Phobias ... Panic Attacks ... Obsessions and Compulsions ... Chronic Worrying
Mention the words "extreme anxiety" and most people will tell you a story about a blood-curdling episode of horrible fear.

Fortunately, most of us have only one or two such horror stories to tell. But recent research indicates that for as many as 15-20 million Americans, painful anxiety is an almost constant companion. These people suffer from what is called pathological anxiety or one of the "anxiety disorders." There are five distinct disorders that, together, constitute the anxiety disorders. According to a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Mental Health, the anxiety disorders as a group are probably the most common mental health problem for Americans.
The anxiety disorders include:

 PANIC DISORDER
People with PANIC DISORDER have recurrent attacks of intense panic or terror that they don't associate with a specific stimulus. In other words, the panic attacks seem to come from "out of the blue." Although some experts take this as evidence that panic disorder is strictly a biological or medical problem, others suggest that when panic attacks appear to come from out of the blue, they are simply triggered by an unconscious fear. Many clinicians have observed that people who are prone to panic attacks do seem to have them more frequently during periods of stress.
In addition to (and, in rare cases, instead of) the psychological feelings of panic or terror, most people experience disturbing bodily sensations during a panic attack. These can include shortness of breath, dizziness, faintness, choking, chest pain, palpitations, trembling, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, tingling and numbing sensations, hot flashes or chills, chest pain, and feelings of disembodiment.

Although a panic attack usually lasts for only several minutes, people with panic disorder are typically plagued by "anticipatory anxiety" or a constant dread of the next attack. Usually, they develop some symptoms of agoraphobia. Because the psychological terror experienced during a panic attack can be so compelling, many people begin to doubt their sanity.

There are some strictly physiological disorders that produce both the bodily and emotional symptoms of a panic attack. These include cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and neurological disorders that, if left untreated, can develop into major illnesses. Therefore, it is always best to get a thorough medical examination as the very first step in seeking treatment for panic disorder.
 
 
 

 

For 6 years, I had suffered with anxiety attacks and for some reason now
they were really taking a toll on my life.  Before, I could bear them but now
they were becoming so unbearable.   I was having trouble sleeping and going
to work was becoming a nightmare.

 I wanted to stay at home and not go any where.  It was really getting way
out of control.  I  felt that I had to get control of this or else I would probably
end up being a shut in.  I really love my job  and I felt that  I couldn't continue
on. I was so exhausted from not sleeping.  I was feeling defeated and at the end
of my rope.

I don't know if any of you understand anything about anxiety attacks.
It comes out of nowhere, striking when you least expect it.  You have this
sudden  weird, tingling sensation occurred in the roof of your mouth and tongue.
Then you feel  tingling all through your hands and legs.  Your heart starts to beat
out of your chest and you feel as though you can't breath, as a complete numbness
takes over  your body.  You try to ignore it but it only seems to get worse.  At this point,
you are convinced that something is seriously wrong.   You began to hyperventilate,
which you don't realize that you are doing it.  All kinds of thoughts start invading
your mind.

 Am I having a heart attack?

 Am I having a stroke?

  Is this the way it feels when someone is about to die?

 Am I losing my mind?

All kinds of thoughts enter your head, grasping for any kind of
explanation to help justify the feelings that you are going through.
It was the most frightening experience that I have ever had  concerning
my health.

 At first, I was grasping at straws and I had blamed the last of the
series of hepatis shots.  I couldn't get passed that point that this is
what had caused these feelings.  I guess due too the fact that it was
the same day after my last shot that the anxiety attacks had started.
I went to numerous doctor appointments and had everything checked
out.  They checked me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
I had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and they did a electocardio-
gram of my heart.  They did put me on a medication for the racing of
my heart, but they did not find anything else wrong with me.

The explanation they give me was that I had anxiety and gave me ativan
but later took me off of it because of the addiction that they thought I would
have for taking it.  This was hard to accept that this was the diagnosis.  There
had to be more to this than what they were saying.  I had always been tough
and independent and here I had succumbed to something that wasn't life
threatening as I had thought.   Now here I was a weakling and I simply couldn't
handle or accept this.

Earlier in the week, Bishop had introduced my husband to a new chat program
called Powwow.  I had used it a few times and I decided that I would go to one
of the Christian chats and ask for prayer.  I guess I never had thought of that before.
Only one person was there and she said that she would pray for me.  I had a feeling
that she was tired, so I gave her my prayer request and bid her good night.

My husband had grown quite concerned about my attacks and he felt that he
was letting me down because he didn't know how to help me or what to do to
help me through them.

The next evening my husband and Bishop were chatting together and the
discussion lead to talking about the Lord.  My husband got all excited and called me
over to the computer.  "Debbie, come here, quick.  You are not going to believe this."

There before my eyes, Bishop had typed out a message that he received from God.
God had given Bishop an insight about, as he described it, a bad case of nerves.  He
said that God had told him that my case of bad "nerves" were being taken care of as
of now.   At that moment I felt a sudden calm settle throughout my whole body.  God
also had given some insight about my husband's troubles and worries.  My husband
and I truly received a miracle that night.  I still get the anxiety attacks, but they are
not as bad .  That is why I am here doing a page to help others who suffer from panic
and anxiety disorders and to let you know that you are not alone.

Just close your eyes and open your heart,
And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above,
And let Him hold your secure in His love.
For life on earth grows more involved,
With endless problems that can't be solved.
But God only ask you to do our best,
Then He will take over and finish the rest.
So when you are tired, discouraged, and blue,
There is always one door that is open to you.
And that is the door to the House of Prayer,
And you will find God waiting to meet you there.
And The House of Prayer is no further away,
Than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.
For the heart is a temple when God is there,
As we place ourselves in his loving care.
And he hears every prayer and answers each one,
When we Pray in His name - Thy will be done.
The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear,
Are lifted away on the wings of a prayer.
 
--Author Unknown
 


 



Please click on the next button to read about a family
member and their wife suffering from anxiety disorder.