First, good for you for exercising! My wife and I feel better from just taking a walk around the block. We've been down with the flu for a couple of weeks now and are trying to get our energy back. Just to be on the safe side, discuss your exercise routine with your medical doctor. My advice is try breathing deeper and slower to minimize the panic attacks. Often, panting triggers the attacks.

Have you tried anything other than Ativan for your anxiety? Ever tried an antidepressant?

Before getting onto the treadmill you should do stretching exercises that involve deep breathing exercises. When you are on the treadmill maybe you can an ipod, radio, or tv into the mix so you aren't just concentrated on your breathing. Think positive thoughts!! I have always been a heavy girl & I change weights a lot but I notice when I am thinner & I have been working out my panic attacks seemed less than when I was heavy! So just keep at it and more importantly don't be afraid to get back on the treadmill & if you feel yourself becoming anxious just get off & try again later =] Hope I helped a little!

We just bought a treadmill about 6 months ago. I have had one before and I bought it with my 1st husband and used it everyday! Not because I am fat, but to help my anxiety! When you exercise, it releases the happy hormones in your brain! This is good!

So my advice to you is pretty simple! Start off slow, we are not in a race to see how fast we can walk a mile. I had that problem at first too. I wanted to keep walking to see how far I could walk. NOT a good idea the next day! Start off slow!

Stretch before and after you are done, it really does help!

What helped me the most to be a regular on my treadmill is to put it near the TV or with my CD player and with two half hour shows I had walked an entire hour! Music, TV, anything to keep your mind off the panting, as that is a big trigger with anxiety attacks! I do whatever I can do to keep my mind elsewhere.

This time around, not only can I watch TV, listen to music AND watch out my big windows upstairs! I can watch all the people walking by and kind of act like I am outside walking with them, but I do not have to be all bundled up to do it! They are outside freezing and I am inside nice and toasty!

Just try to remember that is doesn't matter how far you walk, how long you walk or how fast you walk, just that you walked! Even if just for 5 minutes at a time, it is ok! Do not be so hard on yourself...I KNOW what panic attacks are like and they can knock you to your knees, so if you can't do it right now, then don't beat yourself up....just take baby steps. Do 5 minutes every other day!

Kudos for you for even trying to do this! You will get the hang of it and find a way to make it work for you! My husband has some heart issues and he got on ours the other day and could only walk very slow for about 4 minutes. then he pulled the emergency key thing to stop the machine. He felt like a failure, but little by little he gets up a minute or so.

Keep us posted!
Good luck to you

You are sooooo heading in the right direction.

First off, congratulations on starting to exercise. This alone (once you get used to the sensations) will do wonders for your emotions. The endorphins that we produce from exercising really help us to think more positively.....not to mention what it does for our bodies...bonus!

The fact that you understand that the sensations of anxiety and working out are very similar is a positive thing. It shows your awareness of your body symptoms..... Increased heart rate, higher respiration, sweating.

Here's the thing though......if you were experiencing these symptoms while in the mall, or driving your car or sitting at your dinner table....this would NOT be normal. When you are on a treadmill, on the other hand, this is not only normal but necessary. You are sending oxygenated blood to those fabulous muscles which are working to improve your health and fitness. This is an extremely positive thing!!!

Don't forget anxiety is a habit . You are now in the process of changing your habits....your views of these sensations are currently a negative.....keep it up though....you will eventually change your brain to see it as a positive sensation. Be kind to yourself ...talk compassionately to your self while exercising. Try saying...."I'm feeling these sensations because my body is reacting normally. I'm working out....I'm improving not only my body but my emotions as well"

True story....I started working out over three years ago to help myself overcome anxiety. Well I turned 50 this year and physically am in the best shape of my life....(and I only work out a half hour every day). I suppose if it wasn't for anxiety I never would have ever gotten in shape. Working out for my mind had a positive side effect for my body....who woulda thunk!

This may sound weird but I have reached a point that I thank God that I had anxiety....it really has made me a better person all around.

You'll get there....keep breaking a sweat! You go girl!!!

Thanks everyone for the great encouragement! Im so glad I found this site! Im just going to continue to push through and just hope it gets easier and easier as I go. Looking forward to seeing hopefully good changes just from finally getting off my butt :)

Got another question...just got off the treadmill doing 10 minutes today just because it actually felt good while I was on it today! I was feeling really down so decided to jump on it and it seemed to really help. When i got off of it today I felt really dizzy. I layed down for a few minutes and feel better now but my legs are a little weak and feel like jello which im sure is normal but is it normal to feel dizzy like that after getting off of it?

When I stop walking or running on my treadmill I stretch out before getting completely off. For one, this is good for your just worked out muscles and two, this gives your brain a chance to readjust to being on a surface that is not moving.

Every time I get off the treadmill in a hurry I get weird feelings....it happens somewhat at the airport on the people movers....when I get off, I feel like I'm barely moving, which makes me feel a bit off kilter.

Do three stretches......Stretch your calves by dropping your heals of the side of the treadmill. Stretch your hamstrings by propping your foot up on something higher then your knee and leaning forward towards the raised foot. Stretch your quadriceps by standing on one leg while holding the other foot behind your butt...tilt your hips upward till you feel the stretch. Take it all slowly. REMEMBER...Pain is not gain while stretching....it should feel good!

My best to you!

I stretch before and after, but when you first start out it is completely normal to have legs that feel like jello!!!!!!!! It is also normal to feel a bit weird in the tummy. Not sick , but if you are not used to exercising, it will go away within a day or too, but yea, glad it helped ya to just lay down. I still get dizzy after I get off mine! I think with anxiety it is just part of the game!

YEA for you for walking 10 minutes! If you get too dizzy just don't walk as long, before you know it you will be a pro! It also helps me to have a wet washrag with me on the treadmill in case I start sweating too badly and I start to feel dizzy. cold feels good and makes ME feel better even when I am having a panic attack, so just a suggestion!

Proud of you!