Question:
My girlfreind recently left me as a result of her panick attacks, and has
herself commited to an institution because they got so bad.
I was wondering if anyone could help me out, I know nothing about these things,
so I searched on the web, and after reading here, its seems like you fella's
here know a lot about this stuff.
Has anyone here ever been to an institution?, or know how long they will keep
you?0, I miss her a lot, and they will not let me visit her for a couple of
weeks, and I love her so much, that I think I can help her if they let me
comfort her.
I know I sound desperate, but, I am reasonably sure all of you have been in
love at one time or another, and this is a shame.
Answer:
Desperation is pretty miserable place to be when you can't do anything.
If your GF checked herself in, she must have felt at the end of her rope and
even possibly suicidal. Most of us have been through that. It will pass but it
will take TIME.
No one knows WHY your GF ended up with panic attacks but sometimes people
leaning on us so hard it causes us to feel too responsible and that causes
anxiety, and endless days of anxiety wind up in panic attacks.
Lay low, wait for her to want you at her side, right now she is scared and is
very focused on saving herself. Her length of confinement is variable. I was
locked up for a couple weeks, but that was back in the 70's when panic
disorder whasn't really defined. They will find medications (through
experiementation) and she should be able to get back to a reletively normal
life.....but it's gonna be HARD for her and she's gonna suck for awhile. If
you are willing to be there through all of it, and take the stress off her, let
her know.....if they won't let you see her (which is common) find out if it's
the hospital or HER that decided that and abide accordingly. If you constantly
whine at her that you miss her, need her, etc, it's only gonna make her feel
more anxious that she can't be all that you want her to be. PD people are
nototrious for being people pleasers.
there are a million issues here that could have brought this on.......my best
advice is to lay low, cut her some slack and wait to see what SHE wants. And
try to tdo that for awhile.
In the meantime, two excellent books on helping people with panic
disorder.......
"How To Help Your Loved One Recover From Agoraphobia" by Karen Williams,
softcover about $15.......although it says agoraphobia it's mostly about panic
disorder and has spectacular informatoin on how to care for and support someone
with PD. Available from Amazon and most other bookstores.
And Ken Strong's book:
"Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia - Information For Friends, Family and
Caregivers"
..you can order from:
Oakminster Publishing
4879 Cordova Bay Road
Victoria, BC
Canada
V8Y 2J9
$9.95 canadian
$7.95 US funds
I'm from a diferent country but here you are free to go anytime you want unless you
signed something that says different. The best thing they can do for inpatient
treatment, I feel, is experiment with meds and do Copgnitive Behavioural Therapy.
You might want to find out if they do this at the institution your friend is in and
what meds they're giving her. If I were you I would check all these things and see
what else they may be provind in the form of therapy.My heart goes out to both of
you.
