Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Breaking point

nollannewton
nollannewton

Hi all, 



I have been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for the past 4 years. I have quite a specific reason that causes my panic attacks - I am constantly in fear of going blind in the blink of an eye. It has gotten so bad I cannot leave the house even to go to the supermarket. Therapy is a 6 month wait list here where I live, otherwise I'd have to pay. I drink every day to stop the feelings which has caused me to be an insomniac. I am unable to work or see friends, it is ruining all relationships I have. If anyone out there has suffered the same issues, it would definitely make me feel less alone. I understand it is completely irrational to think I am going blind every second of every day but I can't help it. I do not know if there was something that triggered it or what exactly happened in my life to make living normally so difficult. I had such a bad panic attack today I got in touch with 3 different hotlines to speak to someone and all of them were temporarily closed. Doesn't bode well for mental health services. 


I guess I am just venting and hoping to find someone that feels as hopeless as me so we can talk. 



Thanks. 

arfie
arfie
Hello Nollan. Welcome to DS.

Am I an official sadist to be happy dancing over someone else's blindness phobia? I **know** it is irrational, but. . . The irrationality is what makes it a phobia. Phobias are notoriously immune to justing around. If I could **just get over it**, I would. As my personal reality would have it, The harder I just it all, the meaner and more stubborn it gets. I've managed to fret my way to "hysterical blindness" more than once. I wouldn't wish this psycho tick on anyone, but? ? ? Thank you for letting me know I am not alone.

For what it's worth
An alcohol allergy won't let me drink much, but I can fret myself to insomnia without chemical assistance. Insomnia is a common side effect of anxiety, all by its lonesome.
QueenJustine22
QueenJustine22
Hey Nollan! I want to start off by saying that you aren’t alone. I have been dealing with anxiety and been to therapists and on medications since I was 13. I’m 26 now. The thing with anxiety is that so many people run from it, or when they start to feel anxious all they can focus on is how to get it to stop. Tell your mind that anxiety is 100% uncomfortable and 0% dangerous. Ask your mind this question when you start to feel anxious- “ when have I ever gone blind in the blink of an eye?” Start by just taking a walk around your neighborhood or down the street and back. Keep your mind busy. Make a schedule every 30 minutes and stick to your list, don’t give your brain time to think about your anxiety. And I want you to know that these feelings won’t last forever and there is hope. Avoidance feeds the fear. Good luck my friend!
Community LeaderMid
Mid
Welcome to the anxiety board at DS.

You've taken the important first step in writing it out.

Best wishes as you find your better balance.
AmberViolette
AmberViolette
I have very specific phobias as well, I won’t go into details because I don’t want to add another phobia to your list, but I basically have a panic attack every time after I eat or drink. I think specific phobias might be us attempting trying to control situations. We have fixated on one particular fear. I’ve had this phobia on and off for 15 years. I know this is not a cure what so ever, but my therapist said I can live in fear, but it’s no way to live. I would say keep trying to find a therapist, they can really help turn your thinking around in the simplest of ways you might not ha w thought of before. It will take time and much patience but I believe you can get better and lessen the phobia. You are not alone!
nollannewton
nollannewton
I want to thank all of you for your responses. I never thought I'd actually find a community that would be so supportive and helpful. Thank you all for your comments. I am overjoyed to know I am not alone. Hopefully overjoyed is not insensitive to say because obviously, I wouldn't wish anxiety on anyone. But I am so happy to receive all your tips and it has certainly made me feel better.
GirlinCalif
GirlinCalif
Hi nollan,

You are not alone. I have had anxiety for over 20 years. Frequent panic attacks, and I get what you're saying about being afraid to leave the house. Would you feel less afraid if someone was with you when you went out? That helps me greatly.

Taking baby steps is usually how they deal with phobias. It's called Desensitization. Take one step outside, then come back in. Then two steps outside, then back in. And so forth... Doing a little at a time, but keep doing it every day, even if you don't feel like doing it. Eventually you will work up the courage to go further and further from your house.

You have to start somewhere. This type of phobia probably won't magically disappear, even though we wish it would!!!!

Also, while waiting for your therapist appointment, you could look on Amazon for anxiety books, some of them are very helpful. I have read about 50 books on anxiety by now. Also go on YouTube and type in "Anxiety" or "Phobia" and there are lots of free videos on there that hopefully will help you in the meanwhile.
SarafinaJane
SarafinaJane
Hi Nollan! When your body is in the stress response, blood quickly arrives to the areas to help us as humans survive an emergency. So when you have a panic attack, your eyes may have intense pressure because you feel threatened. Maybe that is why you feel like you are going to go blind because the panic attacks feel random and it's the bodies' way of protecting itself by the brain feeling like you are going to blind. Unfortunately, this becomes a fear and something to worry about. So what I'm saying is that there maybe physiological manifestations that become intermingled with a fear/phobia and may grow a life of its own. Be compassionate with yourself. This too shall pass.
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