Panic

Dear Daisy3

I am sorry things appear to be tough for you right now. Panic attacks can be very diffcult to deal with. If you need support tonight you can call Lifeline on 131114.

Artaud

Perhaps trying to convionce yourself you're ok isn't the priority here OP.

As a strong candidate for anxiety i live in fear of going to sleep every night, (achieving sleep is the anxiety heater)

After years of trying to calm myself down and only ending up in a twine, i started researching positive psycology methods, not only did they give me a feeling of power it also restored a feeling of control to my life as the more i practiced what i was reading the more it became clear to me that i DO have the power to control my anxiety without anyone else's input.

Things that worked for me may help you also.

1. Breathing Techniques - Proper controlled breathing cycles. - there is an app !

2. Get up out of bed if i can't sleep and begin doing a task you heavily dislike, ie. Ironing (the brain sees this as not enjoyable and should start shutting you down)

3. Meditation before bed and diet played a huge role in my recovery. No caffeine after 6pm and plenty of water, greens and fresh fruit and vege.

4. having a deep and meaningful with someone usually releases alot happy chemicals to the brain and may induce better sleep.

4.5 Energy Excersion - do some PT in the afternoons to blow out any excess energy and get them chemicals moving !

5 - the biggest one here for me, was not to lay in bed and wallah in my own headspace.. get up, do something, try not to get in the habit of laying there thinking instead - get up.

My first post on this forums so i hope i have some added value !

Acceptance... YOU ARE NOT WEIRD ....that may be your next hurdle my friend as it was for me, hence the reason you spit them back out, but they are there for a purpose and will help in multiple ways especially for your anxiety.

The Placebo effect - Anxiety Subsides due to you knowing you are now being treated and not still in limbo (contemplating taking them) in a sense you feel rewarded and a feeling of accomplishment just knowing you have made it this far.

Three weeks in ~ You will not notice a dramatic change overnight, these meds take time to do their job, in the meantime, Diet and excericse should be incorportated into your daily routine, you will notice small changes in your day to day life ie - i am not feeling so short with people today or... wow, i really sprung out of bed this morning.

It is important to focus and take notice of those small changes as they will begin to make a list in the back of your head that when you do ask yourself "are these working" the list will start reading itself back to you and you will have answered your own question.

Breathing - be sure to practice correct methods as deep controlled breathing can also make anxiety attacks worse if not practices correctly ie- To fast of a breathing cycles will cause hypoventilation.

Good to hear you do get up and not stay locked in your head, i found that if i was getting up more than 2 times a night i would do get up and watch TV in a relaxed state on the couch and usually find myself waking up from there a couple hours later atleast with some sleep up my belt...

It is very important not to create routines during the early hours as your brain will stick to them like glue.. so make sure they are the right ones 😛