Reset panic in certain situation

[Stripytennis]

I have panic disorder and agoraphobic tendencies although I do push myself to do social things when I can. I take medication but it doesn't always stop them.

I also have severe ptsd triggered by hospitals. My grandma has been in for a long time and I just cannot bring myself to go. I tried once and had repeated panic attacks, could only stay for a few minutes and think I may have upset her more because I just mentally couldn't cope and was in and out of the room in a panic.

Is there anything I can do to prepare myself or retrain my brain not to panic there? I feel so guilty I can't visit and she is deteriorating.

But at the moment it feels like asking someone to walk on a broken foot. And I am in bad health myself and have been told to avoid and manage stress better.

The only real way is slow exposure, going straight into a visiting room is a bit much for a first attempt and only going to trigger you. You need do baby steps, start as far back as you need to, you want to be inducing some anxiety but not full blown panic attacks.

So for example day 1&2 just go to the hospital grounds and stand or sit on a bench near the front doors and stay there until you get bored and no longer feel tense. Then progress into the reception area and again just sit there, then maybe move on to the shop/canteen area and have a cup of tea and so on and so forth, exposure is a very slow process. Bring headphones and put on relaxing music while you do it. Or some lavender oil on a tissue you inhale while you're sitting with the anxiety.

I completely understand as I also have PTSD relating to hospitals and medical procedures. I still struggle with it but I've worked on it a lot too, my last two hospital appointments I went alone without my husband and only one panic attack at the end of one appointment, none during the other. Anxiety yes, but at a more manageable level.