Thanks for this post
This year I turned 28 and finally got round to getting my panic attacks / anxiety problems sorted. I'd begun to suffer after university, but was so embarrassed about it that I just refused to discuss it with anyone.

One day (not even that long ago, but really it feels like a lifetime) I ended up walking out of work and into my doctor's surgery, and basically flipped out. I was demanding every test under the sun, convinced that my chest pains were cancer and that I was about to die. Luckily, the doctor was pretty smart, clocked on to what was happening and dealt with me really well. Also my boss and my girlfriend gave me a lot of support during the next few weeks. I ended up in CBT, and everything has changed since then.

It's still hard work of course, but because I'm not trying to keep it secret anymore, and now that I've realised how stupid it was to hide it from everybody who knew me, I'm a million times better than I was just a few months ago.

A few weeks back I sent my boss, the doctor and my now ex-counsellor a bunch of flowers each to say thanks (flowers direct, I'm not a mentalist). Each of them was a little taken aback by this gesture - they didn't feel like they'd done anything out of the ordinary I guess. But to me, they were total life savers. "Thank Goodness", as Daniel Dennett might say.
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Mon 25 Jul 2011, 16:30, 2 replies)

I was the same
I started having them at 15 and refused to seek help for them, my mum didn't realise what they were and a helpful doctor misdiagnosed it as stress due to my GCSEs. Eventually my bf at the time persuaded me to go to counselling when I was 20 and it really did work miracles. It turned out I had the classic relationship issues with my mother and instead of feeling upset or angry my body was choosing denial via anxiety. Once I confronted how I was feeling really we started working on our relationship and it wasn't easy but I've been panic attack free for 2 years now. Got to love a cliched reason though, right?!

There is no shame in asking for help. I felt like people were defining me as crazy but then my friend told me "everybody has a little bit of trouble dealing with stuff now and again, and it's ok to admit that and ask for help" and I realised she was right. Good luck :)
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Mon 25 Jul 2011, 19:42, closed)

thanks
your friend was right, and I'm glad you're doing well.

Philip Larkin was right about parents. I'm surprised anyone makes it through intact.
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 9:37, closed)

Classic account of the situation one ends up in Leviticus.

How people treat you becomes so crucial, it was really nice of you to let them know they'd done something important for you.
(Stiltzkin, Mon 25 Jul 2011, 20:12, closed)

yeah
my girlfriend's brother did exactly the same thing a few weeks back. (Storm into a doctor's surgery and flip out, that is.)

Except he was in the arse end of the north of England and they called the cops on him. Poor guy - he's doing OK now though.
(leviticus no longer likes the cut of your gib on, Tue 26 Jul 2011, 9:22, closed)