Please let me make tomorrow

[aircooled]

Hello i'm a 28 year old male and have had panic/ anxiety for about four years, but the last four weeks have been horrid one night thought i was having a heart attack.
Been good this week so want to try returning to work tomorrow after being off for 3 weeks, dreading it as it's an hour drive just to get there.
Doc put me on propanolol so putting all my faith in them.
Please let me be ok

 

[jonnyC]

Right firstly lets deal with the drive to work. It's quite a long driver, so you don't want to be thinking for 1 hour about how work is going to be. In your mind in an hour I am sure you can come up with a lot of unpleasant situations.

So distract yourself. The radio is OK at this if it is interesting, but the best way is to play some kind of educational CD, like history or even a audio book. It has to be something that interests you. Play this in the car and whilst you may find your mind elsewhere at times, it will distract, interest you and relax you. Also it maybe something you can talk about later.

Secondly, your not having a heart attack. It may feel like you are, but this is a common effect of anxiety and particularly panic attacks. If you wake up like that, get up, go downstairs and have a warm drink of milk, even try the Su Doku or crossword!

Don't feel that because you are suffering from anxiety that you are failing. You are anxious about work? about talking to people? Don't talk yourself into a rut about being anxious. Anxiety happens to people at all ages, and it is very common.

Propanolol will slower your heart rate so that you will feel more relaxed. See how you get on, but don't over think the situation. Just take it as it comes.