The one thing I have never been able to get over is the incredible fear of being alone while having a panic attack. There was a time several years ago when I could not be alone for even a few minute for fear that panic would strike and I would be alone with the panic and all the racing fearful thoughts that came with it. Now its mostly night time that this happens. If I am alone for the whole night I cant sleep with the anticiptory anxiousness that a panic attack will come out of the blue in the middle of the night and what will I do? Even though I have taken the program and done much work on myself through therapy and have improved tremendously from homebound completely with agoraphobia to now I can function much better each day--- however I cant get past this fear of panic during the night and i work myself into it by scaring myself. Has anyone else been struggling with this?

I used to be so scared at night of having a panic attack because I was alone, my boyfriend used to work nights. I can remember many of nights calling him crying because of how terrible I felt! Then I went through this period of night time was really the only time that I felt half way good, and I turned into a night owl! Now my boyfriend has just gone back to working nights and now I'm starting to be scared again! I don't know why because I thought this would be good that he went back to nights cause I am a night owl and want to stay up at night. He doesn't like that I don't want to go to sleep with him at night (I don't blame him) I like to stay up cause I feel somewhat okay and I feel like I can get some things done! Now that I am home alone at night again...I don't like it! I thought I was over being scared to be by myself but I guess not!! I am Agoraphobic I hardly ever leave the house and I'm trying to get help for it but so far there doesn't seem to be a great selection!! I don't know how to get past the fear of being alone! I sure wish I did

Hi ladies, I think that being alone is what is causing my anxiety. As I delved deeper into what was bothering me when and why my panic started it boils down to being alone. I lived with my mother until I got married at age 25 and even when I went away to college I had a room-mate. I was very independant in life but not independant living alone yet. So I got married and my husband worked days usually and there were no problems until he started his current job where he traveled about 90% of the time. We could live where we wanted with his job and we chose Northern VA becaue of it's close proximity to D.C. and there was so much to do and we had just moved there anyways. We were able to get a few boxes unpacked and he had to go off to travel and spent most of his summer traveling Mon-Thurs. I honestly liked where we lived but wondered why I felt uncomfortable. Initially i thought i had IBS but unknown to me it was anxiety starting. I had a 3 year old at the time and my husband was traveling like crazy! Anyways, the anxiety hit me hard. I became house bound and was agoraphobic but was able to go to school. I would take my son to daycare which was about <10 mins away and could barely do that but I did and I survived it. Initially my main fear was "what if" something happened and no one could get to my son or he could not get help? The what if scenarios I came up with were mind boggling but what could I do? Now it is 5 years later and my husband still travels about 40% and I have another son but I still have anxiety issues when my husband has to go away for work, especially if he has to go cross country. I notice a few days before he leaves I start to have nightmares and never sleep the night before he leaves. I have finally allowed myself to get help via meds and take xanax .25 mg when needed for anxiety. When my husband had to go to Colorado for a week I took a half of the xanax 2-3 times a day even if I didn't feel anxiety and it help me survive the week. I don't know when my A-ha moment was when I realized that I was afraid to be alone but it was about 6-7 months ago. I think I knew it but blamed other things and never said it to anyone not even myself, I am afaid to be alone.
Nights were the worst for me too, when he was gone. Just wanted to share my story and that you are not alone feeling the fear of being alone.

Thank you scottiesgirl and kumika for sharing your stories. I so appreciate it i know that there are many others out there that fear being alone especially while having a panic attack. It is not pleasant to feel this way as a matter a fact its the worst thing i have ever endured. I pray that one day I will not have this problem at night. At least its better than it used to be that was all the time 24 hours a day.
Anyway God bless you both

I FEEL THAT WAY ALSO.I AM A 26 YR OLD SINGLE MOM OF A BEAUTIFUL 4 YR OLD GIRL.
I HATE GOING SHOPPING ALONE UNLESS IT IS IN MY HOMETOWN WHICH IS 10 MIN FROM MY HOUSE. I CAN'T GO TO THE MALL BECAUSE ITS ABOUT 40 MIN AWAY. I SOMETIMES GET SCARED GOING TO WORK BECUASE I START FEELING ANXIOUS ABOUT BEING IN THIS WORLD ALONE. I DON'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE THIS BECAUSE I AM NOT ALONE. I HAVE MY MOM, DAUGHTER AND GRANDMA. WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THIS!????

I am a 30 year old female who has been battling GAD and panic attacks for almost 2 years. It is unbelievable how debilitating this is. My panic attacks started when I moved out of my parent's house and into my own place. I had my first panic attack in the middle of the night, and I realized that everyone close to me was over 30 minutes away and I was alone. That started my fear of being alone. I was on meds for a while, but it became too expensive. I try to handle the attacks and calm myself down, but they are really hard at night. I still don't believe that I don't have a heart problem, but the doctor told me that the absence of pain and heart palpitations made him believe that it was just anxiety. I have had some bad attacks lately, and was wondering if anyone else had this problem. I'm usually fine as long as I'm around someone, but at night, I fear dying or being in distress alone.

I think if you learn the skills the program is trying to teach that you can apply them to this time when you are alone, and when you are anxious. The whole purpose of the program is to teach us to deal with the anxiety. Good Luck!

Hey Jcrouse I have the same kind of panic attacks as you do. I suffer and am tired of getting the attacks. If my wife and kids leave and travel out of town. I will panic and struggle trying to clam myself. I know that I am healthy and will be okay and I know my family is okay, but I still have a panic attack. I hate having them. If you know anything that works, please let me know okay.

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Originally posted by jcrouse:
I am a 30 year old female who has been battling GAD and panic attacks for almost 2 years. It is unbelievable how debilitating this is. My panic attacks started when I moved out of my parent's house and into my own place. I had my first panic attack in the middle of the night, and I realized that everyone close to me was over 30 minutes away and I was alone. That started my fear of being alone. I was on meds for a while, but it became too expensive. I try to handle the attacks and calm myself down, but they are really hard at night. I still don't believe that I don't have a heart problem, but the doctor told me that the absence of pain and heart palpitations made him believe that it was just anxiety. I have had some bad attacks lately, and was wondering if anyone else had this problem. I'm usually fine as long as I'm around someone, but at night, I fear dying or being in distress alone.