Please help 😭

[u/Formal_Cash7573]

Hi everyone. I want to agree my experience over the past few days to see if anyone has advice.

Backstory: I have generally been anxious my whole life but I have managed to keep anxiety and stress to myself. It had never overtaken my day. Mostly, I felt anxiety in my stomach. I have struggled with depression as well, but also managed to keep it down forever. For context, I live and operate 100% on my own, so I have HAD to keep myself above water.

Over the past few weeks I have noticed increasing anxiety, especially when smoking (never happened before). About 1 week ago or 2 ago I was smoking with my friend and I swallowed a bit of gum. I was freaking out. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was able to take some deep breathes and eventually let it go.

About a week ago I was out with my friends and when we sat down to end the night, my heart was beating out of my chest. I had never felt anxiety to that level. But, I was able to get past it.

2 days ago I went out to eat with my friends and on the way home I entered a full blown panic attack. I couldn’t breathe and I felt extremely uncomfortable in my skin. My heart was racing incredibly fast and I was terrified I was going to die. The next morning, I went to urgent care and I couldn’t stop freaking out.

The doctor said my heart and lungs look fine and that I was having a panic attack. He said it is likely I have panic disorder. He prescribed me hydroxyzine, which I have taken 2 times now. It makes me incredibly sleepy. It definitely helps with general anxiety but I can still feel my heart beating every single second. Is this normal?

For more context: I am 26, F and live a fairly healthy lifestyle. I work out often, eat well, read, enjoy my hobbies and avoid stress, when possible. Recently, I have even felt proud of myself for how I have been handling life and stressors.

I have never been the type of person that struggles to leave the house, but I tried to go to target earlier and felt like I was going to have another attack. I usually love grocery shopping but I had to order groceries to be delivered because I can’t fathom going anywhere right now.

I have a plan to speak with a therapist/psychiatrist on Monday, but I don’t know what to do until then.

What are some easy things that help ease your anxiety? Specifically those fluttering, rapid heart beats in your chest? I hate this feeling.

[u/NecessaryDesk7]

I’ve definitely been there! I used to love being out and one day I had a bad panic attack On my way to work and went home instead. After that I was so scared to go out and every time I’d do it I thought that I’d have a heart attack because of how hard/fast my heart was beating. That was almost a year ago and since then I’ve had ups and downs. I’m currently on day three of not going anywhere because my anxiety has been so high and scared to get a panic attack or something happen to me while I’m out. I am 27f and miss feeling normal and not being scared of everything or over analyzing every sensation in my body.

[u/Formal_Cash7573 → u/NecessaryDesk7]

It’s so scary. Especially as people who enjoy being out and finding solace in the outdoors. I’m struggling a lot. Has there been anything that specifically helps you in those moments?

[u/NecessaryDesk7 → u/Formal_Cash7573]

Yes! I had to go on leave at work to try and figure out how to deal with it since it was affecting me so much and I was leaving work because of the heart palpitations! I’ve noticed that when I push myself to hang out with others it definitely helps. There would be days when the anxiety was too much and I’d end up going home but 70 percent of the time after pushing through the physical symptoms my mind would be distracted enough to forget about all the worry. It’s been hard these past two months and honestly have been giving meds a thought, but even that I’m soo scared to try.