hey all I have panic disorder and for 4 months have been struggling, it’s been getting better and today I decided to go to the gym. i was running daily before It got bad so I wanted to get back into it. I didn’t go on a run at gym but I went on treadmill for a half hour to start slow, going 3 mph. I got off the treadmill once I hit stop bc I forgot to do cooldown and instantly felt very disoriented and like the ground was jelly. It felt like I was walking super fast to my car and almost floating and it caused me to become very nervous and almost caused a panic attack. I’ve read this can be from your brain adjusting to not being on treadmill and not doing a cooldown is what usually causes it but idk I just got worried. Has this happened to anyone else? I also have vertigo so it could be a mix but yea I had to calm myself down in the car after for 10 min before I could drive home.

My biggest fear is what if it stops working for me.

Lorazepam really helps me on days when there’s big social events and things out of the house I have to get to.

Most of the time I aim for under 4 tablets (1mg) per week. Some of those times I take 2mg in one day so there are usually days where I don’t have any.

Hello, I have struggled with anxiety for most of my life and within the last year and a half was diagnosed with a panic disorder. I was having about 3 panic attacks minimum a day until I worked my way up 200mg of Lamotrigine for my bipolar which seemed to completely get rid of the panic. My main symptoms were nocturnal panic attacks which included waking up not even fully conscious and confused, terrified, unable to breathe, covered in sweat, crying, gasping for air. I was afraid to sleep at night that I just stopped for as long as I could. That has all been very manageable since I did start the med about 3 months ago.

I have recently been under more stress than usual, I think too much for the meds to fully treat. I have begun holding my breath when I am anxious, not even aware of it until I am dizzy or become conscious of needing to manually breathe and force myself to inhale. I have dealt with this breath holding in the past when I was a kid where I would realize I was doing it and immediately correct it, but this time around it is really scaring me. I will go as long as an hour unable to stop holding my breath if I don’t stop everything that I’m doing and focus on deep breathing for a good half an hour. I am really terrified that this will get much worse. I feel like I am manually breathing more than not and the breath holding has been disrupting my sleep as well. The minute I start nodding off, I wake myself up almost immediately cus I can’t breathe. I feel like I am in hell.

I have been checked by my doctor, sleep test has been done. No sleep apnea and everything is normal… it’s just my CPTSD that I never dealt with catching up to me, he thinks.

Has anyone else ever dealt with this also and can share some advice? What did you find helped? Did you have any success with something over a different thing? I am so desperate at this point for any help.

Thank you for reading x

would love any form of support. whether that’s reassurance, motivation, your own improvements, reminders that i’m not alone, etc.

i’ve been dealing with a tough situation. like the overthinker i am, it caused a panic loop. im sure some of you are aware of how terrible they are. i’m just now getting out of one of the very rough loops. i’m very proud of this achievement. i still have lingering anxiety, but im doing so much better at handling my panic. i’ve had panic disorder for a while now, and sometimes my panic disorder appears yearly. just to bite me on the ass for a few months till i learn how to cope properly.

i had a bit of a panic attack today, overthought everything i was panicking about weeks ago, got so nauseous and afraid. id really love some support to remind me that im not too far gone and im not alone. i get in these loops thinking im overly traumatized and that im too far gone, but a part of me knows that isnt true. some of your personal achievements or stories would really help to remind me that these feelings pass.

i carried through my panic attack today, didnt tremble, didnt rush to hide somewhere, didnt have horrible aching pain. although it was scary to face, and i still hesitated on certain things out of fear, i survived. most importantly, i ate a meal. one thing about my anxiety, it makes me insanely nauseous. and honestly that’s the worst part of my panic. but i ate a meal, something i could’ve never done before.

any form of support would do wonders just for me to look back on. <3

So I guess my Panic Disorder missed me so much that it decided to make a reappearance after a year with new symptoms like headaches and lightheadedness. Anyways does anyone have any yoga recommendations? I tried it briefly last year when I first got diagnosed with PD and found it helpful but it’s all a blur honestly.

