panic attack

[nootherplaceinthisworld]

I'm in a uni class, have an hour to go, I can feel myself getting more and more worked up and panicked (cptsd and horrendous health anxiety) . Feel like I'm going to faint in front of everyone . Can anyone distract me a bit?

Oh you poor thing. Try to list in your head, five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can touch.

Yes! Here's a quick routine to help you calm down. Look around and make a note of 5 things you can see. Name them in your head. E.g 'girl with red hair'. 'Flickering light'. Now, do the same with 4 things you can hear. 'Lecturers voice'. 'Keyboard clicking'. Then, 3 things you can feel. 'Trousers on my leg', 'pen in my hand'. Two things you can smell. One thing you can taste. Repeat until you feel calmer. You've got this!

@spiderlight snap! Works every time. 😁

5 things can see:

laptop, phone, laptop bag, classmate's thumb ring (I'm quite taken with it, I couldn't get away with it but it suits her), my empty bottle of water

4 things can feel:

rubbery phone case, laptop bag, notebook, paint on wall behind me

Can hear:

classmates talking, laptop keys, my foot wobbling my table

Can smell:

paintwork, my perfume

Can taste:

the biscuits I had for breakfast !!!

I've only been to one f2f session since 2019 due to covid, time off ill and repeating a year, this is so so hard .

Wiggle your toes!

It's a bit of a shock to the system, isn't it, but you're there, so that's a victory already. I've retreated into hermit mode thanks to Covid as well and had my DH home for two years (he's a lecturer) so I've slipped back to not going out on my own. You've already got one up on me!

Tell me about the thumb ring. Is it silver or gold?

it's silver, it looks pandora type, its lovely . A lot of gold bracelets as well. I'm not a big jewellery wearer !

it's so easy to stay at home isn't it, I find it so hard going out, its easier to stay home where I feel safer iyswim

You must be near the end of the lecture now. You should be so proud of yourself for staying. Here's my dog giving you a standing ovation :)

Thank you so much 😁 s/he’s gorgeous - beautiful eyes ! Hopefully having managed today’s means I should manage the next one on Wed too . Fingers crossed .

The first one is always the hardest. You'll be fine on Wednesday. Aim for a seat at the end of a row and take some water with you to sip, maybe with a couple of drops of rescue remedy. Practice some deep breathing exercises this evening and tomorrow so you can use them on Wednesday if you need to (which you probably won't but it's good to have them in your armoury, so to speak). A small physical object with an interesting texture that you can fiddle with discreetly might help too. I have conkers in most of my jacket pockets!

Just wanted to say well done OP, for how well you did and for finding the positive motivation to attend next time. What you are doing is very difficult and very brave.

What you say about it being 'easier' to stay at home really resonates. I spent a number of years confined at home unwell with a physical illness a few years ago and in so doing agoraphobia slowly crept up on me without me even realising. I still struggle with unfamiliar journeys or on some days entirely, being too far away from home etc. I recently read a book by journalist Graham Coveney; On Agoraphobia which was quite eye opening after a decade of broadly assuming it was general anxiety I was experiencing or feeling I was just being ridiculous. Not suggesting this is the case for you or anything like that but we are not to blame for these things and any small achievement overcoming any form of anxiety is a bloody good effort, even if that is simply trying to do it and not succeeding entirely.

If you need any more puppy pics let us know, I've got a little one at home that loves the camera 😉

@dontgobaconmyheart - I'm going to order that book straight away!

Fidget toys are great. You can keep them in your pocket.