is this cureable? 12 years... and just tired of it now

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beardboy

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hi, i've been suffering with panic attacks for the past 12 years...

at first i didn't know what it was, and thought i was going mad...

anyway, i understand what it is now... but just kind of live with it, but really want to rid myself of it... the main hinderance is... driving.

i'm 32 and don't drive... i've never driven a car on a road.

i used to get them on trains... but don't really anymore.... the worst place in the world for me, is in a car, traveling at speed, on a motorway.

if i'm in a car on a country road.. i'm ok, but on a motorway... i start to really loose it.

i understand that it's a sort of control thing... like i'm trapped.

how can i conquer this problem, any advice?

thanks
 
Is this the only situation in which this happens? (In the US we call those either freeways (west coast) or expressways (east coast) )

It may be that you have a form of claustrophobia. I have had this problem for longer than you and found it helps to at the very moment I feel the beginnings of the attack stop what I am doing mentally, acknowledge that it is about to happen, slow my breathing down before it goes too fast and talk myself out of it. You have to really practice this. Also, counseling may help. There are medications available as well.

I would go to the local library and find a self help book on anxiety disorders and learn as much as you can-with knowledge comes power.

Just another tidbit (this may be only me) but I finally stopped when I found out that I had undiagnosed asthma and started inhaler medications. I was having trouble both taking in a full breath and releasing fully. I am doing a lot better now. But even before that, I found the more I was able to stop whatever I was doing the moment it was about to begin and say to myself (in my head) "slow down your breathing. You are going to be ok, and are causing this-so stop it"

It worked for the most part. I did have relapses and times where it was better and then worse over many years. But I never had to be taken by arabulance to the hospital again.

I wish you the very best,
Julie
 
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