About Nashell & LivingWithAnxiety.com

Dear Friend,

My name is Nashell Barnes. I suffered with anxiety-panic attacks for about 14 years. It all started in 1992 when I was a teenager. My family and I were struggling financially, emotionally, and spiritually. It was a very stressful time in my life dealing with those issues and the issues that come with being a teenager.

That's when the panic attacks began.

Then in 1998, after I had my first child, I had the "baby-blues" quite bad. This developed rather quickly into full blown postpartum depression. That's when my panic attacks became even more severe. At one point it was so bad that I didn't get out of bed and barely ate for 5 days straight. I wondered what was wrong with me and why I was feeling the way I was.

When I began having such horrible thoughts and physical symptoms, I was completely terrified. I was literally in a state of panic. I had these intense feelings of my heart beating fast. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I could not take a deep breath. I felt dizzy and sweaty. I felt like I wasn't here or that I was in a daze. It seemed like nothing was real and I had racing thoughts constantly. I had this awful feeling that I was going to die or that I was dying. I thought I was going crazy.

After feeling this way for a long time, it became almost impossible to deal with life's everyday situations. I knew that I needed to get help. If I didn't get help, I was going to be like this forever. I felt like my family was going to be ruined and that my husband wasn't going to understand. That's no way to live life. I wanted a future that was anxiety-panic free.

I went to my doctor and I was put on a low dosage of Zoloft for about 6 months. I took the anxiety medication for only a short time because I became knowledgeable about anxiety and panic attacks, stayed strong, and accepted my life back.

I know how scared I was and that is why I'm here today to help you. I want to help you eliminate the fear of anxiety-panic, not fight it. I want you to know that you are not alone.

For, me not feeling alone was very important, because feeling alone was very scary. I even got terrified when my husband left for work. I felt as if this impending doom was overhead every time I was left alone. I really believed that I was the only person in the world feeling like the way I did. The most helpless feeling of all was that I felt that no one would understand and that everyone would think I was crazy. These feeling prevented me from talking to my family and my doctor for a long time.

Talk to your doctor or other health care professional first. In doing so, this will help you to understand more of what is going on with you, and give you enough information and courage, for you to be able to talk openly with your spouse, family and friends about your condition.

I want you to know that when you do speak to your family, do not be discouraged if they don't understand. Because nobody (unless they are going through it themselves), really knows what it feels like to be so scared that it has you to the point that you think your dying. Support is what you need right now. Understanding from them will come later.

Something else that also has helped me is that I have since learned of two family members that suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. This is also comforting because all this time I had thought I was alone. I wasn't. I was only a hug and a talk away from some understanding. But instead, I chose to wait so long because of the fear and the exaggerated feeling of people thinking that I was crazy. Little did I know that I was only one of millions that suffered from anxiety-panic attacks.

I looked for and found everything that I could find that was available to help me without medication. I knew the only way for me to personally get better was to read, go to some counseling, and listen to some audio books everyday for months until I got it right. Even now, I continue to read alot. I still have certain issues that are a little harder than others, but then I read some more, listen, and talk openly with others for support, which allows me to feel in control again and at peace once more.

I have since had another baby and had no "baby-blues" this time. I am a much stronger person now that I have learned so much and know what works. I want to share it with everybody I can.

The material on this site works. I am personal and honest, and I want whoever is reading this to feel better. I don't want anybody suffering from this to go another day without the help they deserve. I know how terrified I felt. I had such a hard time finding the right road to take to get where I am now. I know these words sound short and sweet, but it was a long road. It took me years to figure out what to do. It even took a long time just to go to the doctor.

Through everything I've struggled with, I always found time to pray. I found that on my own spiritual level, it helped me alot. Praying got me through alot of hard times.

There are so many stories I would like to share. So much more detail about myself and what I have been through, but it's not going to happen on one about me page. Besides, this site isn't about me, it is for you.

I hope that you will take my words, my story, and the material on my site, and get help. Get your life back! Don't wait another day!

Warmest Regards,

Nashell