Dear Panicking Penny,
You may have Panic Disorder, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Panic Disorder's sufferers experience panic attacks, which include the symptoms that you described, such as overwhelming terror annd hyperventilation. When your house burned down, that "episode" was probably your first attack. Like many with panic disorder, you have developed a phobia of open or closed spaces. In case you have another attack, you fear that no one will be able to help you. Don't worry, you are not alone, and there are many treatments available to help. In some people who suffer from this disorder, the panic attacks subside on their own. Sometimes, they will stop for years at a time, and only resurface when a person is under a great amount of stress. Although people whose symptoms subside may feel cured, they remain with the fear of another attack. Medical treatment is, as in most anxiety disorders, the best way to go. Like many psychological disorders, treatment includes psychothreapy, medication, or a combination of both. Psychotherapy , or talk therapy, is a very broad treatment option, but a subtype of this method, called cognitive-behavioral therapy, of often used for patients with panic disorder. It is a combinationof observing thinking patterns (cognitive) and behaviors. They observe the "chain reaction" that occurs when a person has a panic attack. They then teach the person to recognize the first signs, and to overcome those symptoms. This will eventually stop the actual attack from ever occuring. Medications are the other option, usually for more severe cases of the disorder. Medications labeled as antidepressants and bendodiazepines are often prescribed to lessen the number of panic attacks, and sometimes even stop them completely. Tricyclics, a subtype of antidepressant, are the most effective group that have been used against panic disorder. Benzodiazepines is a term for a very strong anti-anxiety medication. This includes drugs like Xanax, and Ativan. Before you do anything, the most important first step is to see a doctor. Tell them everything you feel, and about seeking treatment. Always remember that nothing has the right to interfere with your life.
Becca