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Anxiety Disorders Symptoms Returned

Q. Hi! I have some questions re: anxiety disorders.

1. Is it normal, with anxiety, to have certain symptoms with you always peaking up & down throughout the day? I seem to waiver between lightheadness, headache, chest tightness & a feeling like my breathing is going to stop altogether off & on throughout the day.
2. I have been finding, occasionally, that when I forget a name or something (mind goes blank), I have a flash of panic/terror as I feel suddenly that I am 'losing it" and that all my memory is going (eg. going to forget my name). I then go into brain overload, where I go over certain names or things that I should know to make sure that I can remember things. Of course, in about 5-seconds, I remember the name I wanted but at the time I feel really tight in the head and spacey and it leaves me feeling vulnerable and scared as I am worried it will happen when I am away from home. Is this a common symptom of anxiety?

I have never taken any drugs for my problem. I have been diagnosed with an anxiety problem, which started with panic attacks 5-years ago. After getting help through counseling, I stopped being so agoraphobic and had just started a new job this year. However I was stuck in a lift by myself 3-weeks ago where I had a panic attack (I've always hated lifts) and all my symptoms came back.

I have just started counseling again, but I'm really frustrated with these symptoms returning as I was going so well. I've now stopped driving again and only go to & from work by bus and mostly stay at home. Can bad setbacks occur like this out of the blue; and, if so, are they much harder to get over than the original attack? Thank you for your time and I think the Website is excellent.

A. >1. Is it normal with anxiety to have certain symptoms with you always peaking up & down throughout the day? I seem to waiver between lightheadness, headache, chest tightness & a feeling like my breathing is going to stop altogether off & on throughout the day.<

Yes!

>2. I have been finding, occasionally, that when I forget a name or something (mind goes blank), I have a flash of panic/terror as I feel suddenly that I am 'losing it" and that all my memory is going (eg going to forget my name). I then go into brain overload where I go over certain names or things that I should know to make sure that I can remember things. Of course, in about 5-seconds, I remember the name I wanted; but at the time I feel really tight in the head and spacey and it leaves me feeling vulnerable and scared as I am worried it will happen when I am away from home. Is this a common symptom of anxiety?<

Yes!

>I have never taken any drugs for my problem and have been diagnosed with an anxiety problem which started with panic attacks 5-years ago and after getting help through counseling had stopped being so agoraphobic and had just started a new job this year. <

It is great you did this without drugs. They can sometimes create even more problems.

>Can bad setbacks occur like this out of the blue and if so are they much harder to get over than the original attack?<

Yes, in times of major stress you can develop a setback, but this usually only happens if you still have not lost your fear of the attacks and the anxiety symptoms. Recovery for all of us is the loss of fear of our experience. In times of stress we may have an attack, but because we no longer fear it, it is over within 30-seconds with no residual fear or anxiety. We go from, 'What if' to 'So What!" But harder to get over than the original attack?...it is difficult to say. It is very individual. It really does depend on our levels of fear.

You say you are seeing a counselor. Are you receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? This is the one therapy that works! This is how so many of us have recovered. If you are not receiving CBT, then you may want to ask your counselor to refer you onto a CBT therapist. You are probably aware of how much our thinking plays in the development of our anxiety and panic. This is the reason for the 'ups and downs' during the day and the short-term memory loss. CBT can assist you in targeting those thoughts and can assist you in 'turning' them off so they don't keep on fueling the whole cycle.

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