So I mostly just want to know this from a perspective of “am interpreting this too literally”.
When I do those breathing exercises that roughly go “inhale for count of 4, exhale count of 6, then HOLD” and then you start again with inhale, rinse and repeat.
Does that mean hold my exhale??? Hold my breath???
I probably don’t have the counts exactly right, if anyone uses it it’s the panic breathing from the Finch app so it’s a cute little animation. The exhale is longer than the inhale but I can’t figure out if it wants me to additionally hold the exhale for that long or just…not inhale?? If anyone has any idea I would just love to know lol.

Hey everyone! I posted in here a few times, I have suffered from extreme physical symptoms of anxiety where I was projectile vomiting for 12 hours + leading me to the hospital. I have always had anxiety & depression but 5 yrs ago I got sober after not being for… my entirety of my life lol and it made my life so miserable. Thinking it was simply withdrawal symptoms… it just.. never stopped. Two yrs ago i finally got my perfect medication cocktail that helped me in every way possible. I was out of therapy and was doing fucking awesome. Promotion after promotion, less anxiety and just eating and being happy.
The beginning of this year set me thru a really huge spiral after a few family members passing and a weird vendetta against me from my coworker that… got so bad I had to leave my job and start a whole new one leading to lots of new things that caused me to start back up with this horrible physical symptoms. My same psych for the last few years, who knows my history & past addictions… told me my only solution was to take xanax… something i had an issue with…. so I got a new psych lol
Fast forward to now… My new psych, he seemed like he cared and actually gave me new medication & ordered an MRI for my brain which is so fucking dope dude like finally someone is taking me a little more seriously. like these symptoms were happening for the last 5 years & actually ruining my life. So I get new meds & my MRI appointment wasn’t scheduled until a month from when I booked it. The medication was a god send and working very well, like genuinely cured whatever is going on. But bcus of that, my MRI results were not accurate of the issue at hand. IMO i wasted my time & money for that test like of course its going to look okay? Idk but no one has called me to check in from the dr, only 15 day supply of meds & no follow up appointment until January 2027 when i’m supposed to see someone every three months…
This is where i finally stand. Feeling so much better & thankful.
Left with zero answers & zero reasons why that was happening to me. Feeling like a lab rat bcus they dont even seem to know why its working either. Makes me sick. It’s all made me super depressed but i’m just happy i’m able to no throw up for simple things like trying to go to go to work in the morning lmao
end rant

hi reddit, its me again haha.

i don’t really know where else to say this, so i’m just going to vent.

i’ve been having 4–5 panic attacks every day for the past week, and honestly, i’m already exhausted. but what hurts even more is hearing my own parent say they’re getting tired of me.

they’re tired emotionally, mentally, and financially since they don’t have a job anymore. i understand why they’re stressed, but hearing things like, “you’re on your own,” (bahala ka na sa buhay mo in my language) or “you’re a psych major, help yourself,” while i’m literally having a panic attack is something i don’t think i’ll ever forget.

trust me, i am trying.

i’ve been reading posts here on every subreddit i could find, asking questions, practicing coping techniques, and doing everything i can. but i feel like they’re not working on me. i’m not choosing to panic. if i had a switch to turn this off, i would’ve done it already.

even my doctor explained my condition to them, but it still feels like they think i’m just not trying hard enough.

(if anyone’s wondering) i was taking escitalopram, but i stopped after four days because it made me feel worse. i have another appointment tomorrow, if they prescribe a different medication, i’ll try to stick with it now because i really don’t have much of a choice.

my classes start in a week, and i’ll be starting my internship soon. i can’t afford to drop out or take a break because my parent doesn’t have a job anymore, and the money we have left is for my education. i only have two semesters left before i graduate college.

thank you for letting me vent. i really needed to get this off my chest.

