New here...having a rough time

[sarahs]

Hi folks,


I just found this site. I'm even nervous posting on it! Shows where I'm at with this phobia. Anyway, I have suffered for years with panic disorder, but am very close to being "in remission" thanks to medicine and CBT. However, I'm coming to realize just how much this phobia is related to my anxiety issues in general. If v* didn't exist in the world, I don't think I would ever have had such a bad anxiety disorder.



Seems like lately V* is everywhere. It's going around in my area big time, and my 15 month old daughter was exposed on 2 separate occassions. I'm also a middle school teacher, so I feel like I work in a petri dish. I hate when I hear about an exposure...I spend the next week at least calculating in my head. Like, "Ok, if she was exposed on Sunday but doesn't have it by Tuesday, she's probably ok....but if...." Etc. It's so awful, and just goes around and around in my head until I think I'm going nuts.



One of the hardest manifestations of the phobia for me is that when my anxiety is feeling heightened, I get really frightened of eating. I have to talk myself into every meal, and end up feeling tired and dizzy from lack of food, which I then fear is the SV, so I don't eat....etc.


Does anyone know of a self-help book or program for doing "exposure therapy" on your own?


Anyway--good to be here and thanks for reading!


Sarah

[laneyb]

I havent any experience of treatment, the most I have got to is having a stock of anti anxiety drugs for when I get a panic attack.Most of the time I just try to get by.


Im sorry I cant offer any advice but welcome you to this site which I think you'll find isof massive support when you need it. Im still relatively new to the site but have visitedmore in the last few weeks due to the sv* currently circulating the UK which is on a warpath and seems to be getting everywhere.


Somtimes just to talk about things calms me down and rationalises the fear (well thats what I tell myself anyway!!!)


Laney [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]