Dear Debbie;
Recently I have noticed that my heart will start racing for no reason. I get dizzy and shaky too and wonder if I’m going to die. I am nervous about everyday things, like driving. I’ve been checked out carefully by doctors ( I even went to the ER once) and they say I am having anxiety attacks. I know awhile back I went through some rough times but I just put it out of my mind and went on. Could that be what’s making this happen now?
Signed,
Just Want It To Stop
Dear “Just;”
You were wise to start with your doctor in this matter. It’s always good to rule out physical causes of these symptoms and go from there.
Yes, it is very likely that you suppressed the stress from the “rough times” you went through and the body is now dealing with it the best way it knows how. When we go through stressful times, the body senses danger and stores up adrenaline and excess energy. It shuts down normal body functioning so we can have all of our energy to “run” from the danger. As soon as it feels ready, those reactions start to occur. You need a licensed counselor trained in Cognitive-Behavioral therapy and stress reduction to help you process that rough time and get the panic attacks under control.
Best,