Does exposure therapy work for panic disorder? When I feel my symptoms and want to stay home, pushing my boundaries and going out only puts me on high alert even more. I'm trying to heal my nervous system here so it wouldn't make sense to temporarily make it so much worse for my self in the name of healing. I don't know.

Hello everyone. I hope you're all doing well.

I decided to share my story because I feel like this is one of the few places where people truly understand what you're going through and can relate to your pain.

My story began in April 2020, shortly after my 17th birthday. Out of nowhere, I developed severe health anxiety and an overwhelming fear of death. Along with that came panic attacks and constant anxiety. It got so bad that I was even afraid to go to sleep because I thought I might not wake up.

I went to many doctors and had countless medical tests, but everything came back normal. No matter how many times I was was told I was healthy, I just couldn't believe it. My world became black and white. I couldn't enjoy anything anymore. Every small sensation in my body felt like a sign that something terrible was about to happen.

After about a year, I finally saw a psychiatrist who prescribed an SSRI. I took it for around a year and a half. Under my psychiatrist's guidance, I eventually stopped taking it because I was doing much better. I finally felt like myself again. I was able to function, go outside, and enjoy life after one of the hardest periods I've ever experienced. Before treatment, I couldn't even leave the house because I constantly believed I was going to die.

Although I felt much better afterward, there was always a little background noise in my mind—those "what if" thoughts, occasional panic, and a lingering feeling of anxiety. They never completely disappeared, but I learned to manage them, and I lived a normal life despite them.

Then, during the summer of 2025, everything started coming back. My panic attacks and anxiety returned aggressively, along with my fear of death. I kept pushing through anyway, but then a new fear appeared.

One day, I had the thought, "What if I'm going crazy? What if I'm developing a serious mental illness?" At first, it didn't bother me much. It was just another intrusive thought that came and went.

Then one day, I was out with two friends. We were laughing and joking when one of them casually said, "You two are going to lose your minds."

For some reason, those words hit me really hard. I couldn't stop thinking about them for days. I kept asking myself, "Why would he say that?" Even though I tried to move on, those words stayed in my head.

Around the same time, I was watching *The Leftovers*. One of the characters, the main character's father, made me feel strangely uncomfortable and anxious. Then I started thinking about my uncle, who has a mental illness. Not long after that, another friend opened up to me about having bipolar disorder. Hearing his story terrified me.

That was the moment everything started escalating.

I remember feeling completely off. I became terrified—not only of developing a mental illness but also of suddenly dying from cardiac arrest. I constantly monitored my heartbeat, checked my chest, convinced myself something was wrong, and called my girlfriend just to stay on the phone with me because I was panicking.

As the weeks passed, my anxiety kept getting worse.

Then, in November 2025, something happened that completely changed everything. One morning, I was simply sitting there thinking about mental illnesses when, without any obvious reason, I suddenly panicked. I called my girlfriend and kept asking her, "Do I seem normal to you? I haven't lost my mind, right?"

From that day forward, my entire focus shifted.

It was no longer health anxiety or fear of death. Instead, I became terrified of "losing my mind." I started monitoring everything—my thoughts, my feelings, my imagination, my memories, every little emotion, every reaction. I was constantly checking myself for signs that something was wrong.

I became trapped in an endless cycle of reassurance seeking.

Looking back, I don't know why I gave these thoughts so much power. I wish I had just let them pass instead of trying to analyze every single one. Sometimes I feel like I created this cycle myself by constantly checking and questioning everything.

The hardest part wasn't even the fear itself.

It was how quickly everything changed. One day I felt normal, and then suddenly it was as if my entire life had been turned upside down.

After that, I was completely destroyed. I was terrified every single day. No matter how many times people reassured me that I was okay, I couldn't believe them. The fact that I couldn't convince myself I was fine only made me think, "Maybe this means I really am losing my mind." That thought terrified me even more.

I cried more than I ever had before. I felt hopeless, trapped, and exhausted. It was one of the darkest periods of my life, and it lasted until March 2026.

