I have reached my limit and need to seek help - Panic Attacks

Mental health
1

Hello

I am a panic attack sufferer for 15 years. For whatever reason I go through phases where it’s not an issue then it’s an issue quite repetitively!

I fear of dying from a heart attack. When my heart raises I worry and it’s a vicious circle I don’t have any meds so I skull hard liquor to help as it is effect and almost immediate. 

I have called an ambulance for myself too many times. It’s christmas Day now and 2 days ago I was at my father in laws where I was drinking all day and woke up and began to panic.

Went into a frantic state called an ambulance for myself. It’s the worst feeling in the world I feel like a failure. 

Certainly a night after drinks brings it on as I worry that the alcohol I had is going to cause a heart attack and alcohol in general affects your nervous system. 

Right now (early Christmas morning) I woke up during the night in my father in laws beside my future wife and started to panic so I skulled some whiskey(it’s like medication where I secretly have it on standby)

I am not proud of having panic attacks or proud of how I manage them. I feel weak as a person and I hate it so much.

I seeked help twice before , once with a random psychologist and then with someone qualified in CBT. Neither really helped. 

I have a personal perspective that people who suffer from panic attacks are generally Of higher iq! Not to sound like an arrogant person as I am far from that but I easily get to where the psychologist is going with their methodology and quickly overcome their objective and it doesn’t help. 

Anyways , I absolutely hate this! So much! It’s debilitating.

I think I know where it stemmed from. My brother died of cancer when I was 15 and a year later my best friend died in a car crash suddenly. Certainly a lot of trauma for a younging to go through. I was offered help by my school and never took it. I regret it as I think my panic attacks are a bi product of feeling morbid morality at a young age!

I have never posted about this before and have no idea what to expect. I guess to be up front what I first hope to see is that I am not alone, that other people have something similar. As much as I am a social butterfly as they say, I feel soooooooo alone! 

I feel mental health is hugely neglected by government and there are not enough resources available. I found this forum on google but I cannot find anything local to my region.

To be honest and I apologize to professionals but I feel like I am too far gone to be able to be fixed I have had it for too long and it was morphed into something very complex. And what I feel like would help more than anything is to be able to chat/meet with people in likewise situations and learn from it. 

I hope I am wrong.

I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel . I am 35 , the older I now get inwkrry for my future as being a mentally healthy person.

Anyways anyone who has read this far I would love to buy you a pint/glass of wine/tea 

P.S anyone that has panic attacks have any digestive issues? If so anyone think they are somehow related? Ohhhhh the medically uneducated theories I have 😂😂😂😂

2

Hi. You are certainly Not alone. It's good that you recognise what you have and also that alcohol is not the best way to deal with it. However I do understand that when the panic and anxiety is that bad you want to do anything to get rid of it. I think you need to see a DR for some help in terms of medication. I am a waiting referral for some counselling or CBT buy I know I struggle with my own brain overthinking things. I'm trying different relaxation methods but it's early.days. I get IBS with my anxiety which brings on that vicious circle of one increasing the symptoms of the other. I hope this helps a little to know you are not alone. Keep us posted and good luck xx

3

I think you have identified the reason for your attacks. It is worrying but at least you can do something positive now. I hope you have a good day. Merry Christmas.

 

4

Alan

Your main problem with Anxiety is your Drinking. That needs sorting first and the best way is you see your GP and also contact Alcoholic Anonymous You will be able to get the local information there where they run their courses.

Generally over time drinkers can effect their Health and when you stop drinking your GP may arrange several tests to make sure you have not damaged yourself. However I feel the need for you to discuss you digestive problems now, as and when you visit your GP.

In many cases Anxiety, stress and sometimes depression can be learned from family members hen we are still young, Death seems one of your problems because of past events, talk these out and move on that is all I can suggest. With my family it took sixty years before I was able to move on. I wished I had been brave enough to do it many years ago, with my fears addressed it left me with a great deal of satisfaction that I was brave enough to do various things to push myself along. All very liberating, giving up on drink will help you open a new chapter to your Life

Remember that fear of dying that will need to be exercised and you need to move on to a better place I would hope group therapy at A A will help you move on for next years Christmas

BOB

5

Thanks for everyone’s time to response it’s much appreciated! 

@borderriever thank you for your input but I do feel it is a little off. I don’t think AA is what I need. I am not an alcoholic, I am not alcoholic dependent. It’s not the root cause of my problem. 

I can go weeks/months without having a drink. 

But yes it is a tool I use to remediate a panic attack when they are bad enough. I also use CBD oil, and own clonazepan (but refuse to take it)

6

The cbd oil illegal in the uk can cause anxiety and panic attacks .