u/Accomplished-Onion85

I'm always doubting whether I'm really experiencing panic attacks.

Besides the mental terror and worries, my primary symptom is intense nausea, along with a racing heart and sweating. My digestion goes completely quiet like it has shut down during these attacks. They last 20 mins - 2 hours. Once I start coming down I can literally hear my digestion come back online. Sometimes I'll have intense shaking like chills in my muscles at the end of an attack.

Does anyone else experience similar symptoms?

Doing awful. I've been with my new therapist for about 8 months with such little progress.

He suggested an intensive program, and I've reached out to a bunch of clinics. But obviously I have no idea how I would manage to actually attend treatment, since it would require me to be in a clinic all day everyday? I've asked about this, and no one is able to provide any help. All they say is that the first days are hard and people tend to have panic attacks. But if I was able to push myself into situations where I'll have panic attacks, I wouldn't have this problem in the first place!

I feel like something is really wrong with me. Apparently normal people with anxiety disorder just decide to attend treatment and force themselves through? But I don't have the mental strength.