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Discussion Topic: What are YOUR Biggest Fears?
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 tony75 |
08-30-2004 @ 12:19 PM |
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Joined: Jul. 2004
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Hey Everyone...
I know that panic hits me when my biggest fears are realized and/or faced. But I was interested to see how everyone's fears differed as well as were similar. The more I talk to people with this condition the more I realize we have in common. And to be honest, it seems to make both parties feel a little better. Anyway, I guess I'll ask for your worst fear; and if you would like to add any more, feel free. And also, please feel free to discuss it a bit if you wish.
Here are some of mine:
1) Fear of passing out (loss of control)
2) Fear of flying (again, no control)
3) Fear of immense open spaces, like looking up at the sky for too long and analyzing the infinitness of it all
I am assuming that dear of dying is a given for all of us.
What about you?
Thanks for responding!
-Tony
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| Khris |
08-31-2004 @ 12:11 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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Ohhh boy.
1) Fear of flying. You are right, you have NO control. Even if it is NOT my time to go....what if it is the Pilots time to go? Why should I have to suffer because he is being called out of this world on MY FLIGHT??!!!??? I have given away free tickets to Mexico simply because i can NOT get on a plane.
2) Closed in spaces. They send me right up the wall. Gotta get air!!!!!!!!
3) Fear of dying. I am a Christian, it is not the fear of where I am going, it is the fear of what I am leaving behind and the process.
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| Sarah |
08-31-2004 @ 4:45 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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I think i fear everything pretty much!
My main struggle is realising that things in my life have to change, but i am terrified of taking the steps i need to be happy... like moving out of home, meeting new people, getting a job...
I cant cope in small spaces, and i have always feared illness and death. As weird as it sounds, i think i fear having "the next" panic attack.. which just creates a vicious circle..
However, no matter how much i fear life itself, noone ever said it would be easy... and living is a challenge to everyone. I'm just hoping i find the courage to make things change, and face my fears head on.
Sarah xxx
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| rachele |
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08-31-2004 @ 9:01 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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My biggest fears are that I will hurt myself to make the panic stop and that there is no real meaning to life. Actually, I guess the two feed off each other. I also have great difficulty traveling a anything over like an hour from my home. There are other things that arent comfortable for me but I don't put them in the same class as anxiety but more like worry. For instance, I "worry" that the pain in my tummy may be appendicitis or "worry" about speaking in front of a crowd but I don't necessarily have a panic attack about it. Rachele
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| ronny |
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09-01-2004 @ 12:38 AM |
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Joined: Sep. 2004
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Hi there, just joined tonight - have been in a depreseion forum and although depression is a part of my anxiety, my biggest problem is the anxiety.
My biggest fears are the following:
Situations where I have no control.
Loosing my job, loosing my life, loosing my lover
When I get these panic attacks, I simply pass out - but before I do, I feel like vomiting, I get very clammy, feel awful and then, just pass out. If this helps anyone, I can actually feel them comming on - I get severe butterflies in my stomach for a few days...
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| Casey, Support Specialist |
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09-01-2004 @ 9:32 AM |
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Moderator
Joined: May. 2004
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Hi ronny,
Welcome to the site. Please feel free to roam the site at your own pace. If you look to the left of the screen under "TOOLS" you will find many supportive tests. These tests are not diagnostic tools and are not a replacement or substitute for a physicians advice, nor is the site. The purpose of these tests is to prepare you with information that you can present to your physician. When youre finished the test, you can either print your Final Report or email it directly to your doctor.
We also have developed a Panic Program. This program is 12-weeks and involves the tools mentioned above. Each session is based on the previous session, so we strongly advise that you work slowly through the program and not jump ahead.
If you have any questions or concerns with our "TOOLS" you can contact our support department at [email protected].
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Casey
_____________________________
The Panic Center Support Team
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| tigergirl |
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09-02-2004 @ 1:31 AM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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hi, it's probably easier to say what i'm not afraid of, but i'll list my biggest fears:
1. fear of driving too far away from home
2, getting stuck in a traffic jam, train, and don't even think about driving over a big bridge with me in the car in traffic...no way. can 't get off.