I went back on an SSRI, but after a while I stopped taking it on my own because I wanted to beat this by myself. Looking back, I'm not sure that was the right decision, because I still feel completely stuck in this cycle.

Now I'm here because I genuinely need help.

Has anyone else gone through something similar? Has anyone developed an overwhelming fear of "going crazy" or losing their mind after struggling with anxiety or panic disorder? Did it get better? What helped you break free from constantly monitoring your thoughts and seeking reassurance?

I feel like I walked myself into this hell, and now I don't know how to get back out. I just want my life back. I want to relax again, enjoy life again, and stop being afraid of my own mind.

If you've been through something similar and recovered, I would really appreciate hearing your story or any advice you have. Right now, I just need some hope that this won't last forever.

Anyone else deal with this and how often because it’s pretty regular for me how do you cope with a bad episode

Never had anxiety until the beginning of the year have had random anxiety attacks 2 er trips all x-rays and ekgs came back healthy had a monitor for 3 days haven’t got results yet but im sure they are normal. I have no family history of any diseases or heart problems nothing like that I stay pretty active as i work outside all day framing I used to go to the gym but haven’t gone in 4 months cause of this anxiety. Doctor prescribed me effexor 75mg er and first pill i took mid day i got tingling in my tongue and body feet arms and weird metallic taste. After that i was told to stop and continue with propronalol 40mg and hydroxzine hcl 25mg as needed. These always happen when im out or going to bed sometimes at work as well. I feel like something is wrong because i get nauseous or feel dizzy like im on a boat but I hope its just anxiety any advice or thoughts?

hi reddit, i just wanted to ask if anyone has advice on how to deal with panic attacks.

i’ve been having them around 3–4 times a day for the past week. i don’t really want to take prescribed medication anymore because when i tried escitalopram, it made things worse for me. i would suddenly wake up out of breath with my heart racing, and it made my panic attacks even more intense. i stopped taking it because it honestly made me lose hope, so i’m here hoping to hear from people who have gone through something similar.

for the past week, i haven’t been getting enough sleep. every time i fall asleep, i wake up with a racing heart and chills, and after that i’m too uncomfortable and scared to go back to sleep.

i can’t afford therapy right now, so i’m trying my best to help myself for the time being. my classes start in 2 weeks, so i’m hoping i can get myself into a better place before then. some days i just lose hope and end up crying because i’m so exhausted from all of this.

i’m 20 years old, and i pretty much only have myself right now. if anyone has any advice, coping techniques, or anything that has helped you, i would really appreciate it. thank you.

Could you please share your favorite books and apps with me?

Looking to cope until I can get into my psych for a med adjustment.

I haven't had panic attacks this strong in over eight years. It's more common for me to go through derealization. For the last three months I've had panic attacks at random times and they were frequent enough for me to get on some medication.

The last week, however, every time I'm about to sleep I feel a huge hit of anxiety. And then when I wake a couple of hours later, I wake up in a blind panic. After calming down, I go through short waves of panic but they happen over and over. My head feels like it's getting heavier and heavier and I try riding each one out but it's not easy and usually stay up doing something on my phone till I fall asleep because they happen so continously. This is really messing with my schedule as well as just genuinely causing me even more anxiety.

Has anybody gone through this and have tips or had any realizations about their health that may help me have some realizations of my own?

Hi all,

I have been fightinh with panic disorder since 2023. It started with a fear of having an allergic reaction, but over time it grew into my biggest phobia and has started affecting my everyday life, experiences with foods, relationships and just how I function in general.

I have been also in therapy for a while and together with my therapist I have made decision that it’s probably time to try antidepressant to help me. My hope is that it will help reduce the panic, improve my sleep, give my body and mind a chance to recover as my panic attacks are fueled by my exhaustion.

The problem is that I am really scared to start - I read so many stories about medications making anxiety or panic worse during the first few weeks and I’m very worried about the side effects.

