A Little Anxiety Anyone?

Everyone experiences some for of stress, anxiety, fear. For me anxiety has created havoc. Anxiety is the most common "disorder". There are 7 major categories of anxiety disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Specific Phobia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It has been estimated that more then 25,000,000 Americans suffer from anxiety…thank god I am not the only crazy one! Knowing that I am not alone and am not the only person who suffers from anxiety/panic attacks has helped me to cope with them. Being able to talk to friends and family has helped me a great deal.

I suffer from Panic Disorder, meaning I have panic attacks. A panic attack is a period of paralyzing intense fear...If you have never had a panic attack I would not recommend it, nor would I wish it on my worst enemy. The attacks can last anywhere from a minute to 10 minutes and during this time, I am sure that I will die. Here is some of what I experience while having a panic attack: Irregular, rapid or pounding heartbeat, Severe perspiration, A sense of choking, suffocation, or shortness of breath, Light-headedness, Feeling a sense of detachment from myself, Hot/Cold flashes, Fear that I will die, Nausea or upset stomach, Jitteriness and trembling, Thoughts of going insane or completely losing control, and I have fainted on more than one occasion.

Different things trigger my attacks. I avoid long lines, and I do not do well in crowds. I don’t like to drive in a lot of traffic, and I avoid driving on certain freeways.

Because I have fainted due to my panic attacks I find that I worry when the next one will come. Will happen when I am alone at the Mall, at work, or while I am driving? I am currently taking medication for this and have not suffered from a full blown panic attack in months.