Anxiety Is Always There

[__keira__]

Doing simple day to day tasks has now become a struggle. Not physically but mentally. I am only 13 and I have been suffering from panic attacks and PTSD since I was around about 6/7 years old. I never really knew what was going on until I decided it was time to do something. Yet I still haven't really done anything.
The reason I get my attacks is when I am reminded about the past, like many people on here, these attacks can last minutes or hours. But some strange things have triggered them as well.
Does anyone have any advice for me and others who have a simalliar case to me as well. I need to know how to cope with the attacks. When I'm at school I often ask to go to the bathroom but if the teacher doesn't let me I just sit there shaking trying to keep calm. Or I will walk out of the class either way I need to know how I can cope.

 

[shimmerz]

Are you able to get to a doctor Kiera so that you can get a diagnosis? That may well help your teachers understand what is happening to you. Otherwise, can you see a guidance counselor or a teacher that you trust?

 

[__keira__]

Are you able to get to a doctor Kiera so that you can get a diagnosis? That may well help your teacher...

I have in the past. Some teachers understand and have helped me a lot. Where as others just made it worse telling me to suck it up. Saying that it's not a mental health problem so I don't need special treatment from the rest of the class. It's only a small percent of teachers who do that though. I have tried counsellor but it just triggered more attacks. I have just given up with most things now.

 

[0722]

Please, please, please get some help with how you are feeling. What about your tutor who takes the register? (I see you're from the UK and I only left secondary school 7 years ago so I am assuming school layouts are still the same). Do you have a medical person in school? I really hope someone helps you. I am unsure what your past experiences are, but are you close to anyone in your family that could help?

 

[__keira__]

Please, please, please get some help with how you are feeling. What about your tutor who takes the register...

I don't really trust my tutor. He doesn't have the best understanding of things. We have a school nurse who does drop ins every Tuesday . We can see her after school. I have a few times but she had other people to see. I am incredibly close to a lot of people in my family who I do talk to frequently about it. It sometimes helps. If you were wondering about my past experiences well it is a build up of them. The first main one was the death of my big sister this happened when I was 6. That same year my mum had an operation to remove a lump which led her to stay in hospital for about a week. Of course with my experience of hospitals with my sister I was so worried the same would happen to my mum. I was only little so I didn't really understand. Then a few years later my mum was diagnosed with ms. That's where things started to change. I am always texting her to see if she is ok. It's just a big build up of event and other things in between.

 

[0722]

I don't really trust my tutor. He doesn't have the best understanding of things. We have a school nurs...

Are you able to make an appointment with your school nurse who does drop ins?

I can totally understand why you would be worried about your Mum, considering what happened to your sister, I am sorry to hear about her. That is good you are close to your family. This is slightly different, but my parents broke up when I was 11, and I was constantly worried about what was going to happen with everything.

If you need a chat, I am here :)

 

[Justmehere]

One of my favorite things to do for panic is 4 square breathing. An ER doctor taught it to me because it, like most deep breathing exercises, sends signals to the brain to kick in the parasympathetic nervous system which calms the body. It counteracts the sympathetic nervous system which is what goes into overdrive in a panic attack. 4 square breathing is the easiest and fastest thing I've found yet.

This is how you do it - and you can start anywhere. Breathe in 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, breathe out 4 seconds, and repeat 4 times.

I often start at holding my breath for 4 seconds because it seems to be the easiest place to start for me.

 

[Suzetig]

Have you been formally diagnosed with PTSD? If you have, you should have access to various supports eg Mental health services, ed psyc as well as support at school. If not, your first step really is to talk to your GP about what's going on.

 

[Intrepid]

I'm 54 and have pretty much done what you are doing to cope when I'm at work. What else can you do?

It's getting better, though. I found a few really good therapists who have helped me fit in even with PTSD. The best therapists let me take it at my pace, know when I'm overwhelmed and slows things down, and helps me get grounded...often.

One of my favorite things to do for panic is 4 square breathing

My most recent therapist showed me this. She makes it 4 in 2 hold, and 6 out. She has me visualize the squares. It seems too simple, but it really helps with grounding.

 

[Ocean5]

Can you ask some of your old supportive teachers to talk to your new teachers?

 

[__keira__]

Thank you everyone for all of the replies and advice. It will defiantly help me out a lot. It's nice to find people who have been there before and people who can relate to me. I can't even put in words how thankful I am.

 

[Joie]

Hello Keira, I really feel for you. What a lot of loss and pain you've been through in your short life. It's hard for me as an older people dealing with overwhelming emotions like grief, so I think its great you are on here. There are many 'compassion focused' therapists in the UK and one's who are very experienced with PTSD...most are accessible on the NHS. Could one of your close family members go with you and wait while you visit one? Sometimes they have a therapeutic 'broker' chat to you on the phone first to help place you with just the right person. Do let us know how you are getting on?