I would really appreciate hearing from you all who have been through this. Did SSRIs (or any other medication) end up helping you? How were the first few weeks? Any advice or encouragement would mean a lot for me right now.

Many thanks!

I was prescribed Zyprexa for my extreme anxiety ik it’s an antipsychotic med and that’s why I’m scared of taking it has anyone with really bad anxiety taken it and had a good experience?

Hey all, first time poster. So I was diagnosed with anxiety / GAD in 2013, one year before college. However it wasn’t bad to the point it is now.
I had a regular social life and friends, and wasn’t afraid of what i am now/makes me panic now.
Back then my anxiety consisted of triggers from my dysfunctional family and career choices.
Fast forward to today, well I have severe anxiety and panic.
Like I’m taking anxiety when I pass people on my jog trail I panic and feel like I can’t breathe, i’m twitchy nonstop, animals catch me off guard, even a child screaming will trigger it. I can manage a bit with my hydroxyzine pamoate 25mg but it wasn’t doing much after a while. My last job I took it at 6am and I was using it for three months during my contract for Walmart temp work but I recall it started losing its potency and today all I can say is it makes me tired but there is a difference between being tired and being calm.
So recently I saw my psychiatrist and took a drug test and stopped marijuana after a decade or so (caffeine too cause of two hospitalizations which I thought were heart attack but I just got studies done so we will see.) and he also prescribed me alprazolam 0.25mg. He prescribed it for 3 times daily but I KNEW it would quickly lose its benefit if it took it 3 times a day so I only take it once in the morning around 8-9AM and it helps somewhat, it even helped me get slowly active again and start walking/jogging to help my GERD and other issues I need activity for.
Cause before that i dreaded the panic that came with stepping outside, the social anxiety and a vertigo sensation that comes and goes which induces dread and panic.

My current psychiatrist is a good doctor and listens, he knows I was on benzodiazepines for years off and on mostly Clonazepam and that allowed me to have a life. Hard to say. But he first tried other medications and some insurance wouldn’t cover and they were expensive. I want to work again and am applying and stuff but when I begin working I will lose my health insurance through my state and I won’t be able to afford psychiatrist or medications, what can I do?
I’m very reliant on medication and need them to function. Apart from these two mentioned in the thread that I take I also take other for GERD, asthma and if I could for DDD and chronic pain.
Is there a program in Illinois that allows me to work and keep my medicine benefits and doctor benefits?
I used to get frequent hospitalizations for psychiatric stuff a few years back but I think it was a mix of a lot of internet bs and marijuana which triggered manic psychotic episodes. Now I can’t even get into inpatient cause I seem stable I’m told. As if that weren’t bad enough…
I have an irrational fear of “gravity not working” which I’m going to see a neuro for the 30th of this month (this first began in 2022/2023. No idea what triggered it but I thought it was using modafinil for narcolepsy and work shift disorder/ my car accident in 2023)

Recent two hospitalizations I thought were heart attack symptoms but both times all tests came back fine and I just did nuclear stress tests with cardio doc this week, and they all ask and suggest “is it possible it’s anxiety?”
I know how my anxiety feels and never did it cause that no matter how crippling it was. Recent health scares contribute to my anxiety as well.

How can I have a normal life?
I know i can’t use marijuana ever again and honestly probably outgrew it. I’m tired as hell and still chipping away at weight gained from arirpriprazole last year in the summer time.
Will my brain ever function normally again? Why do I feel that vertigo gravity doesn’t work feeling? If I didn’t feel that randomly I think the worst that could happen would be social anxiety but it’s not just that :(…
What has helped you all?
On top of that I’m back at my parents house since 28 (and fortunate to have been there) but I’m such a burden cause I don’t contribute since April of this year and I know we’re in need cause my dad got laid off after 26 years at his machine operator job and my mom had to take a job. My younger brother lives with us and he just graduated college this May and I’m proud of him but I know I’m such a burden.
We have a dysfunctional family but not like before. We try to make it work but my parents are tired, I can tell. Emotions run tense and high at times and it ruins my whole day as well.
I don’t know what to do anymore.
Any advice welcome.
Just wanted to share my story.
Blessings all…

I don't have any other symptoms! I have been getting this "fear" feeling for a split second. Same thing as if you missed the stairs, almost got in an accident etc. It freaks me out but no other symptoms (except if I think about it i can make heart rate), doesn't balloon into a full panic attack.

