As some of you guys know, I've been dealing with anxiety problems for a while now. I started seeing a therapist this summer and things seemed to be getting better, but I feel like my anxiety is coming back with a vengeance. Today is my first day of class for this year and I almost had a panic attack in my physics lecture. I felt like I was going to throw up, my heart was racing and I was breathing way too fast. I'm not even sure what brought it on, I just started panicking about how I need to study more for this class and how I'm probably I'm going to fail this class(even though I know I'll get an A or B), and the only thing the professor talked about was the syllabus and a little review from last quarter. I feel like I'm going crazy for panicking about studying and failing when it's the first day of class, there's no assignment or new material. I've got to go to math lecture at 11, and the thought of going to it makes me nauseous, pretty much for the same reasons as my physics class. I even started worrying about the classes that I don't have until next week. :bang: Any tricks for how to ward off panic attacks and excessive worrying? I feel like I just wait them out until I calm down, but it seems like there would be a better way.
Oh, my gosh! What you're experiencing is an everyday occurrence for me. It can be extremely debilitating as it prevents you from doing things that you need to do. The more you think about it, the worse it will get. Just relax and breathe whenever you find yourself experiencing the symptoms that you were feeling earlier. I'm not a medical doctor, but I'd recommended that you try taking xanax. It's really helped a lot; I would have not made it through college without it. I've presented numerous presentations and without it I wouldn't have been able to. It has also helped me become more outgoing and I'm able to be myself without me feeling like I'm being judged. I've try other methods of relaxation, but nothing has worked for me better than xanax. I hate relying on medication, but I'm slowly weaning myself off of it. The side effects are annoying, but the benefits outweighs the side effects. Perhaps you should mention it to your doctor, but then again he/she may refer you to a psychiatrist.
Hi there! As pinklov3ly mentioned, try to find a way to relax and to worry about all at once. You are worrying about things, that you have nothing to worry about. If you re-read what you have written, you are already assuming the worst outcome - in that you already think your are going to fail the class. Try not to set yourself up for an outcome that in all likelihood will not happen. You have syllabus for each class. Go through them and organize your study time. If you don't have a calendar or an agenda, get one, and write down all of the due dates for your assignments and dates for tests/labs, etc... Then, start to organize and prioritize. Alone the act of starting to get organized, can help you in feeling a bit more relaxed. If you know that your anxiety can make itself known at any time, try to avoid situations that could make it worse by keeping up with your studies, and also making sure that you have enough relaxation time in between your studies. If you can, talk with your therapist about your as well, and get some input. I would strongly encourage you to talk to your doctor before taking any medications for your anxiety. You don't want to take something that might actually make it worse for you, or that you are suffering from the side effects to the point, where the side effects outweigh the benefits.
I'm already taking an anti-anxiety, Celexa, at the suggestion of both my doctor and my therapist. During the summer it seemed to help a lot with my anxiety, but now that I'm back at college my anxiety is coming back, though not as bad as last year, I was a total nervous wreck all year. I've been lucky and haven't had any side effects from it I have a hard time not assuming the worst outcome as far as classes go, I always think that I'm going to fail. I've been like that for as long as I can remember, even though I always got straight As until college. :bang:
Try to go into each lecture/lab with confidence. It is easier said than done, but maybe it is something that you could speak about with your therapist as well, if you haven't done so already. One thing you could try doing is to remind yourself of the fact that you have gotten good grades in your previous work. Have you ever tried to create confidence by through telling yourself out loud "I'm going to do well in this course or on this assignment/test"?
