Topic : Fears, Phobias and Anxiety Disorders

   

The good news is that anxiety disorders are a learned behavior.  My son believed he was "stupid" for his entire life, of 43 years.  He suffered severley from GAD and agoraphobia, and all he wanted to do was go to sleep and never wake.  Luckily about four years ago I bought a 20 tape CBT series for people suffering from social phobia.  It was produced by a psychologist who had suffered from social phobia for over 20 years, until he overcame it using CBT.   Six months ago my son was unemployable and seen no future.  He now is it partnership with a friend in the construction business, and loves his work.  I see no sign of him returning to the world of anxiety.  He not only overcame his anxiety, but now has the tools to be able to stop returning to this world of fear and anxiety.  For more info. click on my user name 

Hi Leah,  I too had a fear of elevators and closed in places (subways, tunnels, planes, bridges)  I feared that when I panicked people would see me have an attack (embarrasement) and a fear that when I wanted to get of immed. I could not.  What worked for me was going to an elevator , riding it ALONE, and taking 1 floor at a time.  I was in NYC one day and the only room avail was on the 33rd floor, I panicked as soon as the receptionist told me that.    So I got on the elevator, saw there were too many people and got off.  Tried again when the next one was avail.  This time went to the 2nd floor only and got off.  Kept doing it-one floor at a time.  Eventually I desentized myself (faced the phobia) in small baby steps. At one point, I even asked people that they get off and they did so I could be alone.  It worked for me and I did this for several months on and off.  A phobia is irrational thinking, it can't kill you.  Give it a try - small baby steps!

Hi I saw all of you writing about phobias.   

  

I have for the past year now had panic attacks, that were said to be related to my hypoglycemia, since I panic when my sugar drops.  I am really concerned that this may not be the case though.  

  

 I have flown several times from the US to Germany and driven all over the place, and now suddenly when I do either I go into a panic attack, I feel the same way in stores now too and its gotten to the point that I have a fear of having a panic attack so I don't leave my home,   

  

The last one was around Christmas it was so terrible I was paralyzed.  My doc put me on meds, and they seem to be doing the trick, but I'm still terrified  to have another one, especially while I am home alone with my children.   

  

My hubby asked what I wanted for our anniversary and I said a ride to the shrink or lol or  he could write Dr. Phil but since I am afraid of planes now I guess that wont work (the first one I had was on our way home to the US from Germany and it was so terrible that the pilot wanted to turn the plane around how freaking humiliating, thankfully there was an EMT on board he gave me a pill and I was out cold for the rest of the flight)   

  

Ne way I really do want to go to a shrink or something, but how do I over come all these sudden fears to do that,  I obviously cant take my hubby and our two kids to make them wait in the waiting room especially since the youngest is two.  And just the thought of driving there alone makes my heart go in my throat. Have NE of you had NE thing similar, and if so how the heck do I get the strength to take the first step toward having my life back.  UGH LOL especially since I do need a break from my kids I love them to bits but it would be nice to hop in my car and go walk around the mall alone or even the grocery store. 

  

Thank you all I was happy to see other people have fears too 

Nanette 

I'm not sure if everyone has a childhood item they hold onto or not, but, I have this blankie or so I  call it.. it really looks more like a rag now.. since I was born.  Every since I can remember I have carried it around and have slept with it.  This blankie has literally gone through every heartache and every joy in my life.  Growing up my siblings have always tried to hide it from me as if it were some kind of joke, I would get extremely upset and would not be able to sleep until I found it or they gave up and gave it back to me.  As I got older I think my parents started worrying a little bit about when I was going to let this blankie go and worrying about my attatchment to it in general.  When I was in elementary school I would take it with me often in my backpack so incase I needed it.  Then as I got into Junior High I would stash it in my locker during the day.  When I started driving I would take it with me everywhere in my truck.  One day I was at a gas station and I guess it fell out and I hadn't noticed.  That night, I could not find my blankie and I thought it was forever lost I had never been so sad in my entire life.  I looked for it for 3 days driving around to every place I had been.. and I found it.  Since then, I no longer take it with me in my vehicle.  But now I have developed this fear of losing it, or not having it in general.  My blankie is the first thing I look for when I come home from anywhere and it stays in my sight always.  My fear is letting go.  I have recently started noticing that this fear is not only with my blankie but with many things in my life, martialistically, emotionally, and financially.  I also fear change.  My blankie has been the one thing in my life that has remained completely constant.  Now that I am nearing the age of 21 I am starting to wonder myself just exactly how long I am going to hold on to this blankie, or if I will ever be able to put it away.  I also wonder if other people have ever felt this attatched to such an object.  Is this behavior healthy? Is it harmless? 