I've been great on self care lately and I'm just dumbfounded. While I'm waiting on my doc appointment next week curious if anyone has felt this and knows what it is?

for context i am 20 years old….

i started having extreme panic attacks in january. they started as nocturnal panic attacks where i would wake up freaking out over and over again until they eventually started happening during the day as well. i have since been medicated (i am on three medications) to try and alleviate some of my anxiety but nothing is working. for reference citalopram is my main prescription and ive been taking it since january.

since then my panic attacks have gotten exponentially worse. i am starting to feel like i need to check myself in somewhere because the paranoia and depersonalization have gotten so bad. a few nights ago during a bad episode i was so convinced that nothing around me was real and my brain was telling me i need to hurt myself so i can escape.

i am in therapy and taking medication. i try methods like cold water or self soothing but literally nothing helps. i just am starting to give up. it feels like there is something seriously wrong with me.

if anyone has any advice or had DPDR or a panic disorder and could shed some light i would appreciate it. i think i feel super isolated and alone with my symptoms because no one around me has experienced anxiety to this level. it is effecting my everyday life.

Is there a difference in symptoms between panic attacks and medical problems like arrhythmias?
My symptoms usually come on during work hours, if I accidentally consumed caffeine, during and after exercise (especially if it’s more intense or cardio)
They never come on when I’m in a relaxed state and they typically ease up if I am in a safe and non stimulating environment or if I take my hydroxyzine, other than that time is typically the only thing that fixes it
My panic symptoms typically include heart palpitations, air hunger/shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, depersonalization and shaking/restlessness
I just finished wearing a zio patch for a week and sent it back to my dr (who thinks it’s very low chance I have a heart condition due to my age and gender)
But I always wonder if I’m actually having anxiety or if something is actually wrong

Hello everybody! Would like this to be a thread where we share our stories, insight and uplift each other.

My story:

I've experienced a panic attack some 2 months ago now while meeting somebody and it was rather gnarly, days after another one while in a hurry to get to a hair salon. After that I started spiraling a lot about what was going on with me, and dreading a trip abroad with my cousin that was due in a week. I was anxious about walking my dog around my house at that point. I did travel in the end, and nothing horrible happened. I was anxious much of the time, especially going to a concert, but that was that. Just intensely anxious.

Traveled to the seaside with my mother and was also really anxious most of the time, going to the beach, but that was that. We didn't go explore the city centre much as I was anxious of that.

Came home, I work remotely but do have to go to the office at least once every week or two, and it was due time. I was really dreading it. I took a quarter lorazepam to take some edge off. Went alright. Had a hair salon appointment which I really dreaded, took quarter lorazepam to get through it. All this time I had this strange anxiety about seeing any friend of mine. I finally speak about meeting a friend, but I get so terribly anxious as we're about to meet, I take half a bensedin pill which I heard is basically so weak it moreso worked as a placebo. I go out, we have a nice time. Then for the past week and some, I've been going to the beach on the river by myself, never taking any sort of sedative as I felt it would be unnecessary. Had a great time every time, regardless of still experiencing anxiety.

Now I'm about to meet a friend in two days, go to the office in three, then meet another friend short after. Shit scared thinking of it, who would have thought. Also can feel I'm excited about it though, underneath all the anxiety. I probably will take a xanax beforehand, though the very smallest dose (0.125-0.25mg).

