I have had panic attacks for a while now and it seems that, just before the anxiety or panic attack, I can find a "claustrophibic" thought in my mind, a fear of being "caught" somewhere or "caught" where I am.

My claustrophobia is not severe in a sense that I am not afraid of elevators, planes or the more common "small" places. But the thought of "extreme" confinement like prison cells or submarines makes me really uneasy.

It seems like my brains are playing tricks on me and run faster than I would like. I try to re-wire the train of thoughts on every occasion that I have a claustrophobic thought but my brains imagine new "situations" each time I diffuse one.

I am confident that, with the program and the help of God, I will overcome this problem but can anyone relate to what I just wrote?

Hi Daniel, Yes, i can understand this feeling one hundred percent! That won't take the feelings and thoughts away right now, but i know that it helps to see that others (even one person!) knows of the same thing. The underlying, continual aspect of the panic attacks i have had for so many years, is this acute feeling of being 'stuck'! Can't go forward, can't go back, kinda like stuck in some kind of hellish place. Before i began to practice the lessons in 2 and 3, (not that i am yet free from this disorder i've had for a long time) that was how it felt. Practicing the 6 steps in lesson 2 can change how you handle these feelings...quite a bit! We have to learn HOW to control it from 'taking over' and when we do, what a relief! Just to know we can!! Though i believe too, that these feelings also have some meaning. My personal 'feeling stuck' or 'caught' somewhere (and i've got my images too) are directly related to what's going on in my life. My very first one was for sure!! I just didn't know it back then. So, they ARE symptoms that we have to learn to control, so they don't ruin our lives. Why they are related to being 'stuck' (in this case) is something you might decide to delve deeper into, with therapy perhaps or just on your own. Sometimes it's something we can 'see' by taking a good look at what we're feeling about other things going on in our lives, and sometimes it's something outside of our conscious awareness. All that is important, but for me....i want so much to master these thoughts and feelings from taking me over. Then i will finally feel safe. So, yes... i'm definately one person who knows what you're speaking about. Maybe just knowing this can help a little bit. God bless, Linda

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Linda

Daniel:

I can relate. I can watch guests on a talk show, think about being in prison, etc., and feel anxious just as if I am there.

I think that more people than we realize have similar phobias; they just don't paralyze them to the degree where we are or have been. If you think about it the movie industry shows us our fears all the time; so this says to me that we are not alone. They write and make scarey movies about people trapped in subs, prison, etc., because, I think, that is their fear, too.

Hmmm.....interesting to think about.

Betsy

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Always Hopeful, Betsy H.
Marietta, GA (East Cobb)

Thanks Linda, not being alone always feel reassuring. Because the tapes and workbooks cannot cover all phobias and fears, we come to think that we are the only ones trapped in these kinds of thoughts and that, for us, the program won't work.

I am certainly taking steps to rearrange my life. For one thing, I am starting to take God seriously and belive Him...not only believe that he exists but believe that His Words are true. My belief in God was that He was full of mercy for people who did not care about Him and that He was longing for them to know Him but, for me, He would punish my slightest mistake. Talk about beig "caught"

Being more assertive is another area I need to pay particular attention. I used to be "the nice guy" to everyone (maybe except my wife who was taking all my anger... I since made it up to her) and tried to please the 20% of people who would not like me anyhow. "Caught" again.

Bye

Very good insight Betsy!

It seems like I am no longer able to watch a movie. The last one I saw was "Hannibal". I think that was a bad choice. I even read the book before hand.... a long way from my Bible and other such comforting books!

Bye