Pressure on chest / panic anxiety attacks / how to escape

[Emilia77]

I am a mom to a 1 child and have a great husband, have a great job and I am good at it, live a busy working mom life, living in london(no family help around), have good friends. But since becoming mum, london has tired me so much and ive suggested to my husband to move out within couple of years. I have been suffering anxiety for the last couple years, but it got worse. I was subscribed with citalopram, which Im so afraid to take (side effects etc)..Also hoping to conceive a baby as a hope to escape from this all quicker, so could go to maternity leave. i dont think that it's a good idea.. I became more anxious at work, have ibs, weekly colds, just cant pick myself up. I try to do yoga, meditation, cbt and many other things but its not enough. take ayurvedic ashwagandha as an alternative to citalopram. from yesterday i been having pressure on my chest and worrying that i now will have a heart attach or smth! I woke up during night and cant sleep, managed to calm my anxiety but scared for it to come back and go to bed. it's like a closed circle and cant get out of it. is my only option to start taking citalopram? because i cant just quite job and move out, it all needs planning with family. but maybe by doing these new choices quicker, i will feel better x

I'd say you need to identify the cause of the stress and remove it. For me it was my job and I was being bullied. I'm in a new job now but have realised that having young dc and a full time job is killing me. I'm constantly ill as there's no downtime. I'm going to go part time.

The only thing that helps is breathing and relaxing.

thank you so much for replying. I was so desperate for someone to reply, as started having heavy pressure on the chest again. Cant go to bed and cant wake my husband up. As he would ask me , "what I want to do/change?" and I would say "I don't know". its like there is something that i just cant understand, cant grasp "why?what is the cause of this all?", why i have all of this anxiety while having it all (work,family friends etc) but finding difficult to have down time, finding difficult to switch off. i would say i would need to change the job, but i could not face the interviews, i would need a break to put myself together. We would need to move out from London but I need some time to heal before diving into new adventure. or maybe dive into something different while still living in london and new for some time where I wont feel stressed and could put myself back together. But what if I leave this job, where I've done so well and am good at it.but is it all worth sacrificing my health? I am scared to fail. I'm stressful person and i do put aaaa lot of pressure on myself at work for being good employer (even though I miss work quite often due to my illnesses and feel very guilty). I have great/respectful colleagues but seems like the issue is not them, its me. It's something i cant describe. sorry my words probably doesnt make sense as im so tired and up from 2am..

Put a mindfulness app on such as headspace or find something banal like Gilmore girls on Netflix and try and distract yourself.

You may need to take the tablets. I had postnatal anxiety and they really did work.

Sounds like you need a breather. Sometimes having it all is too much. I've decided to keep life simple whilst dc are young, I can have the big job later. I just seem to have lost my ability to cope!

Can you get signed off work for a bit?

Try meditating like this.........

Inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 10 seconds. Exhale more than you inhale. Push the stomach out whilst you are doing the breathing exercise.
When your body is settled. Be mindful of the mind and what it is doing/projecting onto you and detach from it by observing the thoughts. Do not attach to the thoughts.
Thoughts are not real. They are illusory.
HTH's

thank you both for your messages. Ive been thinking a lot as what would be best and came to realisation, that ive burned out and i dont have any more to give to my employer. Im very responsible employee and while dealing with constant health and and now mental issues while having a busy life, has put me where i am. because i wasnt looking after myself, i couldnt stop and when i tried, i couldnt switch off entirely. I would need to take a break, care for myself and my family and after the healing and nurturing, think of my next steps. there are more paths in life and health and family are most important x

Exactly! Its Important to recognise when you're burning out.

thank you Silversky70, It took me lots of courage but I spoke with my GP and now Im off work for some time. It was the best I could do. im trying to slow down now and reflect. thank you so much xxx