But what do you do when the person suffering from the anxiety shuts you out???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl8cgOqrYZU
Thanks, Citizen_Joe.

the fear that I would
come home one day and
find you gone has turned
into the pain of the
reality.

"What will I do if it happens?"
I would ask myself.

What will I do
now that it
has?

My first nasty experiences with anxiety came during my adult basic ed course, ironically one of the most fulfilling periods of my life. While going to school, I frequently had to subdue urges to pick up objects and randomly throw them, either at a wall or someone's head. It was never anger that triggered these attacks, and I'm relieved to say that I never gave in. Interestingly, the attacks were always at their worst in the morning.

Years later, when I was a university student, I would catch the bus to go to class and be fine. Suddenly, while on the bus, I would have urges to shout random phrases and obscenities. For instance, I sat down one day and was fine until suddenly I almost screamed at the top of my lungs, "AMBULANCE!! AMBULANCE!! EMERGENCY!!!" Again, I never gave in to this urge, although that was probably the closest I ever came. Curiously, I was not thinking of ambulances or emergencies when that thought came to me.

I still have these attacks to this day. They appear to be worse when I'm not at home. Always I'll experience an abrupt feeling of nervousness before an attack. However, I have learned to protect my dignity by immediately acknowledging the attack for what it is. I tell myself, "You are having an anxiety attack. The anxiety attack will pass. Life will continue along as normal." The words seem to have power, and I never have the urge to throw things anymore, although the urge to say stupid meaningless phrases out of the blue remains. I believe I may have a mild form of Turret's Syndrome.

And before anyone asks, no I don't use medication, and no, I'm not willing to consider it. Thank you.

I have suffered for years and only in the last 2 have I tried meds with great success.I am not a zombie but panic attacks are rare if I take the meds properly.I feel for all who share this affliction.

i feel for those who share this afflication to. i ran out of my benzodiazapine lorazepam for 3 days because i ordered it late, and the anxiety was so bad, i actually thought i was going to die, i was very relieved to get the meds and then i was fine. some people who havnt experienced severe anxiety dont realise how bad it effects you, its the worst thing ive experienced anyway in my life time.

thankyou, im ok now ive got my meds.
Ouch. I hope things are better now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfvtDJ3qgUk

hello. my name is jason. i know how crippling anxiety can be and how it can dramatically alter your life. in april 2006 i had a major panic attack hit me out of the blue. i didn't know what was happening and was scared to death. scared i was dying. i began to have frequent inexplicable physical pain especially in my chest. i became convinced that i was having heart problems and for the next 2 years i went from doctor to doctor. each time i was disappointed to hear the words "we can't find anything physically wrong with you." everything always kept coming back to anxiety. at one point i went to an outpatient program at a psychiatric hospital and visited a psychiatrist. i took several kinds of meds, both for mental and physical problems. each time some drug didn't work it made me increasingly desperate. within 2 years i lost my marriage, my job, my car, my home and had to file chapter 7 bankruptcy. but i am here now to tell you that i finally found the right doctor and got the help i needed. i have taking prozac for a year. it has been my miracle. now i am in the process of rebuilding my life. if anyone can relate to this and needs encouragement, let me know. if you have a spouse who is having anxiety or depression problems, please don't give up on him or her.