quote:
Originally posted by JeanneJ:
...And yes, stress is often a "trigger" for panic attacks.
Hello Jeanne and Julie. A warm welcome.

During the course of my years of therapy, I learned how to recognize most of the 'triggers' of panic attacks (also learned that I was riddled with them).

The symptoms I experienced were buried deep since I believed that I was really loosing it. When I learned that there was a name for these feelings, I was happy and sad. Sad that there cause for such diagnosis. Happy that I could finally express these 'strange' feelings to a supposed professional that could offer strategic coping suggestions.

I've learned, for the most part, to ignore the symptoms that agoraphobia offered me since I'm single and would have starved. I reeeeallly feel bad for people that suffer from that.

The one that I have NOT been able to conquer is the ones triggered by the olfactory senses. I know where the symptoms came from. The real problem is that these usually take place during the summer since that's when the city is repairing the streets and roofs with tar.

In a nutshell, I was being tortured as a child during a period when the school I attended was tarring the roof. The stinch drifted for miles. During the sexual abuse, I could smell that.

Now, I'm stopped in my tracks each summer by this scent and even more pleasant scents like jasmine and honeysuckle. I have some great tracks going on for myself lately and fear that the summer will send me back into my house and I will loose the momentum I've finally gained to get my life started on a the path it should have been.

These panic attacks have taken over my life. I'm stressed right now with good and some bad stress. I fear the revolving door PA has waiting for me since summer is approaching fast (this is WI so we are still kinda chilled here:( Do you know how to move on thru olfactory type panic attacks. Lynn, Dianne and a few more BW offered some great suggestions that worked for the moment to sooth once I was back safely tucked away at home. I never shared with them that I just didn't go back outside and that I closed my windows last summer trying to avoid what had obviously taken place anyhow. I was stuck at home, panicked. Is there a such thing as circumstantial agoraphobia?

Sheree [Confused]

[ June 05, 2005, 04:57 AM: Message edited by: Sugaree ]