Crippling anxiety - I don't know what else to do

Panic attacks make you feel like you’re genuinely going to spontaneously die on the spot. I’ve been to A&E several times from panic.

If you can’t relate, I’m happy for you. But being condescending to someone else because you haven’t had the displeasure of that experience is shitty.

I’ve been here. I’m just coming to the end of my CBT therapy now and am in a much, much better place. I never thought therapy would work.. I was a bit ‘anti talk about it’ before as I can’t see how it does much good.. but it really had worked for me.

it takes time though, and effort from you. I’ve been in and out of therapy for years (over 10 years now) and this is the first time I’ve really put the effort in at home to use what I’ve learned at therapy. Before I’d just go, talk, go home.. rinse and repeat.

it’s awful to feel so stuck, it sounds like you have, or had anxiety that developed into agoraphobia. My agoraphobia started like yours, couldn’t leave the house, felt sick or poorly if I went anywhere and felt very restricted. I still have it now but much more manageable, I can leave and go mostly anywhere.. I just need to know where toilets and exits are of everywhere I go 🤣

you’ll feel like you’re going to be this way forever, it’s not true. Take the CBT seriously, even if you’re a non-believer like me; you’ll see a difference really quite quickly.

im unmedicated for what it’s worth, too. I never liked the sound of the side effects so my improvement had been though CBT and self help alone,

Propranolol 100% and it’s non addictive. Hope you feel better soon.

Btw also meant to say you can’t babysit your nephews. Any pressure like that will make you even worse, I’m talking from terrible personal experiences.

No suggestions but I hope you feel better soon.

I suffer with agoraphobia and ptsd after a terrible breakdown. Had talking therapy on the nhs but you only get a handful of sessions. I had turned a corner for over 18 months. Started managing trips out in the car, Coffee out, and so on and built myself up to a bus into town first time in 8 years, a wander around all the shops and lunch out all alone and all things that were completely impossible for me.

but now for the last fortnight the panic attacks have started up again. 😩

I also agree that intense exercise would make my anxiety worse (anything that raised my heart rate would trigger a panic attack), but yoga or mindfulness really helped. I hated it, but eventually I was able to use the techniques to master the physical reactions my body was having.

It's worth remembering, it's completely normal, you are completely normal, and this happens to a lot of people at some time in their lives. And the worst that can happen is that you will pass out, it's very unlikely you will have a heart attack, even if it feels like it.

Probably best to avoid driving until you can feeling well again xx

You are also probably not breathing properly and just shallow breathing. You can check this by lying on your bed and seeing if your breathing is lifting your tummy or not. If not do breathing exercises too focusing on getting air into your lungs and regulating your breathing.

OP totally feel you. Try some movement which doesn’t get you out of breath, eg yin yoga, Thai chi.

When you’re doing some breathing exercise what are you doing? Are you making sure you’re breathing out for longer?

would you be open to trying hypnotherapy? It can be done online

Yes I have had this, nervous breakdown, chronic stress, depression and agoraphobia. causes were bereavement, failed relationship, single parenting, stressful job and not enough downtime and self care, lack of sleep. What stresses are you under?

Try not to feed your anxiety or stopping doing something because you are feeling anxious. I know it's tough. Give your anxiety a name and when it comes just say that's my [name] just coming on. It can't harm you as I'm testament to this.

Books by Claire Weeks, finding peace in a frantic world by mark williams and control stress by paul McKenna which has a good meditation, and Eckhart tolle all helped me. Focus on the present, ground yourself, stretch. Good sleep. If you are waking early and not dreaming this is a sign your not getting good enough sleep. nutritious food is needed and exercise will help and consequently sleep better. Progress is not linear. You may feel better some days but not others. Journal your progress and understand this may take a long time but don't put a time limit on feeling better. Cry if you need too and don't put pressure on yourself to stop. Keep posting for support.

Your anxiety sounds similar to mine a few years ago. I was stuck in the house for weeks and was having panic attacks whilst driving too. I was prescribed diazapem which did nothing in the long term

What really REALLY helped me was the CBT course. It really helped me rationalize what I was physically experiencing. It helped me come down from a panic attack quickly.

Eventually I stopped having regular panic attacks, and after a period of a year or so I stopped having them all together. And I started driving again.

Please keep up with the CBT, if really can work.

Its a toy when swiched on its belly goes in and out like its breathing.
Also plays tunes and has breathing sounds and a light up belly.
I just have it on mute breathing only it helps.

I have to ask
What is a breathing bear??

I know this will sound mad but when i get to high stage of anxiety i dont want to feel alone.
So i play claire or lofti girl in the background and have my patting plushie patting my back, really soothing tbh.
Edited to add i also have a breathing bear.

Please try propranolol. It’s got rid of my anxiety completely.

Sertraline does take a few weeks to settle. My sleep was all over the place and i was like a zombie.
as others have stated ,
What helped me mostly was -
exposure, i didnt stop doing things. Your brain needs to create a new pathway and realise it’s safe.

i have also had CBT and found a useful technique was knowing that my brain can only carry one thought at a time. I distracted myself by thinking one random thought which keeps my mind focused and not ‘scanning’ my body for anxiety symptoms and thinking i’ll have a panic attack.

challenge your thoughts ‘is how im feeling really true? Why is it?’

practice gratitude - what positive things are you grateful for?

i found i was flooded with adrenaline with i completed something which didnt help so i focused on not reacting as much. If i went shopping and got home ‘safe’ instead of a rollercoaster of emotions i just told myself ‘ok that was fine, i can so it again’ i didnt get too happy or sad just normal’ and my brain seemed to calm down.

listen to podcasts/ audiobooks etc on anxiety to understand and reason with my mind.

good luck, you will be ok. One day at a time 👌🏼

This OP. I had crushing anxiety that came out of nowhere, had never had it in my life before. It was terrible - all the same symptoms as you, and awful panic attacks as well. I was in my early-to-mid 40s at the time. I found out afterwards that it's really common for panic attacks to be triggered by bereavement as well, even if you don't necessarily feel that your loss is connected to your anxiety. (My dad had recently died, but it was expected for a long time - dementia - and I had done a lot of my grieving while he was still alive. I felt quite at peace when he died as he was no longer suffering. So I didn't connect his death to my panic attacks at the time.)

My main symptoms were:
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Irregular heartbeat (ectopic beats)
Choking sensations and nausea
Shaking and sweating
Feeling that I was about to die or be seriously ill
Chest pain and heartburn

I was put on HRT and sertraline at the same time, so I'm not sure whether it's one of the two or both that's helped the most, but over 6-8 weeks all the symptoms went away and now I feel completely back to normal. I also listened to some really helpful YouTube videos, basically CBT for health anxiety, which really helped. Will try and find them. I feel for you, it's absolutely bloody awful and I hope you find a path through it that works for you.

I wondered if the book Burnout might be of use, by Emily and Amelia Nagoski. This link has a podcast transcription that summarises the main suggestions of the book to deal with emotions so they can be released from our bodies: Exercise, Breathing, Laughter, Hugs, Crying, Creative self expression. Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle - Brené Brown

I’m the same as you OP, I can’t exercise when my anxiety is high. I actually strip back to basics, cancel all plans and embrace a really simple life of no pressure, simple
joys and buckets of self compassion.

I take a SSNI for mine and HRT.

Please give your doctor a call tomorrow to discuss the lack of improvement. You can also speak to the charity MIND for support.

She is a life saver for me.
I had agoraphobia and thanks to this woman i can get out again.
She as a few books and i heard them all.