| I have lived a good half of my life coping with panic | | | | California in 1981, we were forced to stop at a hospital |
| attacks or anxiety attacks, or whatever you want to | | | | because my husband and I were absolutely certain I |
| call them, until about 2 years ago and it has been like a | | | | was having a heart attack. That was the first time I |
| huge weight taken off my shoulders! | | | | was told I was having an anxiety attack. I was given |
| If you are suffering from this anxiety disorder, you will | | | | Valium and we continued on with our vacation in a |
| know what I mean. It encompasses your life and rules | | | | somewhat drugged-out state hoping that now they |
| it. You find yourself unable to do some of the simplest | | | | would stop. |
| things in life without thinking twice about whether you'll | | | | But they didn't stop there. I cannot tell you how many |
| have an attack, embarrass yourself in front of | | | | attacks I have had throughout the years but certainly |
| everyone in the mall, theatre, party, on the bus, in the | | | | way too many to even want to begin counting. It |
| lineup at the grocery store or wherever you may be. | | | | doesn't really matter anyway because even one a |
| You won't want to go anywhere or do anything for | | | | year would be way too many in my books. |
| fear that you'll have a heart attack somewhere that | | | | Sometimes I would be grateful if I only had one every |
| you won't be able to get help and you'll die. | | | | other day. |
| It is the most overwhelming feeling that anyone can | | | | However, through a great deal of different processes, |
| ever go through, even once, much less over and over | | | | including anti-depressants and hypnotherapy, I am finally |
| again. | | | | free of the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks. |
| One of the worst feelings that I felt in the first years | | | | I don't miss the heart palpitations, the sweating palms, |
| that I started getting panic attacks was that I was the | | | | the shaking and trembling, the fear of having a heart |
| only one like this and everyone would think I was | | | | attack - all those symptoms that went with the anxiety |
| crazy. | | | | panic attacks or the agoraphobia that always |
| That was back in the early 1980's and, back then it | | | | threatened to take over my life. |
| seemed, the whole anxiety attack, panic attack, phobia | | | | It is hard to sum up the process of dealing with and |
| thing was only first beginning to come to light. At least | | | | treating anxiety attacks in an article such as this. There |
| in my world it was. | | | | is so much more that can be said. |
| Finally, during a driving trip from Vancouver, B.C. to | | | | |