A couple of questions for you from someone who was a longtime anxiety/panic attack sufferer....
1. Are you in IC? If it's possible, GO. Find an IC who will give you specific ways/exercises to manage the anxiety as well as assist you in dealing what's causing it.
2. Are you on meds? I'm no longer medicated, but while I was in IC and learning how to handle it, the meds put a floor under my feet. I was on Lexapro (daily) and Xanax as needed. I *hated* giving in to meds, but I used them as a tool so that I could get healthy and work toward a place to get off of them. I couldn't have done it otherwise.
One technique my IC gave me was to reschedule my panic attacks. So, for example, if I felt it coming on, I'd say inwardly (or out loud, if no one was around), "I don't have time to have you right now, but at 4:00 I'm free. I'll have you then." Then, at 4:00, I'd sit down and invite the attack. It was rare that I actually felt any anxiety at all when I sat down to have it, and it did the trick of keeping it from happening.
Another thing that really helped me was on days my anxiety seemed high, I'd get physically busy. Clean the house, go for a walk, go to yoga...you get the idea. Moving helps to work out the nervous energy.
Whatever you do, don't leave it untreated. Anxiety has a way of building and skewing your view of things. It's easier to "catastrophize" instead of thinking rationally...which makes the anxiety worse and the whole cycle multiplies over and over again.
SD <edited for spelling>
Last edited by SDFoundGirl; 01/16/1004:54 AM.
Me: 40 H: 43 H had EA from 2/06-9/06 Bomb 5/06 Piecing since 9/2006 3/2008: Boundary setting 7/2009: Boundary crossing~dropped my own bomb. 8/2010: Marriage finally on track!
