Hi there, in the last 2 weeks i've been suffering from terrible panic attacks and anxiety. This started happening whilst I was travelling in Mexico. I was gone for over 2 and a half months but it wasn't until the last few weeks that I started feeling anxious. I want to understand why it has just come on like this. Can it be caused by traumatic events? There are 2 things which I think may have attributed to my anxiety. Around 4 days before I was due to fly home I was out on a small boat when a huge thunderstorm came over. Lightning was hitting the water around us and it was for me a near death experience. That evening after I drank maybe 3 drinks and in the morning had a terrible panic attack. From then on I was feeling constantly on edge and having to take valium to calm me down. The second thing is my fear of flying. I had come out traveling with a friend but she was leaving for another country whilst I was flying home alone. I never used to have a fear of flying but over the last year my anxiety about it has gotten worse and worse. Every time I thought about it (which was at-least twice an hour everyday leading up to my flight) I would just picture myself dying. It is the worst sensation to feel all of these emotions at once and I am finding it really hard to cope with. Luckily the flight went ok because I took quite a bit of valium and made friends with the person sat next to me. I honestly thought that when I arrived home back to familiarity that all of this would disappear. I thought that being with my boyfriend and friends would cure everything. But last night I had the worst panic attack I have ever had.(could be something to do with jet lag poss?) It was so bad that it didn't even feel like a regular panic attack, I generally thought I was going to die and had to call an ambulance to help me. It was terrifying. I am now alone as my boyfriend is working and I can't stop my mind racing and fearing what is to come next. Has anyone got any suggestions? Any ways to cure panic attacks they would recommend? I am also wondering about drinking. I had one drink earlier in the day before my panic attack and the day before that I had 1 drink and had the onset of one a few hrs later. It has to be related right? I'm only 20. I don't want to have to give up drinking for the rest of my life because of this stupid thing! I only drink occasionally maybe 3 times a month, but like to go for the occasional 1 drink with friends on some evenings.
Any kind of response or help is appreciated, even just to talk to people who are experiencing the same as me.
Thanks