PLEASE help me.. :(

[beyonetheline]

I don't know what to do.. I don't know where to turn.
I feel like I'm on the edge of a huge panic attack / mental breakdown.

I've had a lot of crap going on recently, it feels relentless. One thing after another:

• car troubles
• wedding planning
• family problems
• work piling the pressure onto me
• weight and health getting me down

I can't breathe.. this evening, I can't actually breathe. I know that sounds dramatic, I mean I must be if I'm able to type this.
But my chest is SO tight. Each breath feels like effort to take. I feel like I just want to close my eyes, and I'm not sure right now that I'd like to wake up.
I can't talk. I can't eat, I can't drink. I've NEVER felt like this before.
It's like everything that is supposed to come naturally to me doesn't anymore.
It's effort to get into bed.. to have a shower.. to get ready for work.
I feel so lightheaded. I feel like the world is just spinning. I feel sick to my stomach, my stomach is whirling and I just can't stand for more than a few minutes without feeling like I'm going to fall to the floor. I haven't ever fainted before, but I think this must be how it feels?

Last night I woke myself up having a full blown anxiety attack. I was sweating, hyperventilating, my heart was racing. I remember waking DP to tell him I felt like I was about to faint.

I feel like I'm just on the edge of a cliff, and one more gust of wind will be enough to topple me over the edge.

I suffer with anxiety and slight depression. I haven't ever felt the physical effects that I am right now with my anxiety before.

Could this be stress..?! I don't know what this is, all I know is I want it to stop 😟

I don't really know what I'm asking for here. A hand hold, maybe? I just can't take much more of this feeling.

It sound like you are totally overwhelmed and it has resulted in a panic attack. I am not a doctor but what helps me is writing it all down and trying to make sense of it that way. Even if you can knock one or two things of the list it helps you to feel more in control. Are you catastrophising everything as well? Thinking in all or nothing terms?. If you can get someone to go through the list of things stressing you out you might find some things are more manageable than you realise. Prioritise one thing at a time and take one step at a time. Above all give your urself a break and remind yourself it’s ok to feel overwhelmed and stressed out, you just need a bit of help tackling it.

Please call in sick tomorrow.

Tell your DP exactly how terrible you feel and ask him to support you to see the GP. This is an emergency, not an in-three-weeks job. If that means your DP advocating for you - insisting yto the receptionist- then that’s what it takes.

Can he make you a cup of tea? Not eating or drinking properly will make things feel worse. You need some TLC.

@beyonetheline

Thank you all so much, strangers being so kind to me has got me in tears! I haven't ever felt this low and out of control before. It is like an out of body experience, I feel like I'm me, I'm here.. but the body I'm in isn't mine. I can't explain it 😟

Depersonalisation. Don't worry, it'll pass. A little crying is good, stress hormones come out in tears.

I also advocate what others have said about understanding what a panic attack is. As soon as I did this it helped me to ride them out. They are very unpleasant and scary but physically they are actually harmless. Your body recovers just fine. You are safe and you will be ok. You definitely need to see a GP though. It’s ok, many of us have been where you are now and if you reach out, it will get better.

I felt like this in June, have had anxiety for quite some time but fairly mild in comparison to this, I'd never felt the physical symptoms of it to this extreme before. Same as you where I felt like me, but my body wasn't mine. I was completely overwhelmed with work, and think it was a delayed reaction from lockdown and homeschooling while also working. My body had just had enough and I ended up being signed off with stress for a fortnight.

Anti-depressants have really helped to get me back on track again. Is there any way you can get an emergency appointment same day, have a phone consult just to get the medication as soon as you can? That's what I ended up having to do. I hope things get better for you

Thanks everyone so much. I had a pretty rough night but at work today. I don't feel I have a choice since I'm new into the job and haven't yet passed probation.

Glad you're doing slightly better op, been thinking of you.

Op if wedding planning isn't fun and is causing stress or even triggering the family issues..

Stop.

Stop. Stop and re think. Weddings are soley about two people and possibly dc if they have any.. No one else matters.