Struggling with panic

[FuzzyFuzz]

Hi all... regular poster and I have name changed for this..

Please can someone advise me .. I have the most horrendous and debilitating anxiety and am seriously struggling at the moment.

Picking my children up from school ( with all those people ) is making me more and more anxious.. I feel panicky, claustrophobic and terrified. And that's just in the playground. Never mind what goes on in my mind the rest of the time. 🥺😢🥺

What do I do? Is there anything I can do.
Please can someone advise .

Breathing exercises are really good. Download Clearfear app. You could do before you get there and while waiting without anyone noticing. Speak to a doctor too.

Thank you for your reply 💕

This sounds random and unlikely but I have read about how wearing sunglasses can really help.

I would read DARE

I have had terrible panic recently and it really helped me. The fear of the fear makes it so much worse and can make your life smaller and smaller.
Panic is horrendous, but it’s not going to kill you and you’re not going to go mad.
It’s going to peak and then leave. You’ll feel like shit but you’ll be ok.

Panicking at the school gates was awful. But you survived and you can do it again. Every time you do it you’re proving to yourself that you can do it and that it’s not actually dangerous.

I have had the most horrible panic recently and I found running from it made it so much worse, instead I slowly crept outside my comfort zone and just did things anxious.
It was fucking horrible, but I couldn’t live like I was.
It’s really really helped.
I still get anxious and panicky but now I can just be like ‘oh there’s the panic’ and feel shit for a bit and then it goes.

Good luck!! I’m sorry if my post sounds dismissive because it’s not meant in that way, it really did help.

Is it the number of people that’s making you feel panicky? Is it a new thing being triggered by Covid worries or have you always had it? I second the suggestion for sunglasses and possibly a face mask as well, it can make you feel protected.

@CamillaRose

Is it the number of people that’s making you feel panicky? Is it a new thing being triggered by Covid worries or have you always had it? I second the suggestion for sunglasses and possibly a face mask as well, it can make you feel protected.

It's all of it. It's as much as I can do to even get there sometimes. I wear sunglasses. I wear a mask too sometimes but I really do find it's another trigger for me and I don't know what else to do.

It’s worth speaking to your GP. I was referred to a CBT course and given medication- the medication has made a huge difference to me.

Listening to music on earbuds can help too. If you’re having mental health difficulties could the school let your kids out ten minutes early so you can avoid the rush?

There’s usually a good reason for anxiety to this sort of point.

Has something traumatic happened to you that hasn’t been worked through?

@CamillaRose

Listening to music on earbuds can help too. If you’re having mental health difficulties could the school let your kids out ten minutes early so you can avoid the rush?

I wondered this. School do know I suffer so I was wondering if it is worth having a chat with them. I just don't think I can do it without a full blown panic attack which I really don't want to happen. It really is horrible.

@hamstersarse

There’s usually a good reason for anxiety to this sort of point.

Has something traumatic happened to you that hasn’t been worked through?

I think so, yes.

I am trying desperately to deal with it myself but am failing miserably.

Propranolol available from your GP is good for the physical side of anxiety.

@FuzzyFuzz

Most people need some support with traumatic events. They creep up in unexpected areas otherwise, like you are experiencing now in places like the playground

If therapy worries you and the Pandora’s box fear, there’s a podcast called How Did We Get Here with Claudia Winkleman and Dr Tanya Bryon (remember her from house of tiny tearaways?) and they do really lovely live therapy sessions with ordinary people about their trauma events…whatever yours is there is probably something relatable there.

Give it a listen, see what good therapy can do,

P.s. I’m all for the ‘managing it’ interventions on this thread to help your everyday. But, this anxiety is your mind telling you something deep hasn’t been dealt with. There’s something your subconscious needs you to pay attention to.

If you Google Panic end, has very good advice.
I would also second reading the book Dare. I have read lots of books to do with panic attacks, this one stood out.
There is no quick fix. My youngest son suffered them as a young teen, massively disrupted his education, had to resort to home schooling, he is much better now, l suffered them in my early 20' s, for approximately three years. My advice would be don't avoid doing things you would normally do, l carried on with my normal routine, even though there were days l literally had one after another. You find if you suffer a panic attack you then fear it happening in same place, those fearful thoughts alone can then bring on another panic attack, so it's a vicious cycle.
There is also a lot of advice on youtube.