Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Hi all, Just thought I would post to let you know of some changes in my SP.  About six weeks ago I had a bad experience when my parents came to visit. Although I often experience panic attacks along with my SP it generally doesn’t happen with my own family.  This particular day I was completely on edge, unable to sit down, and kept myself busy so as to avoid any interaction…I was a complete mess by the time they left. This freaked me out a bit because I rely on my family as my main social interaction………sad but true! It made me think what the hell was so different on this particular day. Then it occurred to me that the day before, I had about six cups of tea (chocca block full of caffeine).  Although I had always drank tea, six was more than usual. I decided to try to cut down on my caffeine intake and now,  (it’s about six weeks later), my anxiety levels have reduced significantly.   Hey,  I mean alot.:-) Anyway as a result, yesterday I did something that I would not, and could not have done for years. I took my three children out to meet my eldest daughters pen-friend.  Yep, that’s right , I had a picnic lunch with my children and another family I’d never met before, complete strangers.  I stayed there for 3 1/2 hours and quite enjoyed it.  On top of that I wasn’t particularly nervous about it before hand.  I felt almost normal when I returned home! I honestly feel that the reduction in caffeine is helping.  Great hey? Bye for now Lucy (Australia)

Response:

>From: "ROGER & LUCY" >This freaked me out a bit because I rely on my family as my main social >interaction………sad but true!

I can relate to this….but am working on changing . >I decided to try to cut down on my caffeine intake and now,  (it’s about six >weeks later), my anxiety levels have reduced significantly.   Hey,  I mean >alot.:-)

Good to hear that Lucy, I’ve heard that alot about caffine adding to anxieites, But I admit , I’m a big time caffine addict.  I thought about switching to the caffine free colas , maybe it’s worth a shot.   Why is everything I like bad for me?? >Anyway as a result, yesterday I did something that I would not, and could >not have done for years. <snippage> >On top of that I wasn’t particularly nervous about it >before hand.  I felt almost normal when I returned home!

I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, that’s quite a big step IMO. You should be proud, thanks for sharing that. wishing you continued success Pam

Response:

ROGER & LUCY wrote: > Although I often experience panic attacks along with my SP it generally > doesn’t happen with my own family.  This particular day I was completely on > I honestly feel that the reduction in caffeine is helping.  Great hey?

Hi Lucy.  I’m new here but I wanted to tell you that along with my social phobia I get panic attacks too.  I used to drink at least 12 – 15 cups of caffeinated coffee and tea a day about twenty years ago, then gradually cut down so that now I only drink 4 or 5 cups of decaf coffee per day and no tea besides herbal.  I found out that even decaf has caffeine in it and depending on my state of mind for the day it can affect me a lot or not at all.  But things are way better now than they were drinking the real stuff.  One other thing I noticed was cutting down on sugar helped too.  I would like to think that my panic disorder and social phobia are not related but in some ways they interact with each other and cause lots of problems.  Very often I find that my social phobia is heightened because I’m afraid of having a panic attack in public and humiliating myself which tends to make the panic even worse.     Do you find it easy to be yourself with your family?  Sometimes I wish I could be as confident in dealing with other people as I am with my family.  But I guess part of the problem is worrying too much about what strangers think. Well like I said, I’m new here and I’m glad to meet you. Val ———–== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News ==———-  http://www.newsfeeds.com/       The Largest Usenet Servers in the World! ———–== Over 66,000 Groups, Plus  a  Dedicated  Binaries Server ==———-

Response:

Hi Val I used to drink at least 12 – 15 cups of caffeinated >coffee and tea a day about twenty years ago

Wow that’s alot!! Very often I find that my social phobia is heightened >because I’m afraid of having a panic attack in public and humiliating myself >which tends to make the panic even worse.     Do you find it easy to be yourself >with your family?  Sometimes I wish I could be as confident in dealing with >other people as I am with my family.  But I guess part of the problem is >worrying too much about what strangers think.

Yes I do find it easy to be around my family, especially my children.  At home I’m confident in everything I do, say and all the decisions I make.  My children and I get on very well,  we’re very close and I think I’m very approachable. I can dance around the house and sing at the top of my voice into my hairbrush…..the children think I’m nuts(and their probably right)!!!!! Thanks for your response and I’ll read from you again!! Take care Lucy

Response:

>From: "ROGER & LUCY" <RO…@BIGPOND.COM> >I can dance around the house and sing at the top of my voice into my >hairbrush…..the children think I’m nuts(and their probably right)!!!!!

Hi Lucy  Funny you should mention that, I’ve always been very self-conscious dancing and singing (even in the house)  but I’ve been doing it lately trying to loosen up, The looks I’ve gotten from my 13 year old!they range from rolling eyes to disqust to laughter, of course it depends on which music I’m listening to. I often wished I could dance because it is a good feeling moving to music Pam

Response:

I am a big caffeine addict too but I am trying to wean myself off it. No more pot in the morning just to get me going. Of course if I am out all night and have to get up early for work then I still need something

Response:

The first thing my therapist did was to take me off coffee – I can have as much decaf as I want….but not the full 43 bean in every cup type at all….it took a while but eventually I understood why, and it is worth the effort to get off or at least reduce caffeine intake….

Response:

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