I’m in a uni class and I’m not coping

[unsurehowtorespond]

My first in two and a half years . I had to take time out due to social anxiety and agoraphobia. I don’t know anyone here, I’m panicking, I’m alone snd im scared I’m going to collapse . Im sitting at a PC and keep getting palpitations, which A&E and GP said we’re harmless, and I’m scared.

I don’t want to die

Breathe in through your nose and put through your mouth. Close your eyes if you need to.

Put your thumb in your mouth and close your lips round it fully tight. Then blow. It might make your ears pop but also should slow your heart rate down and calm you down.

I just want to run away

You’re not dying.

What course are you doing? Try to remember why you’re there. Take one minute at a time. You’re okay. You will be fine. Breathe.

@LowlyTheWorm

You’re not dying.

It feels like it though everything keeps slowing down . GP told me take 40mg of propranolol what if that harms me . I took 40 at 10 and another just now

@LowlyTheWorm

What course are you doing? Try to remember why you’re there. Take one minute at a time. You’re okay. You will be fine. Breathe.

Speech therapy so I should know all this but it’s so hard when it’s you that’s struggling

Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm or help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps to help ground yourself:
5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a spot on the ceiling, anything in your surroundings.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a pillow, or the ground under your feet.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in your office and smell pencil, or maybe you are in your bedroom and smell a pillow. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch?

Stolen from the web but it will help.

I work as a childminder. Early years desperately need speech therapists.
Please think of all good you can do.

Lecturer has said I can go at 4, she won’t mind, said use it a phased return , but I feel so stupid, I’m almost tears I’m so nervous

Think how well you have done to be there at all.
a phased return sounds really sensible.
It will get better.

My 17yo is going through something similar, going to college having missed all of y11 due to anxiety, she isn't managing everything, but is managing way more than she was.

Just being in the different environment is a massive success for you.
You can do it, if not today, then maybe tomorrow, or next week.

You will not die from a panic attack although it feels like it. The propranalol takes about an hour to work. You don't need to keep taking more, 40mg should quiet the panic attack, another couple of 10mg that you have taken won't hurt, but don't keep on taking them.
Many years ago at University I suffered from agoraphobia and panic attacks and self medicated with alcohol, which was a terrible idea because it stops you sleeping properly and makes it hard to process anything in your life. Go to your GP, tell them how bad it is, they can put you on SSRIs that will fix this problem for now. Break the cycle and you can easily get past this.

Have you been offered exposure therapy? Also, CBD (though divisive to some people) can help - even Boots sell it now.

I have, I’m waiting on trauma informed therapy, said it’s a long waiting list though . Made it out of my lecture, to pharmacy and now on a train to my aunty’s house - which is also panicking me . A lot of exposure therapy in one day .

i feel for you@unsurehowtorespond. i felt like this in a lecture at uni. I started at hot and was about to faint it was pure anxiety and i had a panic attack. i think i just got up and left, my feet were like jelly and i couldnt breathe properly. It got better slowly the more i attended lectuers and tried to focus on what was being said by the lecturer and taking notes.

to get*

Sorry to hear this. Have you talked to your welfare team at the uni? They're usually pretty good

An SSRI would definitely help with this problem. I take one alongside Propranolol and it does the trick.