I have been feeling bad for over three months.. I havnt been to walmart or any deptment store since the first of Aug. I had a really bad panic attack at walmart and have been avoiding going places.. So for the last three months, I have only went to church and the Doc. I am so tired of allow this disorder to dictate my life. I am going to make myself go to kmart. Its close to my house so I wont have to drive that far... I am not going think about it and stress over it,,, but I want to write this down so I kind of have like an obligation to go...
So wish me luck
thanks
louane

hello louane! I really feel for you. I used to love shopping~and Walmart was a favorite,but these HUGE supercenters are not enjoyable to me anymore. I like going to the smaller grocery stores and I really like Dollar Tree and Big Lots. Like you I just hate it that I cant pick up my purse and race out the door. Thank God for Ativan~it allows me to get out and get my errands done. I also have to go to football games(every week) to see my son play. The tall steep stadium is really tough for me. But with Ativan(and some prayers) I get through it. I hope Kmart goes well for you. We no longer have Kmarts here and I sure miss them. Let us know how you do!
best of luck~RR~:)

You can do it Louane,

I had to force myself recently too. It was hard the first couple of times. I took a friend with me. It helped me alot.

Let us know how you make out and buy something nice for yourself.

deb

Louann, you sound like me....First part of Aug I fell apart after being off meds for 4 months...Only went to church & grocery shopping with alot of anxiety...well I just forced myself out the door thinking "well, if I die..I am going to heaven & that is better then this" Are you on any meds? Good luck

louane you are on the right track by forcing yourself to just go. I know it probably isnt feeling like its a good idea but it really is and the more you just go the less the anxiety will have that fear hold on you.. when i first started having panic attacks i was just like everyone else and had that horrid fear of having them in public places.. I do not have that at all anymore and i did it without meds.. i am not saying i am any better then anyone else because i did it without meds, if they help you by all means take them. Even on my worst days i am still able to go out.. i may feel like crap but because i had forced myself to go even when i was feeling anxious it no longer has that hold on me.. thats not to say it isnt still bothering me in other ways now and then but i am at least able to get out of the house when i want to..

Good luck!

Louane,

You are doing the best thing you can do for yourself by making yourself go. I spent a year barricaded in my home after my third child was born. 1987 That is when the major anxiety started for me. Forcing myself out was hard but it’s the only way we learn to cope with doing what needs done.

One thing that helped me a little is looking around at the people and realizing that at least half of them are feeling somewhat the same way. I never knew that others had the same feeling from anxiety I did until I started talking to others about it.

Remember nothing bad is going to happen to you. Worst case...you leave the cart and walk out. Who cares, right? Think of it this way..."I am in control of this situation. I am here because I want to be. If I don't like it I can leave whenever I want."

I hope this helps...I really do know how difficult it is to get back out there.

Blessings,
Kathy

Well I hav'nt went out yet , but the day isn't over yet. I tried a few hours ago, I got in my van and i felt ok. drove a few blocks and my mind started raceing and my mouth got real dry. I just freak out.. So I am going to go later with my huband,, I think that would be better to take someone with me..
Thanks everybody, I will post later tonight...
I use to not be this bad, I use to go places and drive even if I felt anxiety and panic, but ths latest episod is so different its notihing like what I went before. Before my anxiety and panic came and went and I had some good moments, but this time, I am living in a state of fear 24/7. I never have a axieixty free moment.. even when I am sleeping I have theses werid dreams that when I wake up I feel like I just wiped out.
I am really going to try to go out later, I dont want to take a nerve pill but I might have to..
thanks again
louane

Louane,

Regardless if you do make it out with your husband Hooray! If you didn't Hooray-because today you TRIED, and that takes guts, so you made it a few blocks, that is more than you made yesterday. Don't be critical of yourself, at least you are in the mindset of trying it come H or high water.

God do I know how you feel! There is so many like us I suffered for such a long time thinking I would get over the anxiety/panic feeling I got when I would even think about Walmart or any other shopping place let alone attempt to go there yes you do sometimes have to make yourself go cause you need something and no one else will go for you. I finally did go to my Dr. and started 5mg of Lexapro and have stayed at that for 2mos. I can now go there and tons of other places at ease! This was the one for me I seriously think you should consider some kind of medication It made me feel like life is so much better I'm not afraid of the big bad stores anymore. Whatever you decide I wish you well! Jules P.S. I find talking to people in the store will distact you from anxious feelings.... ;)