3. fear of flying, busses and all public transportation. no control, feel trapped.
4. fear of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms
5. fear of doctors, dentists, hospitals, needles
6. fear of being without my car
7. fear of big spaces where i feel too far away from my car . not easy enough to leave if a panic attack starts.
basically anything that leaves me feeling out of control. contol seems to be a big issue for all of us, huh?
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| heartbeat4u67 |
09-02-2004 @ 2:06 AM |
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Joined: Sep. 2004
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I am laughing as I type this, because I can SOOOOO relate to the control issue!! I can't stand it if my car isn't the closest to the door, I don't like riding in a car where someone else is in control, (what if they thought it was a joke that I am panicing and didn't take me home?) I live in a rural area and public transportation is not available, but I can only imagine what I would be like in a traffic jam!! They would have to get a helicopter to lift me out!! I never do ANYTHING on the spur of the moment, because I have to "prepare" and "brace" myself for the event. And if an event comes up on the spur of the moment? I panic.....and I don't enjoy myself, I just sweat through it, or take extra meds...........this is such a life I live!! I am always worried about "WHAT IF I HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK" and I know now that this is my biggest fear. Also, (this is for the women) I have told my Doctor many times that my anxiety seems to be much worse before my period.........is this common? Please tell me I'm not imagining this???????? Jennifer
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| rachele |
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09-02-2004 @ 7:22 AM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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Heartbeat, you are not imagining it, your anxiety may become more severe before or during your period. My current setback was triggered by anxiety that came on during my PMS. I had been noticing it for several months but for the most part it was just flashes of panic that I ignored. For whatever reason this month it didnt flash and go away, I have been struggling for two weeks now and am ready to try medication and went to speak to my doctor about it this past week. Hormones really are a ***** arent they? Rachele
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| tigergirl |
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09-02-2004 @ 11:59 AM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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hi, i'm laughing back with you at the helicopter comment. you don't know how many times i've imagined that exact scenerio!!! when i think about driving out of my little town into a city, i can so vivdly imagine getting stuck in a traffic jam and i SEE myself, in my mind, having a massive panic attack and calling 911 thinking i'm dying and just knowing i HAVE to get out NOW. wouldn't that be a treat? they'd probably lock me up for making a big scene. of course i know this won't happen. but i don't know it when i'm thinking about doing it or actually having an attack.
and when i go to the movies or whatever, i always take an outside seat JUST IN CASE.
the last big panic attack i had while driving outside of my 15-25 minute "SAFE ZONE" i got nervous and turned around and as soon and as i did that, WHAM a huge attack and i felt like i wanted to ram the car into the other cars or something just to get me out of there. of course i didn't do it but the urge to get out now is so intense in the middle of these things it's scary. what if i actually did something stupid like what i imagine i would do in the middle of one? of course i've read a million books that say this is normal, and that we will never do the things we fear, but the images in the middle of an attack are so real, aren't they? it makes you feel like a weirdo nutball!!! i wouldn't want to crash into someone or accidentally hurt someone in the middle of one.
and another big fear is getting pulled over in the middle of one. what if the cop thought i was like totally on drugs or drunk or something because i was having an attack and shaking and freaking out. you can't just pull away from a cop and get home to safety even if you're not doing anything wrong, until they're done. i would feel so trapped and the fear of being falsely arrested due to them mistaking my symptoms is so real!!! i don't know how to get over this fear because realistically speaking, mmost cops don't know the first thing about panic attacks and they'd probably make you do a sobriety test or whatever. the thought of having to be stuck with a cop in one...no way!!!
i really want to get over these fears!!! our minds are just so good at scaring us, aren't they?
i look forward to hearing back from you.
