Yesterday started out fine...until I left the house for work. On the drive there, I started into a hyperventilation attack. I got to work, tried to distract myself with absolutely no success, left work a half hour after I got there, and ended up in a full-blown hyperventilation by the time I reached home (I only live 15 minutes away from my job). Once I got home I was able to relax and the attack went away, but it left me so drained and my muscles were achy (from tensing and from the cramping that came with the hyperventilation).

I managed to make it to work this morning, but it was the hardest thing to do just to get myself out the door to get here. I'm so scared of having another attack like that one. That's the worst I've ever had and it came on without rhyme or reason (except that I hate my job and dread going to work every single day). Once it started, of course, it snowballed. The panic (can't breathe, can't breathe, I'm gonna die) made the hyperventilation worse, which made the panic worse, which made the hyperventilation worse, and so on. Five minutes after I reached in my "safety zone" (home), it was subsiding.

I can't stand living like this. Am I alone? Has anyone else hyperventilated and been so scared of it happening again that it's all you can think of?

Work doesn't help any. It's a major source of my anxiety and stress and I often find myself in anxiety/panic mode on the drive to work (at least 4 out of the 5 days a week, if not all 5 days). I hate my job. It's a small company, only 8 employees, and I have nothing in common with any of them. I feel so isolated and alone here. Most days I come in, go to my office, and never speak to anyone. I dread it, because it's mainly when I'm alone with myself that all these horrible anxiety thoughts close in on me. It's like torture not having anyone here to talk to...

I just need some reassurance and support from people on this board who know what I'm going through. Please tell me I'm not alone.

I know you aint alone , i felt like this too until I found this site a few days ago.

I have panic attacks for all sorts of reasons, in traffic, in queues, in shops, open spaces etc

If i have a panic attack in a certain place I always have another if I go back to that same place.

I think there more people on here that know more than me and will beable to give you better support and advice as I am new to all this myself

take care xx

:eek: I have this exact problem, I work 30 minutes away, and it is highway, and I sometimes feel like I am going to pass out and get really dizzy.

My GP just put me on Prozac about a month ago. I hate meds, but refuse to live my life this way. I know exactly how you feel, and you are definatly not alone;) .

Maybe talk to your doctor and see if he can help. I am getting better slowly, and their are some wonderful people on here to help you as well. I hit gold, when I found this web page. Hugs to you girl. We are all here for you.......YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Talk to your doctor. Life is too short.........Huggs. Donna!:angel:

Is there any way you could find a different job? It sounds like your job is really bringing you down. People shouldn't hate their jobs. When you hate your job you dread going each day and it's causing you to have problems like this, it's time to find a change. You don't need that. I bet if you would find a job you really enjoyed you'd feel much better. I know it's probably not that easy but worth a try. I hope you feel better today! :)

Take Care,
Tori

Thanks for the words of encouragement, you guys. It really helps to know I'm not alone.

I'm seeing a therapist (since April), but not on meds. I've considered meds, but have just been trying to go au naturale first. They're still a possibility. And after a day like yesterday, even more of a possibility.

I know I need to change jobs, but I can't seem to find a new job. Here's the problem with that (my therapist and I have been over this countless times). I'm a graphic designer, which is a highly competitive field. My salary is on the high-end of the range for designers (it's actually into the Art Director range). The problem is that companies can hire fresh-faced kids out of college for a fraction of what I require as a salary. That's the brick wall I keep running into. Sure, with me they get years of experience, but they just don't look at that. They look more at what they have to pay out than they do at the years of experience.

It sucks so bad that I've started considering changing professions. I just don't know what I'd change to. I have to maintain at least my current salary since I'm the major breadwinner in our household and there's that mortgage to pay...you know what I'm saying, I'm sure. I do freelance on the side and working toward going totally freelance and working for myself, but that's a slow road, trying to build up the clientele so that I'll at least break even. In the meantime, I've also been applying to other places, but I keep running into that salary stumbling block.