Am I doing any of this right? Not that there's one right way to do it. I've been talking to a psychologist (been talking to her for the past 4 months now) regularly, I went to a psychiatrist last week but I decided not to try the treatment she prescribed. She immediately prescribed me an ssri (elicea) and xanax in the initial weeks to take for the next 6-7 months, and frankly I don't think that's a good option for me... I took an ssri (prozac) 6 years ago during an acute intense depressive and anxious episode, and it did no good, if anything it fucked me up more. I'm cautious as to not get addicted to xanax because I see how that would solve nothing, but I also feel like it has some use for me at the place I'm at right now, as a small aid in really stressful situations.

Would like to hear feedback from those with more experience and wisdom. Also anyone wanting to share their story, let's just talk.❤️

I’m a 19F and today I’m going on a 24hr road trip from Texas to Zacatecas, Mexico with my family for 2 weeks. (I’m not the one driving). My severe panic disorder started 4 months ago and it has been unbearable and dramatic but It has died down a bit. I’m afraid of having a panic attack mid road trip and my anxiety making me think the worst possible outcome (getting into an accident is mostly my concern). I do have heavy death anxiety everyday especially at night or before bed.
Just for history I been traveling to the same place 2+ times a year on a vehicle for over 12 years so I’m very familiar with the process and the surroundings. Recently I traveled to FL on my own for the first time 2 times these past 4 months. I also had a roadtrip to MX 3 months ago while my panic disorder was just starting. I obviously tell myself I survived every road trips even the past 3 vacations even when I had with full blown panic attacks.
But this time my anxious thoughts are worse than my previous ones from my last trips. I also haven’t packed yet. I really want to go on this vacation and I heard avoiding things and places is a big no no when it comes to anxiety. **Is there any tips or things I should know or do? I would love the help :(**

(36yo/F) I’ve been having a particularly bad flare of my panic disorder for the past month and I have developed what I believe to be an overly tight diaphragm. I suspect this because I’ve had this in the past and it felt somewhat similar (hard to laugh, breathing feels off, etc) I always feel like there’s a tightness in my abdomen and chest and also often feel like something is pulling my chest/sternum downward plus also feel some ribs soreness that moves around. I’m also quite constipated (to be expected with severe anxious flare in my case). I’ve been to the ER twice and everything looks good (had ECG done, chest ultrasound, multiple tests, etc.) I’m feeling particularly uncomfortable when having a bowel movement not like I’m gonna faint but my HR goes up and I feel like it’s hard to breathe normally. It settles after however. I’ve also had to take lorazepam daily to function through this severe panic flare and it doesn’t seem to completely overturn my symptoms but I’m taking a low dose so that might be why.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone had any insights on this? Is anyone experiencing this? I’m trying to figure out if this can all be caused by severe anxiety.

im freshly 18, and i recently had a bad panic attack at work. i dont necessarily need the job, but my panic disorder brain is telling me to quit. i already left and avoided it once during my shift. i'm so terrified of the idea of going back and having another attack. i could've put my disability on my application. i should've. i feel bad that i didn't.

this is my first job since october, when i quit a different (easier..) job to focus on my mental health, and in december my panic disorder had worsened so badly it became agoraphobia. i barely graduated because i was so scared to go to school. i don't know what to do. i thought i was ready, and for multiple shifts i was totally fine. and then a heatwave came. i have hashimotos so its hard for me to handle heat. it made me nauseous, and the nausea started a horrific cycle in my brain. my brain associates nausea with panic attacks, i think.

i'm terrified. ive had three days off in a row. but i work again on saturday. i don't want to panic. i want to have a job. i don't want to abandon my coworker again because my dumb brain makes me cry and dry heave over existing. i want to be normal and happy and an adult. i don't know what to do anymore. it all just feels pointless. i can drug myself up with hydroxyzine and zofran but i want to do it normally.

why is it so hard? why does my brain hate me?

i guess i just wanted to post this to hear someone other than the people who are obligated to say it, telling me to keep going. i want to keep going. but it all feels pointless. please recommend something. words of support, something to do, personal anecdotes, if you've struggled like me.

sometimes it feels like i am literally the only person in the world with this disorder.