I have been suffering from panic attacks and I don't know how to put an end to them. I have watched the video and worked on the work book and I thought I had control of them but I have found that I am more anxious. The thought of going insane and breaking down really terrifies me! I want to be ok but I don't fell confident enough to face my fears I just had a real bad panic attack and I am trying to reccuperate but it is extremely hard and I don't know what to do! I am very frusterated I just don't want those negative thoughts hunting me down and making the panic attacks increase and make me feel worst. I need advice or any good words!

Hi ytez, welcome to the program! It is not unusual to feel some increased panic when starting out on the program because we are forced to confront our fears and deal with them. As you are learning in the program, we create our anxiety by our scary thoughts, negative self-talk and what-if thinking. It is a learned habit that can be unnlearned. So, there is hope and help for all of us who suffer with this sometimes crippling problem. Your confidence will increase as you learn more coping skills and begin changing the thoughts you have. Remember this- anxiety doesn't harm or kill us and we don't go crazy even though it feels like it! Please stay with the program. It is the answer you are looking for and you have great support from all of us. Be kind and gentle with yourself and treat yourself as you would a best friend, okay? Keep posting- we are here for you.

Hello,
And welcome to the fourm, It took me a very long time to figuer out how to stop the panic attacks, the program was wonderful, but I had to do the work. I will tell you what is making these attacks keep coming back is the FEAR! thats all it is not something wrong with you, it is plain old fear, and it took me about 8 years to figure that out.
I was told by so many doctors and therpisit that I was going to be fine that it was only anxiety, I would not beleve them.I wold go to doctor to doctor, because I was sure they were missing somthing. Until One day I was meeting a new doctor that had alot of experince with anxiety/deperession, and I sat down in his office and he said to me, do you want to get rid of these panic attacks, and I said yes! he said, Well the only way your going to stop having them is to stop fearing them. That was the first time a doctor ever explained it to me so simple and I got it, he said to laugh at them, and I have to tell you in the begining it was tough, and I know Lucinda goes through a simular experince in the program, but it is true, once the fear of them is gone and I mean really gone, they wont come back. It is what fuels them. It is just like a car, take away the gas it won't run, same thing with a panic attack your taking its fuel away, just like the car.
I truely hope this has been helpful, because like I said it took me 8 years to figuer this out maybe this can help you get your life back.
Now I am not saying I am perfect, I still have issues with anxiety, mine issues now are more physical, with neck & shoulder tension, I really need to work on that.

Take good care of yourself,

Debbie

Thank you so much for those powerful and positive words! I hope to be able to control my panic attacks soon. I will keep all those words in mind thank you so much!