Aibu to wonder how to help with anxiety and panic attacks

[MondayBags678]

Hey sorry posting for traffic and hopefully some helpful advice
I’m long term suffering from a panic disorder and panic attacks mainly on a night but jittery all day I think I have what is called ruminating thoughts and ocd plus health anxiety, I really don’t know where to turn for help or what might help me I feel kind of helpless and everyone I speak to says they are anxious I just wonder if it’s the world we live in. I have a baby she’s 10 months but I’m not under any maternity team as was singed off before my anxiety got bad! I struggle with sleep and anxiety over this and convince myself it’s something serious I can’t switch off my mind is like on fast forward but stuck in a loop and just goes round and round! I feel scared that I can’t look after my baby like she deserves so much more I feel sad when she’s happy because I feel like I’m letting her down by being so consumed by my thoughts and emotions instead of enjoying her! Has anyone here been through this? I’m interested if you found anything that helped you through it? The days are feeling so overwhelming

Hi. I could have written your post myself. I suffer terribly with h although anxiety, ruminating thoughts and OCD. I've been having CBT but I haven't found it helpful yet. Its taken over my life. I have an 18 month old and like you I feel like it's not fair on him because I'm a shell of the person I want to be. I found it useful to join some.supoort groups where there are people feeling exactly the same. It helps to know that you are not alone. My anxiety is so bad and hst I struggle to be left alone because I'm always thinking of the what ifs. Especially around my health and dying. As your babe is only 10 months you should be priority if you self refer to NHS talking therapies of this is available in your area. I've had 3 rounds and yet to make progress but I won't give up. I've also been practicing guided sleep meditation and mindfulness exercises. There are some really good podcasts on Spotify if you have it. Sorry I can't really offer any advice except to take each day as it comes and hang in there.

Start with your GP for help. I’ve done CBT, started meds, used mindfulness, exercise and spend time outside each day. It’s been life saving.

I had CBT and EMDR.
What REALLY made a difference was looking at Clare Weeks(?) stuff and reading Paul David's At Last A Life.

Agree with mindfulness. It's not about sitting cross legged and chanting "ohm". It's about being in the moment, allowing thoughts to come and go and concentrating on the here and now. It really helps me, and it's free. The best free app is Calm. There is another one called Headspace which is about £50 a year. Like everything, you need to give it a good go and follow the programme every day. It gets easier to switch off and be in the moment.

If things are so bad that you are struggling to get through the day, I'd urge you to see your GP though.

What is EMDR?

Thank you and sorry that there’s others feeling like this I think it might be more common although not as extreme as it has gotten for me I’m going to look at some of these suggestions thank you!

I was going to recommend Claire Weekes and Paul David so glad someone else feels the same.

Do go to your GP, OP.

I've suffered with a lot of what you've mentioned. One particularly stressful illness that the kids and DH picked up really re triggered my eating disorder for a few weeks too.

• I've had a couple of rounds of CBT which highlighted a few things but didn't really make a difference.
• I've had some EMDR but we had to pause cause I wasn't coping well - I think this has made some positive difference.
• I'm now partway through assessment for ADHD and ASD as a couple of therapists have suggested I could be ND. Their advice was that I could/should try CBT tailored to me to address at the general overwhelm I'm feeling on a day to day basis, obsessiveness etc, before I can resume EMDR.

I did some of this through self referring to local services for NHS but also private referrals through my health insurance.

GPs general won't do anything except signpost to relevant services for counselling or they may offer meds.

I've never tried meds so I can't comment. But the GP would be the first call to make if you don't know what options (therapy / medication) is available.

You might find you'd be covered under the perinatal mental health in your area too. It tends to cover up to 1 year PP. Worth reaching out to the HV or your previous midwife service to check if you want to try therapy. They're likely to have shorter wait lists than general services.

Thank you for pp I relate to a lot you have said I’ve also got a bit of an ed that I do some times revert back to in order to have some control back in my otherwise chaotic life! I also have some adhd traits so that’s interesting thank you

Sertraline - god send for me

Thank you I am open to mediation have a drs appointment booked for Friday

Do not underestimate the power of diet for anxiety.

I’m on a low carb diet years and was able to come off Lexapro. If I eat too many carbs now I get massively anxious and palpitations.

The book ten times calmer by Dr Schnack has helped me.

Methylphenidate helped me once I was diagnosed with ADHD, also autistic. Beta blockers have been brilliant too for when I've been really anxious. Start with your GP and perinatal team.

Escitalopram
EMDR
Plenty of fresh air
Healthy diet
Dog walking
Swimming

Good luck OP

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy has worked wonders for me. It may not work for everyone but if it does, it's brilliant.