Hang in there and get some help. It sure sounds like bad anxiety and there are all sorts of treatments that can help. I tried many and just finished the one that I think may give me some lasting relief. It was a cbt group where they taught us exercises to counter our thoughts that lead to the anxiety, panic and phobias. The reason you feel like you are going tro pass out when you go to home depot is because of the automatic thoughts you are having that you currently are not even aware you are having that lead to the panic cycle/lightheadedness. I was the same way but have made great strides in my cbt group which I just completed. If you cannot finds a cbt group in your area check on-line for more info on it or read the book been there, done that? Do this! By sam obitz, it's a short book and the one we used in my group. Also you may want to see if meds help you as they can make it easier for you to concentrate which helps make the cbt exercises easier to get benefit from also.

St. Ignatius said "who the devil would tempt, he tells not a lie but a lesser truth." in your case, alcohol is a lesser truth.

Ultimately, when you reach for that drink, or that extra plate of food, or that pack of cigarettes, you're attempting to supress your ego, and what you're really doing is taking a shortcut to god (or spiritual sustenance).

It's as if your ego is saying to you, "hey pal, i'm in pain here. I'm tired, i've had a hard day, or whatever... You can't get through this day without giving me (fill in the blank)."

but it is all a half-truth, or half-lie. You've got to fake it until you make it... When you want a drink, have a glass of water and go for a walk instead. Or have a glass of grape juice... Find some other behavior to replace it... When you repeat it enough, you finally discover that your mind and body appeciate the change. Also try the obitz book too...

Good luck

Hi there, same thing happens to me. I have been going to our major shopping centre for years and about 4 weeks ago I had a major attack had to leave my shopping and get out. About an hour after I left the feeling finally passed. Some days I go there and I can get through the feeling other days it is horrible.

My main trouble now is when I go to lunches etc I feel nausious and dizzy and I am so scared that I will pass out and make a fool of myself. Hasn't happened in the year and a half that I have been dealing with anxiety so it is not going to happen.

Bek even if it did happen people would want to help you and there would be no reason for you to be embarrassed. As for the mall you mentioned it is not the mall that causes the anxiety but the fact you now associate it in your thoughts with having caused the previous anxiety which now has your mind on the lookout to be anxious when you go there. Learning how to identify your thinking errors and countering those thoughts will help eliminate these anxieties.

hey there everyone
have had this depression for 3years now and also i got anxiety which i cant control its horrible becuase i keep being sick and cant eat can keep it down as much and my life is falling to pieces. i have got no friends atall becuase they think am not normal becuase i have aspergers aswell but i been to every doctor now and they wont change my medication atall and my phytrist doesent listen to me nor does my cpn she sometimes calls me stupid and also my support worker does that works together. i mean how hurtful can you get with that i also have psychosis which isnt good which scares me everytime but my family dont understand what am going through they say to me stop going on about it even my parents say that and also the people that suppoesed to support me . is saying you get over ur depression and anxiety and psychosis and am askin them to give me advice and like they shout at me which am scared of i get really scared when people shout at me but they always say to me talk about something different or stop talkin about that now please . and even they say to me that they get fedup of me and i just feel so alone in all of this no one can help me and i do cutmyself sometimes becuase of stress i get and then i cry nearly every day aswell and am only 20 yrs old age woman and i been through this 3yrs now and its like no body wants to know me or help me or even listen to me becuase they sat am fedup of you and tell me to shut up. and my psychosis is getting worse and sometimes i have elctric shocks from them does anyone know what i should do i tryed changing my cpn and phytrist and support worker but there is no noe else can anyone please help me. but like my cpn thinkd am attention seeking but am not am just ill and i need help please can anyone read this and my cpn said to me i got to say am ok which am not so i got to pretend am ok i cant say am not becuase she doesent like to hear that that is my community phtric nurse. i mean 4weeks ago i jumped off a bridge but got saved that was becuase of these voices am hearing and telling me to do things plz anyone i need your help i dont know who to turn to or what to do anyway thanks for reading this who ever does. hope to hear from you or people.

Hi Rebsey,
I don't really have any advice for you but wanted to let you know I feel for you and pray that you get the help you need. I am sure you are a nice person and hope someone that can help you will come into your life soon

Rebsey, what do you mean by electric shocks? Do you get them when you're sleeping? You're not alone, yes this happens people will often ignore you or tell you to shut up, unfortunately its human nature, you'd do the same in their position, its the way life works. However, look into the physiological side of things, you might have something going on in your body which is affecting your mind, its worth a look.

Good advice frog