I want to know what agoraphobia. I have alot about it but not enough to really know about it(if that makes sense). I have to do a paper for school on different phobias and need to include as many different ones as I can. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello everyone! This is my first post.  I needed some direction on how I should deal with my panic attacks.  I've read some previous posts, but how do I start defeating this.  I've had panic attacks for several years now, yet now they seem to be worse than ever.  I simple trip to the grocery store is not so simple for me.  I get nervous before I even get in my car. I'll make it to the parking lot of the store only to turn back around. I have actually stopped going unless someone in my family goes with me in case of an attack. What I feel is a combination of things: my heart starts pounding very rapidly, I start feeling hot and sweating, stomach aches, hard to breathe, I feel like I'm about to faint.  This feeling is at its peak when there is a line I must wait in.  It feels so terrible. 

I was prescribed medication by my family doctor, yet I don't want to be dependent on them for the rest of my life.  I've only used them a few times -- special occasions.  I hate how this determines what I do with my time.  It does control me to a certain extent.  I want to be able to go the a theme park if a want to, go to a football game, and many more other things.  So if anyone out there can help give me some guidance, please do so.  It seems strange asking people I don't know for advice, yet none of my loved ones seem to really understand. They try and deal, yet I don't feel they really understand being that they don't feel what I feel. 

 i am 17 years old and recently i have been suffering from alot of anxiety. This is bringing alot of stress in my life. I recently applied to colleges and universitsy's to further my education. Well i didnt apply to places that where in bad areas. I know everyone has a fear of dieing, but mine is severe i am really scared of dieing. I cannot trust random people i see on the streets, if they look suspicous i just aviod them. This makes me very stressful, because i will not ride on subways, buses or even go to concerts that involve groups of diffrent people. I am not sure what made me this way, or how i got this anxiety  but it is pretty stressful to live with. I wish one day i could meet Dr. Phill, i was watching the show today and wow, i dont know like i've always said when i grow up i want to become a social worker, therapist, psychologist so he is an inspiration to me.

Hi, 

  

Well I am not sure of how to deal with them myself, but I'm trying as well, or want to try should I say.  I have the exact same issues mine has been for the past year, but I totally feel you on the grocery store thing, i do it as well.  So I may not be able to offer you "advice" so to speak.  I am 29 yrs old and I noticed you are close in age to me, so if you need to talk don't hesitate to email me.  I think what we need the most to get through and past is people who really do understand.   I have basically all the same symptoms as you too, ESP the line thing OMG LOL.  Slow moving anything kicks me right into one, which is why I don't do a darn thing anymore cause I am always thinking,ugh the traffic, the lines, the wait, whatever the case is.   

  

OK well I must go for now, I know of someone who may be able to help you, I have sought him myself for help and he is wonderful, he is on here he mentioned CBT therapy tapes.  I honestly don't have time to look for his email this second although I am positive his user name is pinetree so that should send you in the right direction.  I haven't gotten very far lol only two days in but I could honestly say after just these two days I am positive I will be better, and I wont have to deal with these stupid attacks for the rest of my life 

  

Good luck on your journey 

Thank you for responding to my post.  You are the first person i've interacted with who actually understands my situation. Thank you for sending me towards "pinetree".  I have e-mailed him.  

  

My daughter won't leave her home.  This started about 1995.  If we want her included in family get-togethers we have to do it at her home.  I am so frustrated with this problem - because I can not solve this problem.  She will not go anywhere.  She is 29 years old this year.  I tried to get a doctor to go see her - they don't do that anymore.  I got her help tapes.  When she get sick ------ it is a big problem.  She has a boyfriend that moved in with her in 1997 - in 2000 she made him quit his job to stay home with her stating she can not be alone.  So my daughter and her boyfriend sit in the house 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  I have to go do all their errands shopping ect.  She has a chemical inbalance that causes the anxiety.  I do not know what to do.