First off - well done you for carrying on and not turning back thats one of the biggest things - turn back once - and you remember it and it makes you reluctant to go out. The fact that you carried on and nothing happened to you (as in your head you thought something might), it should encourage you. Everytime we overcome something like that - it gives us hope and encourages to push forward - whereas if we turn back - it stays with us and we remember it and avoid the situation in future.

I think one of the worst things are 'planned' things. If you know you have to go out at a certain time to meet/pick up someone - you spend ages leading up to it worrying about it - it's easier to just so something on the spur of the moment - no time to think about it.

Thats how I am anyway.

I don't care what anybody says - alcohol IS NOT the solution to anything. You may forget stuff for a while but its only temporary and once it wears off - it creates a bigger low than you started with - hence people feeling worse when hungover.

The biggest thing about panic attacks it the feeling of losing control - if you're in control - it's easier - alcohol makes you lose control , as do certain drugs. The drugs I was prescribes (theres been a few different ones) - made me numb and feeling totally out of control - and that scared me more.

Rob - MAKE your doc refer you to a counsellor (sp) or your local group of MIND - if he won't - ask to see another doc!!

This kind of thing is a serious disablilty - but because it's a mental illness it gets overlooked - you'd get more sympathy if you couldn't go out because you had a broken leg - and thats so so wrong.