trish that is so true. You really hit the nail on the head with that explanation about the creative and analytical sides of us at war with one another. I've found that staying busy creatively is very helpful to me when I'm feeling anxious, I guess if I get some of it out it all doesn't build up inside and turn against me with the scary thoughts. That cable guy was exactly the kind of person I was talking about,people like him are the reason so many of us won't talk about how we are feeling and seek help for our disorder. My mother in -law draws disability because she suffers from severe depression and has been hospitalized several times for it, so I know how you feel, people see someone who doesn't appear to have anything wrong with them and they make rude comments.

Me too Pamela. And society is poorly misunderstood, I draw disability due to my attacks and agoraphobia, once a repairman came to my house to install cable wires, and I met him at the door. He said uh do I have the right house, says here the woman is disabled. I said yes, I draw disability. He said you look fine to me, I was looking for a woman in a wheelchair. Almost in a condonscening tone and look at me. I did report his comments to the supervisor, as even though I know things could be worse, I can just imagine him saying this to say a lung or kidney transplant person who is recovering or something. It was just the audacity of the man that got to me. With our creativeness and analytical abilities, sometimes I think this is what hinders us. Our creative side is so great our imagination can come up with the worse case scenarios in this disorder, while our analytical side is just as powerful, trying to analyze and make logic of the physical aspect of it. It is almost like a war between the two within us. Trish

trish, I agree those of us who suffer from this disorder do think more deeply and feel emotional pain more deeply.Not only our own , but others too. This can be a good thing if we can only learn use it more positively and not be so self destructive with it. It doesn't help to have a world full of people who don't understand what we go through and tell us to just get over it or snap out of it. OH well guess I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but this is something I'd rather live without.

Hi Pamela, Yes I did see the site before and looked over it again tonight. I fit the category now per'se due to my panic disorder. But to have taken it before my panic attacks began, no I would not have been classifed as such. I could take on many tasks, wasn't rattled to get more. I wasn't easily startled and still to a degree am not. I do agree that we are more observant people and in tune to others moods, even before our disorders began. I think it is part of our nature along with compassion that we have, analytical and creative abilites that is quite often shared with panic sufferers. Trish

I have this book, along with the workbook. It's ok, but yes, think I too am a HSP. Just another label ;)

Trish I dyou've noticed any of the posts about the website The Highly Sensitive Person, but there is a quiz on there you can take to determine if you are highly sensitive. I'm reading the book and it's very insightful because HSP usually do suffer from panic and anxiety and we are more compassionate and caring. We are good at taking care of people.And about the safe person, most panic sufferers do have a safe person, my husband is mine.

LJ, It is very normal to have a safe person, 90% of panic sufferers do. Just as my husband is mine. Reason for my setback 4 months ago, I had him home with me for a year, was used to having me here when I got up, went places, and went to bed, and when he went back to work, OMG, my world fell apart not having him there. Especially for 9 hours total at night. Because it played my mind worse, that the only other person I could call (although she wouldnt be able to come to my home she lives a bit away) is my mother and I would freak out over the thought of waking someone up at 2am or 4am saying Help Me! I worry over the health of my husband too, I have heard this lots with others like us, I attended a support group years back that has since disbanded. First time I went there, the room was pretty full about 20 of us, 10 sufferers, the other 10 the safe persons. We worry for our safe persons also. I think one of my worst times was about 3 years ago, my Husband had a heart attack scare, (Thank the Lord, it wasnt, only Angina, but enough to keep him in the hospital for a few days) when I arrived at the ER room, after seeing him off in the ambulance, I called my father in law to take me, when I saw my husband, I start feeling the panic, and he could tell. Here he was hooked up to BP, EKG machines, tubes in his nose, and IV's in his arms, and I was shaking and sweating and heart racing so badly, I started to reach out to him. He said he knew I was having a starter attack, and surprised I didnt end up in the bed beside him. Then they wouldnt let me stay at the hospital they kept him in ICU, and I had to come home, I was crying for him, my mother was in another state on vacation, and knew I was totally losing it, and she called up my sister to come stay with me, till my husband got better and home, we have two children too, and have been married 20 years this May. After he got home, relieved he didnt have a heart attack, I told him, I best go before you do, because there is no way I can handle life without you. We still talk about things like that occasionally since his mom passed away this year. Weird, you think sometimes and worry you cant handle something and somehow you do. I worried the whole year his mom was sick, will I be able to attend the funeral

Trish, thanks so much for the reply. Lastnight I just had to vent. I'm just so tired of it all, and how unfair this thing is. It's so easy to say, you [b]Can[/b]control it, or better yet, "Get through it", but darn, it's [b]Hard[/b]and scary to boot. I don't mind hard, but scary is my problem. Question. Is this part of Anxiety, and is it normal, or am I crazy. My only [b]TRUE[/b]safe person is my fiance. I guess because I'm so close to him, as well as dependent upon him, that even when I'm with family, if I haven't made [b]Contact[/b]with him, at some point in the day, I feel even [b]More[/b]panicy (sp). And if I don't speak to him, even if I'm with family, doesn't matter who, I will go into a panic attack. I'm [b]ALWAYS[/b]thinking that something is going to happen to him. It has been about the last two, perhaps three years, out of seven that it started. Maybe it's because now we've been together so long (7YRS), as opposed to in the begining years? Oh, who the hell knows, but it's crazy. I guess because I feel as though he's all I [b]Have[/b], even though I do have family, but don't feel comfortable with them. I'm the black sheep, in the sense that I don't, and never did, feel comfortable around them. I'm "Normal", their not, but perhaps now that would be an understatment. :confuse:.....lol But does anyone else feel that way? Talk about [b]EXTREME[/b] seperation anxiety! I can't wait to start with my new therapist on Friday, as I hope he can help me sort all of these feelings out, and perhaps give them meaning. It's so scary :( Thanks for listening!