Anxiety / Panic
Discussion
I seem over the years to have a developed strong anxiety reaction to things and have boughts of just feeling worried for no reason.
I just have a butterflies feeling in my tummy all the time. When it gets really bad, my legs feel heavy, my palms sweat, hands shake, and breathing gets rapid. It also clouds my mind and I can't concentrate and that often makes it much worse because I can't focus to deal with the problem that caused the worry.
Strange thing is I can usually rationalise my thoughts about the problem and deal with it mentally but I can't control my body.
Couple of recent examples. I work in IT as a manager and am responsible for systems and project delivery. One of our systems has a melt down because of a fault introduced by me and my team. It pays out some money to the wrong people, about £5K. Some of it cannot then be recovered, but a lot can. Total damage is a few pissed of people and a couple of grand. Obviously not good but no one has died and the money is a tiny amount in compassion. My reaction when I discovered it was almost full on panic attack. Was still worrying about it weeks later after it was resolved.
Another, project got delayed, client was pissed. I took it over and did the work myself. It was nothing complex and something I had done thousands of times over 15 years I have been doing it. But again completely crippled by an over reaction worrying about it, creates a vicious circle where I can't focus and get the job done which leads to more worry that it wont get done. Again the worse case scenario here is the client (who we are unlikely to get much, if any repeat business from) will be pissed off. We might be in breach of contract and have to discount the rate by a thousand or so.
I spoke to my GP about it a few years ago when it was really bad and they were useless.
It had been better in the last few years and I live a lot healthier now (don't drink or smoke, lost weight, eat good, exercise regularly). Certainly since stopping drinking it had got better, but recently it is back with avengeance.
Any one got some suggestions on what to do or who to see about learning to deal with this? Don't mind pay for private counselling but have no idea what to go for
I just have a butterflies feeling in my tummy all the time. When it gets really bad, my legs feel heavy, my palms sweat, hands shake, and breathing gets rapid. It also clouds my mind and I can't concentrate and that often makes it much worse because I can't focus to deal with the problem that caused the worry.
Strange thing is I can usually rationalise my thoughts about the problem and deal with it mentally but I can't control my body.
Couple of recent examples. I work in IT as a manager and am responsible for systems and project delivery. One of our systems has a melt down because of a fault introduced by me and my team. It pays out some money to the wrong people, about £5K. Some of it cannot then be recovered, but a lot can. Total damage is a few pissed of people and a couple of grand. Obviously not good but no one has died and the money is a tiny amount in compassion. My reaction when I discovered it was almost full on panic attack. Was still worrying about it weeks later after it was resolved.
Another, project got delayed, client was pissed. I took it over and did the work myself. It was nothing complex and something I had done thousands of times over 15 years I have been doing it. But again completely crippled by an over reaction worrying about it, creates a vicious circle where I can't focus and get the job done which leads to more worry that it wont get done. Again the worse case scenario here is the client (who we are unlikely to get much, if any repeat business from) will be pissed off. We might be in breach of contract and have to discount the rate by a thousand or so.
I spoke to my GP about it a few years ago when it was really bad and they were useless.
It had been better in the last few years and I live a lot healthier now (don't drink or smoke, lost weight, eat good, exercise regularly). Certainly since stopping drinking it had got better, but recently it is back with avengeance.
Any one got some suggestions on what to do or who to see about learning to deal with this? Don't mind pay for private counselling but have no idea what to go for
Hoofy said:
What do you do for stress relief? Do you exercise regularly? Have you considered something more esoteric such as yoga or tai chi? Alternatively, if you want something that directly deals with things, you could try EFT - you'll have to seek out a local therapist.
Do loads of exercise, run, swim, cycle, lift weights. Certainly helps when I am doing exercising but returns as soon as I have finished.Will take a look at EFT thanks.
Thanks for all the tips. I think I will find some sort of counselling. Don't have a company quack but do get private medical, not sure if I can get anything via that. I do feel that if I don't learn to control it now then when something properly bad happens I will go into full blown panic attack.
Interesting what someone said about PAWS. I was aware of that from the Sober for 365 days thread. I have had this anxiety for years and if anything it was worse when I was drinking. Think it was partly to blame for me drinking so much as the booze made the feeling go away, but then came back worse in the morning.
I started reading the Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Its all really common sense stuff and I am not sure it helped. Consciously I am aware of the symptoms and can control my mind, its the subconscious physical symptoms I can't.
Interesting what someone said about PAWS. I was aware of that from the Sober for 365 days thread. I have had this anxiety for years and if anything it was worse when I was drinking. Think it was partly to blame for me drinking so much as the booze made the feeling go away, but then came back worse in the morning.
I started reading the Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Its all really common sense stuff and I am not sure it helped. Consciously I am aware of the symptoms and can control my mind, its the subconscious physical symptoms I can't.
So, I have been for a few counselling sessions so far. Went private rather than going down the GP route. Didn't want to get put on pills as I hope to deal with the root cause rather than hiding the symptoms.
So far fairly classic stuff I guess. Parents strict and disapproving up-bringing etc. It is really interesting though. In the lasts session we talked about how their lack of affection and nothing ever being good enough has created in me this desire to always make people like me and always looking to please people. That is a potential cause of the over reaction to things because I worry what people are going to think of me.
Funnily enough since counselling the physical symptoms, especially the butterflies feeling have switched course and now come at different times. Other day at work something major happened, big cock up all round and I felt fine, didn't panic and it was ok. Then early today I was reading a book minding my own business and out of nowhere I felt like I was having a panic attack, for no reason at all.
So far fairly classic stuff I guess. Parents strict and disapproving up-bringing etc. It is really interesting though. In the lasts session we talked about how their lack of affection and nothing ever being good enough has created in me this desire to always make people like me and always looking to please people. That is a potential cause of the over reaction to things because I worry what people are going to think of me.
Funnily enough since counselling the physical symptoms, especially the butterflies feeling have switched course and now come at different times. Other day at work something major happened, big cock up all round and I felt fine, didn't panic and it was ok. Then early today I was reading a book minding my own business and out of nowhere I felt like I was having a panic attack, for no reason at all.
Thanks oceanview. I hadn't really considered that. I will think about them if I don't get any success with the counselling.
One other thing which puts me off is in my work I often have key worker insurance taken out on me and this has occasionally included having a medical and a request for medical records. I don't really want a prescription for anti depressant/anxiety pills showing up on that. Or am I being paranoid?
One other thing which puts me off is in my work I often have key worker insurance taken out on me and this has occasionally included having a medical and a request for medical records. I don't really want a prescription for anti depressant/anxiety pills showing up on that. Or am I being paranoid?
Anxiety has got worse in recent weeks. Triggered by some work situations.
I still think the counselling is working and possibly it is a case of getting worse before it gets better.
Went to the GP and have been given Beta blockers and Sertraline. Currently on day 5, side effects are quite bad. Increase in anxiety, fatigue, dry mouth. Feel generally ill like I have a fever or something. Hopefully that will pass soon and I will start to feel better.
I still think the counselling is working and possibly it is a case of getting worse before it gets better.
Went to the GP and have been given Beta blockers and Sertraline. Currently on day 5, side effects are quite bad. Increase in anxiety, fatigue, dry mouth. Feel generally ill like I have a fever or something. Hopefully that will pass soon and I will start to feel better.
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