Panic attacks in specific situations

Hi, just wondering if anyone can relate or has any advice they can give. I have been restricted for many years now by a kind of very situation-specific anxiety / panic attacks. These attacks, or episodes of extreme fear, all have one thing in common - they all occur when I'm alone.

One very specific situation that has only recently stared causing me panic symptoms is this: I've always been keen to embrace the great outdoors, and have always benefitted from the therapeutic effect of getting out and walking (sometimes running) in the countryside. However, a few months ago, out of the blue came this strange sensation of shaking, dizziness and low blood sugar while out walking. I was okay, and the symptoms subsided as soon as I got back to the car. Now I find that no matter what, if I walk more than half a kilometre away from a road (alone), I get a panic attack and have to turn around and come back.

The general pattern has been, if I experience a panic attack in a given situation, however specific that situation, similar situations in the future will cause this automatic panic response.

Is there any advice anyone can give on this? I am so restricted by all this now, since the number of situations I have to avoid in order not to have a panic attack is ever increasing!

Hello Dave: I believe this is your first post here on PC. So... welcome to Psych Central. I'm sorry I don't think there is any personal advice I can offer with regard to your concern. Hopefully there will be other members who will have suggestions they can share. In the meantime, here are links to 5 articles, from Psych Central's archives, that talk about panic attacks & how to deal with them:

Living with Panic Attacks

5 Tips to Stop Panic Attacks in Their Tracks

Tips to Cope with a Panic Attack

How to Halt and Minimize Panic Attacks

Stop a Panic Attack With Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

I hope you find PC to be of benefit.