Anxiety and Panic Attacks

[Elizabeth]

Sophie,

I have been introverted all my life, at least as long as I can remember. In high school I invented a person who could speak in public, and was boisterous, arrogant, and flamboyant. That person could handle people and normally embarassing situations with dismissals and humor. This person could take unlimited stress.

But a few years ago as fibromyalgia started taking it's toll on me, I was working up in San Francisco and living in an apartment during the week, and commuting home by truck or plane every weekend. I started having incredible anxiety. Chest pains, shortness of breath. A few times I thought I was having an heart attack.

At the same time I noticed that I was becoming ever more isolated. I would only go out if I absolutely had to for food and laundry or other necessities. I became aggitated at work, and had severe anxiety there too.

I know that this was a part of te stress of fibro taking over. When I returned home 6 months later, I went to my doctor and told him about the chest pains. Being 40 years old, and overweight and a strong history of heart disease on my mothers side of the family, having a very stressful job, as well as stressfull secrets, I figured I was a prime canidate for a heart attack. However, low cholesterol, and a good EKG showed no signs of heart disease.

Because of the anxiety, and depression I was feeling, I started on Prozac. While it has not been that great for depression, it has been great for the anxiety and social phobia. Now I know that all medications don't work for all people, and sometimes different ones work. But it is worth discussing with your doctor.

Love always,
Elizabeth

[SophieLawson]

Thanks Elizabeth, I don't know about you, but I really dont like taking medication but I will look into that. And like you I thought I was having a heart attack on a number of occasions, that's why I went to the Dr.

When the anxiety starts it has to be the worse feeling in the world doesn't it, you feel totally out of control. Someone said a good method to try and control the situation is to focus on the back of your hand.

*hugs*

Sophie xx

[Kristen]

Sophie, You are most definetly not alone. I was so shy and introverted as a child that I would skip school for days because of axienty for the school room. But the wierd thing was that I got into Music and Drama in high school and did not have a problem performing in front of huge crowds, 1000 to 4000 , in fact I loved it. But if there was a group of people that came up to me after a show or a concert I could not handle myself at all.
Even when I got into college I could not walk into the commons area without blushing and feeling very uncomfortable. I'm not sure what happened, because I can handle most social situations in a relaxed way now, I 've calmed down quite a bit in the last few years. This probably doesn't help you much at all to know that you are not alone.
But sounds like CJ has helped you out for the right direction for you. ...you have taken the right steps on your own already to get rid of this, by aksing for help. You are very courageous. Takes alot of intential fortitude. ........Kristen