After seeing a psychologists for the first time about my generalized anxiety / panic attacks last February, I was doing much better with my anxiety. I was going to the gym, using the coping techniques and getting my Crohn's disease under control which all helped to not just reduce anxiety but there was a couple of months I thought I had beaten it completely! I got cocky and then it hit me again out of nowhere. I don't remember now what it was but I started to panic one day, probably feeling some symptoms and thinking I had health issues. So I went back to counseling and started doing better again. Learned new tools and was recommended this website which has helped tremendously.
Then right before New years eve, I had a panic attack while trying to get some sleep after work. I felt chills, my stomach was upset and felt lightheaded which I had been feeling for the past couple of weeks. I no longer ignored it and ran to the ER thinking it was my Crohn's acting up, which it was but not so bad that I needed to go to the ER. Everything was good, blood work, EKG and even the CT Scan showed same type of inflammation from my disease but nothing bad. I went on vacation the next day and tried to hack it the 3 days I was away with family but felt anxious the entire time. Had a panic attack one morning that I only got 3 hours of sleep and woke up very panicky. I used the techniques I had learned to calm myself down but it was a frustrating experience.
Most of my anxiety and panic comes from feeling symptoms and since I have Crohn's which causes many types of symptoms, I always seem to get anxiety and even panic when symptoms are strong enough. I should be great full and feel blessed because I have my Crohn's pretty much under control (no surgeries in over 15 years with the disease) but instead I continue to have setbacks and panic for stupid reasons. It's frustrating. I feel tired a lot and don't know if it's the Crohn's or my anxiety. I get lightheaded and same thing. Doctor says blood work is fine and my scans are pretty good so I am thinking it's just anxiety. It's a real pain. Sometimes I feel like quitting. Not worrying anymore. Not trying so hard anymore...
But then another side of me wants to keep fighting. Not only to cope with anxiety but to beat it! Can we completely beat anxiety or will we always have setbacks? I refuse to believe that we can't rewire our brains and go back to not having these panic attacks. There was a time I didn't get panic attacks. I had my first panic attack around age 33. I am now 37. Any advice or feedback from those who have been battling this longer or from our health professionals?