It's all making me feel very trapped in my job, which is making it even more miserable...like there's no escape.

hi mustlovedogs ive just tried to sit through a theatre production and after 45 mins felt so odd had to leave. it wasnt a panic it was lots of anxiety and heart thoughts ive settled abit now im home but now i feel a failure and my mum is mad with me, i got so well a few years ago even last year was good but since my dad died 6wk ago my nerves are in a mess.i to am trying to do it without meds i try herbal remedies instead.i totally understand your fear of it happening again im struggling at work i know i need a new job but the thought of how my anxiety will cope with it makes me stay where i am.i hope that in time it gets easier again you are not alone langy x

My job is the main source of my anxiety. My job itself causes a huge amount of anxiety (not stress, just anxiety) but I also work at home which should be a good thing but being stuck at home all day is not good. I know the trapped feeling, too. I have little kids so I don't want to take a job outside of the home because I took this job to be here for them. I could go back into the office to work but then I'd have to pay for daycare and I can't afford that. All I can say is keep trying. Something will work out. That's the advice that has been given to me. Hang in there!! ;)

3 years ago August I had somewhat the same thing happen to me, I have had anxiety panic attacks since I was 18 but didn't know what they were back then. I was driving home from my job that was 50 minutes away (never had a problem driving anywhere before) and all of a sudden I got shakey and sweating and felt like I had to get home, I wanted to get out of my car and run but I got home and felt okay but the fear of that happening again kept going through my mind. The next day I called in sick and then took a 3 week leave of absence to figure out what was going on. When I returned to work the day was horrible and driving home I tried adding numbers in my head to keep my thoughts off of having another attack like that. I quiet my job the next day ( a great job at that) and fell into major depression. I didn't think at the time I was but now that I look back I was. Since that attack my life has not been the same. My anxiety has been so much worse. I gained 40 pounds and lost me. Now I won't drive anywhere unless it's within an hour of home. Excersing is hard for me. When I walk or do any physical activity my stomach bloats way up.

Hi mustlovedogs. I am pretty sure that my previous job is what caused my anxiety to go into high gear. (I've always been an anxious person, but never actually suffered like this before.) I ended up quitting my job, but my anxiety has stayed with me. I had my first panic attack driving to work, and after that I had them every day driving to work, and then just every time I drove. I ended up not driving for about 6 months, and when my boyfriend had to go work in another city I had to start driving again. Somehow I managed. Now I just get them when I drive long distances. I take a little xanax before I drive any long distance and I do OK. I'm sorry your job is that hard on you - I know how you feel. My only suggestions are to listen to music or find some other way to distract you while you're driving. I'm sorry I couldn't be very helpful to you, but I just wanted to share my story so you will know you're definitely not alone.

Thank you everyone. I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one who suffers so much anxiety from work. Yesterday turned out ok. I had to nip my "bad breathing" in the bud a couple of times, but I was able to do it, which has instilled a little more (note I said *little*) confidence in me.

I'll admit it...I did the bad thing of looking up hyperventilation online, but it turned out to be the right thing for me to do--for a change--because I learned something from it. Mainly I was trying to find out what to do to prevent it from getting that bad and what you should/shouldn't do. I found out that it's the gasping and trying to get air into the upper portion of the lungs that throws you into hyperventilation. You're trying to expand your upper rib cage to get more air in, when it's the lower portion of the lungs that you need to concentrate on.

To nip it in the bud before it gets bad, or stop it after it's already bad, you have to relax and take slow steady breaths from the lower portion of the lungs. Basically, use your belly to draw in air instead of your chest. By the way, everything I encountered said that breathing into a paper bag is no longer recommended. Good info to have for anyone concerned about hyperventilating or who has had an attack.

This information has been very helpful to me because it has helped me to stop that "bad breathing" on a number of occasions yesterday and now I feel more confident because I know that it does work. Whew! I'm still nervous, but not *as* nervous.

Thank you again to everyone for being so supportive. That's why I come here. You are all so wonderful. Too wonderful to be cursed with anxiety! :)