Erm, well, here goes ... everything.

Well, hi.

Erm, I'm not quite sure what to type. I guess I'll start with me.

I'm 15 and I live in the UK. I've had panic attacks for coming up 4 years.

My first panic attack was following a very un-sleep filled sleepover. I'd had around 4 hours sleep and was then off to a school fete.

I walked onto the front lawn bit where the fete took place and all of a sudden, I felt like I was dreaming. I couldn't breathe, my head went dizzy and I collapsed against a wall, crying at my mum to do something.

What would now be seen as an actual panic attack wore off within a few minutes, but the strange feeling lasted about 6 hours.

Now, 4 years on, my panic attacks are less and less frequent, but a lot more intense.
But it's not that that's the worst bit.

I am afraid of everything. I won't go to gigs just in case, I won't go to town with friends just in case, I won't do this, that and the other.

Simple things like attending Registration or History (which I dropped as a GCSE because I was so bad in the class) became hell this past year.

And I seriously don't know what to do anymore. So I guess I came here for support or some help, because I'm really desperate.

<3

Hey there.
Sorry to hear you are having problems, it really sucks doesn't it.

Well first off, have you been to see the doctor?
If you go they will refer you to a councillor and as you are young it will be free.
Councilling sounds scary and like it's for crazy people lol but it really isn't bad at all.
They will probably even start off visiting you at your house if you can't make it into the place where they operate from. They will teach you how to calm down with breathing exercises and loads of other techniques.

I have been myself so can tell you some of the things they will tell you if you want.

Anyways, take it easy and chill out :)

Hi ya,
I have only joined today but have suffered from panic and agraphobia since i was 22 ( 18yrs ago).

I'm sorry you are so so young and feeling all these terrible feelings of fear as i know what you are going through.

Firstly let me explain that the first panic attack you mentioned was probably brought on by lack of sleep and low blood sugar probably on a hot day and it was such a strange scarey feeling and one you didn't understand.
The event has left you with terrible feelings of fear and being out of control and being vulnerable.

The panic attacks since have probably not been for the same reason....the ones since have been evoked by feeling of fear of feeling the same as you did that day
probably in places where you have the same triggers as that day...crowded places lots of noise or hub bub etc etc and you think because the surroundings are similar you will have a panic attack again...because you are stressing that you will have one ...the feelings of fear then increase until you actually do start feeling the same in a state of panic...this is association....

please please have some help either via doctor or hypnotherapy to turn off these triggers in your subconscious or the longer you go on you will start to find panic triggers in more and more situations and this is what leads to people with panic becoming agoraphobic..

I have panic still but have learnt different tecniques to handle them over the years and from being someone who didn't leave the house for 8 yrs now lead an almost normal life and with some 'mind work' can face almost all situations.

Nip this in the bud as you have your whole life in front of you and would be a shame if you have to look back at 40 like me thinking how much has been wasted due to being afraid.

all my love

Mandi x

Hiya,

I am from the UK also and I have been having panic attacks and suffering from anxiety since I was 11.

My biggest bit of advice is please please do not let this stop you living your life. You must go to gigs, you must go to school. In the past I've let it stop me doing so much which I deeply regret. Hopefully if you can make yourself do these things it will build your confidence. If you do it and a panic attack does happen remind youself that although they scare the life out of you, you have always been fine, although you can't bear it at the time, nothing terrible has ever happened. I find that these positive statements help to calm me enough to get me through.

Like someone else said go to your doctor, try to get them to refer you to counselling - it will help you to realise and let go of your fears.

If you need to you can PM me anytime whether you are having a particularly bad day or even if you have had a fab day!

Good luck - have faith in yourself, you will get better.

Y