help! panic/anxiety attacks now full time at home mum

[Lil]

This is so weird. After 4 years as a working mum, now I've stopped work I am getting anxiety attacks nearly every day. Its taken me a while to realise what they are..my heart races and my stomach clenches and I feel slightly nauseas..my doctor has checked my thyroid and that's OK. So I am having to face the fact this must be psychological?? I mean I've never had attacks like this before, and it can't be a coincidence that I stopped work a few months ago. I just don't know what to think.

Does anyone have any experience of anxiety attacks? my youngest babe is now 20 months,so I'm not sure if PND is the right explanation...sigh... What can I do to stop this. Its really bringing me down, when I was actually quite happy about stopping work and life in general etc.

help!!!!

Lil - you have my sympathies - I'm not sure if I had them as frequently as you, but I definitely suffered something similar when i was on maternity leave in fact. It was almost as if I simply didn't know what to do sometimes - at work I was always in control, and could reason and discuss things with my colleagues, plan my day etc etc. At home I used to get very panicky if i didn't have something planned for the day, or if the baby was crying and I couldn't clam him, or sometimes if things just didn't go according to plan (which of course they never do with a baby!)
Not sure what to suggest - if your youngest is 20 months you probably already have some routines in place, but if not, perhaps you need to plan ahead to make sure you're getting out and about/ meeting people every day etc? Sorry if you're alreday doing this - it's just that this is what seemed to work for me.
Do you do any kind of exercise/ relaxation classes - perhaps that might help too?
Hope things improve soon.

Hi, I've suffered panic attacks in situations I never used to before. I seem to of lost confidence in certain situations since being a SAHM, the latest was when I went to London for the day with DH, I found the whole experience overwhelming, too many people milling around. We tried to get a tube at the end of the day, to get to where we needed to catch the coach, and when I got down into the tube station with the crowds around me, I developed a full blown panic attack/claustriphobia and ran out crying, not being able to breath properly etc.

The silly thing is, before kids we went to london, and I had travelled on the tube many a time with no problem at all. So, can't offer any advice, but for me I believe I've changed since the kids and not working. Good luck though

Hi Lil
I suffer with panic attacks and I have found that they come and go. I have periods in my life when I will have a spell of them and then none at al for years. So dont worry there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
Because they are a physical thing all the old advice is true. Breathing slowly and deeply wil help with your racing heart and even breathing into a paper bag helps (even though you feel a bit of a wally!!). Something to do with increasing oxygen.
I have found relaxation techniques work brillent - not just when having panic attacks - but to calm down generally. And the more relaxed you are the less likely you are to panic.
You might benefit in talking to somebody about all your stresses so they are aware of whats going on - could be family member, friend or anyone (you can always e-mail me if you want a good old moan!) Otherwise things can build up.
As an afterthought - I found cutting out caffine helped me and also making sure my house wasnt too hot. Hope this helps you. x x