My Fight with Panic Disorder

Stop Your Panic Attacks

I feel that by sharing my experience with panic disorder that I may be able to help others that are suffering from it's crippling effects. One out of 75 Americans experience panic disorder at some point in their lives, that is over 4 million people. Many do not know what is wrong, and have never even heard of panic disorder. Hopefully, by spreading the word, we can make a difference.

I did not realize it at the time, but my panic attacks started when I was around 8 years old. Whenever I heard a tea kettle whislte, my heart raced and I would panic. I never thought much of that until I turned 18. Not long after my 18th birthday, I was walking home from school when I noticed that I could hear my heartbeat. Shouldn't have been a big dea, but Ibegan to panic. Next thing I know, I am running to a gas station to call my mom to tell her I was having a heart attack. My heart was racing, I felt dizzy, I couldn't breathe, and I felt as if something terrible had happened. But the time I got my mom on the phone, I started to feel better and realized that I wasn't having a heart attack. The symptoms seemed to go away as fast as they appeared. I just chalked it up as something crazy, too much sun, or snickers bars.

About a week later, walking home again, I began to think about the first incident, and suddenly it started to happen again. This time seemed to be worse. I couldn't catch my breathe. My chest felt tight, I thought for sure I would die. Once again, I ran home and felt better once I was home. This continued, sometimes daily until I was afraid to leave my home. I dropped out of college because I was scared to drive alone. I became very depresed as I more and more was a prisoner in my own home.