't be afraid to seek the help you need.

GBR

 
I'll be praying for you that's all I can say because I can't relate because I don't know what your going through but just know someones praying for you

 
It is the people that do not recognize the problem that fall into the dregs and sometimes never come out. You have made a big step and as a Husker brother we are here for you. There are brighter days ahead.

I do have one question and I am trying to lighten things up. Do these attacks occure more during the off season, Maybe you need MORE Husker Football.

Good Luck Bro and don't be afraid to seek the help you need.

GBR
It is kinda funny you bring that up, because I did have an anxiety/panic attack because of a Husker game once. The '05 Texas Tech game. I got so out of control when Tech drove down the field at the end, then LeKevin fumbled off that interception. I think I ended up in the doctors office that night as well. :lol:

 
It is the people that do not recognize the problem that fall into the dregs and sometimes never come out. You have made a big step and as a Husker brother we are here for you. There are brighter days ahead.

I do have one question and I am trying to lighten things up. Do these attacks occure more during the off season, Maybe you need MORE Husker Football.

Good Luck Bro and don't be afraid to seek the help you need.

GBR
It is kinda funny you bring that up, because I did have an anxiety/panic attack because of a Husker game once. The '05 Texas Tech game. I got so out of control when Tech drove down the field at the end, then LeKevin fumbled off that interception. I think I ended up in the doctors office that night as well. :lol:
I'm with you on the panic attack that night I had to ride my bike around my block about fifty times to loosen up after that chuckleshuffle

 
I come into contact with MANY people that are on some type of medication for something like anxiety, or bi-polar disorder or whatever. It's very common and it doesn't mean that you are different than everyone else and you should be ashamed of your issue. I think this is the first step to help you get better by saying that "Yes I have this..." and it's going to help you get to the point where you don't have to worry about this.

 
Back
Top