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| rachele |
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09-02-2004 @ 1:34 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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Tigergirl, I have had many of the same thoughts you describe.... even with the cop! I know for sure that I could handle it if I got stuck in a traffic jam but I always get off the busy roads if I think I may be stuck just in case. The panic is soooo bizarre isn't it?!? I remember being stuck in my car for 11 hours in a snow storm and not having any issue at all but still I worry, as if it will be different next time. Ridiculous! Rachele
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| Sammi |
09-02-2004 @ 2:26 PM |
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Joined: Jan. 2004
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Tigergirl and Rachele,
Wow it was cool reading your posts. I have had the same thoughts about the cop and having him mistakenly think i was drunk or on drugs. I am scared of traffic too. I'ts not my driving I'm scared of, its the thought that maybe another driver might cause an accident that I could be involved in and have no control over.
My husband and I just got back from vacation last night. We went about 400 miles away to the beach. (normally my favorite place in the world) I survived the trip better than I thought I would considering my anxiety level has been so high lately. Want to hear something stupid? As soon as I got safely home and into my house I had a terrible panic attack! I was thinking about how far away I had been, and what if something bad had happened. In my mind I was picturing another car hitting us on the interstate, we were either dead or critically injured. No one would know how to contact our families or anything. Of course at the time we are having these wild thoughts it seems so real. Later when the panic attack passed and I calmed down I felt incredibly stupid! I mean, why think such terrible things after I was safely at home and nothing bad had happened? This disorder sometimes makes me feel like I am totally losing it. Oh yeah, it is that time of month for me also, and yes it does really make things worse!!!
Sammi
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| ronny |
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09-02-2004 @ 7:16 PM |
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Joined: Sep. 2004
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Hi guys!!
I've emjoyed reading your scripts!
The first time I fainted, it was outside of a bar where I had actually had only two drinks (which for me is nothing under normal circumstances) they called an ambulance and took me to ER. Well, I just changed doctors (mdoc) and got my chart sent to me.....the nurse in the ER wrote that I said I had had too much to drink.......it wasn't true. So, call it a stigma, I don't know, but people out there don't understand panic attacks.....that is for sure. Not even in a hopsital setting. I eventually had to quit my position there, as I had another one during working hours.....just passed out at the smoking area.
I am on a med called Buspar which is helping a bit but I still feel those butterflies in my stomach and right now am going through an "estrangement" period from hubby due to the PMS I had last week - sometimes I just want to go away and live away, far away from people.....
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| Khris |
09-02-2004 @ 11:22 PM |
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Joined: Aug. 2004
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But if we go away......
Then we will be alone when we freak.
And think of the time it will take us to drive to the ER so they can hook us up to the heart monitor and tell us we are fine. We would panic just thinking about how long it would take an ambulance to get to our house.
lol. We are a mess.
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| ronny |
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09-03-2004 @ 10:55 AM |
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Joined: Sep. 2004
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No kidding Khris, ....there is always that something to worry about isn't there!!! lol
No kidding....when they took me in the ambulance, they did a twelve lead on my heart (I was 54 at the time, these attacks have come to me rather late in life)and the insurance wouldn't pay for it, as they thought it was over and above the "necessary" course of action. Why is there so much ignorance out there about these panic attacks? It seems like there are alot of people who suffer from them, yet the medical community behaves as though its another one of those "imagined" illnesses that people have, (especially women??) Vaso Vagal Syncope is the closest diagnosis any medical center has ever been able to make on my fainting spells (that sounds awfully Victorian doesn't it? lol) yet, my md says its anxiety....
I wonder sometimes if it isn't just a matter of time until the next one, and that, for the rest of my life?????
I am going into therapy on the 9th of September - this may help alleviate some of the fears that cause these attacks and may in turn, lessen the number of them. Meanwhile, its meds and meds........
Take care everyone and continue to think of white sand beaches, the sound of aqua waves washing on the shore, the gentle cool breeze of the Pacific......
Please continue to write...this is therapy in itself ina way!! lol
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| Posted By |
Discussion Topic: What are YOUR Biggest Fears?
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