Hi
My name is Sarah, I am 21 and I'm from the UK..
For the past 2 years I have been suffering from anxiety, to the extreme.
It all started with a panic attack out of the blue which scared the life out of me and ever since I've been stuck in a cycle of daily anxiety.
The problems I struggle with are feelings of unreality, intrusive thoughts, extreme panic, to the point where I cry, pace, shake.
I was wondering if this is normal for anxiety? During my panic attacks I feel very unreal, the whole world feels unreal (even though I know it isn't) and I get really scary thoughts about hurting myself.
I'm having one of those panic attacks now and I am really scared as I am on my own. I absolutely hate being on my own I can't handle it, it seems to turn into an instant panic attack. I get worried I'll get so distessed that I will end up hurting myself or someone close to me.
I feel very out of control and like I am going mad. Even though I haven't ever lost control.
Sorry that this is all jumbled and a bit much for a introduction but I'm really struggling today and I need someone to talk to!
Thanks to anyone who reads or replies!
Sarah
hi Sarah, yes these things are all very common with anxiety, I suffer from all these things too. The feelings of unreality you mention is better known as depersonalisation or derealisation , and is very common but very distressing. Are you receiving any treatment? If not then a visit to your gp to talk about possible ways to help might be good for you. Meds or therapy will be your options. I would recommend therapy over meds, others would go for meds. It really depends on what works for u
Hi Sarah,
I'm also 21 and from the UK 
I'm sorry you're feeling this way. All of those symptoms seem like symptoms of anxiety (I've had them, anyway!)
Have you sought treatment for anxiety/panic attacks, or seen your GP about it?
Do you know what the cause of your first panic attack was yet? What may have started your anxiety?
If you are I. The UK, in the meantime you can call breathing space, they are an excellent free phone call to help you with any issues, they really are very good
Hi Sarah,
Yes I get exactly the same symptoms plus a painful chest and shirt if breath, but crying always ends up being a factor!
I've only started suffering with it since end if last year before that I never really had any issues, but at the moment it's getting quite bad as I starting new work which always causes me very bad anxiety to a point where I would just not go to work n eventually quit!
This forum it's great for sharing and gearing that your not the only one, as everyone on here understands where family or friends who don't suffer don't quite understand how uncontrollable it really is.
Just remember your not alone, if you start to panic just come on here and speak to someone as everyone's very supportive.
Hi thank you for the reply
I have tried medication but they just seem to make the feelings of unreality worse. I'm also currently on a waiting list for therapy but it's so long and I have been waiting ages!
The feelings of unreality is the feeling that distresses me the most, I feel like if I didn't have that then I would be ok! It seems to cause the weirdest thoughts that cause instant panic 
Hi Sarah
Please try not to worry! I know exactly how you feel and have experienced all your feelings before and still do. I'm 24 and I've been suffering from anxiety for about 6 months and have experienced all the symptoms that come with it!
It's very easy for me to tell you to calm down and that you're gonna be ok as I can't even tell myself that sometimes but when I look back to just say having a panic attack that I had the other day you just have to think that nothing happened to you and that you are safe. Just try to breathe maybe read a book keep your mind off it. The brain is such a powerful thing but you really aren't alone in how you are feeling! Have you been to the doctors and do your family know you feel like this? I've been referred to cognitive behaviour therapy which is one of the treatments of anxiety and panic attacks. I also paid and went privately for hypnotherapy last week which I found really helpful and I'm having another session this week.
Go and see you gp and ask for some help and talk to your family. In the mean time just try to stay calm and focus and just keep telling yourself nothing is going to happen to you these are all just feeling a of anxiety and they can't harm you!
I hope you feel better
Mimi x
Thank you for the reply!
I was in a very bad relationship, that was violent. I ended up in hospital and had to have surgery on my jaw and after that this is where it all seems to have exploded.
I have never ever felt this way before that first panic attack.
Thanks for the replies, very helpful.
Mimi, do you think that hypnotherapy will work for you eventually? I'm booked in to start next Monday and really hoping it'll work- it's the only thing I haven't tried!
Thank you, I did just try to phone them but they are only available in Scotland!
Hi Amy. I really think it will! I felt good when I came out and I felt good all day te next day. I only started to feel a bit crap again when I had to get on a train and travel to my boyfriends or lives quite far so I felt a bit tight in the chest and anxious but I just kept telling myself nothing is going to happen to me and said all the things in my head that the hypnotherapist taught me. I've actually felt not bad at all since Monday now which is really good for me as I had had a terrible couple of weeks with panic attacks. I'm definitely going to carry on with it as I don't think one session is enough and I'm ready to try anything! I found it much more helpful than my cognitive behaviour therapy to be honest!
A violent relationship is what started mine off too. I'm starting Hypnotherapy next week, which I hope will work.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is supposed to be very good too. If it's a long waiting list, you can google it and find CBT worksheets and information sheets on the Internet, and then you'll know what to expect/maybe start it yourself. (The exposure therapy worksheets are particularly useful for me- I'm agoraphobic so I can mark my progress on these sheets)
My GP told me to google 'positive steps' it's a mental health service in most places around the UK. They may even be the people providing the therapy that you're on the waiting list for. But they provide free group and one-to-one sessions (which you can book online without your GP) and also give good anxiety contacts, e.g, 24 hour phone services that you can call when having a panic attack.
Thank you so much for the reply! I appreciate it.
I never ever thought anxiety or panic could affect you in this way, it feels like something so much worse. I have been absolutely terrified I have schizophrenia or I'm about to have a psychotic break, it feels so scary!
I know exactly what u mean, I'm the exact same and that's why I won't take meds. Therapy does take time but it is worth the wait. Defo call breathing space, they help a lot
Hi MIMI
You seem to be quite good at giving the advice about anxiety and therapy etc how do you find going to work? At this affects me very badly anxiety wise to a point where I talk myself out of going and it's destroying me and my life as I have to work In order to get money but sometimes I just find it so hard.
Great that everyone is so open and helpful on this forum x
That's such a normal feeling. At least it's good to know that people have felt exactly the same so we can't all be going mad can we! You are not going to go insane I've thought it many times and it hasn't happened! Your'll be ok it's just a horrible feeling we have to deal with until we get some help that works for us! X
That's fantastic! I'm quite looking forward to it, I'm willing to try anything to sort this anxiety out! It sounds rather flippant, but I don't mind paying for all of these hypnotherapy sessions if it works- my anxiety is so awful that I can hardly do anything now. But I'm optimistic
Thank you!
My family know exactly what's going on with me although they don't really understand. I try to tell them that I don't feel like I'm here and that nothing feels real, that's why I'm getting distressed but I seem to get the ''well you are here, so just forget about it''.
I know I am here, I know that life is real but these feelings and thoughts seem to eat me up. They seem impossible to ignore.
I hope you don't mind me asking but was the hypnotherapy expensive? as it's something I would be interested in looking into.
Hi Sarah
I know it's such a horrible feeling not being able to control your thoughts or reactions to the anxiety, your body just seems to take over with all these symptoms and it's an absolute pain.
I'm sorry you had to go through that too.
Thank you so much! I will look into those things x