After fighting anybody and everybody from the start anxiety was the deal that lead me to retire early. I look back at when it first prolly came on during a fight and it had to be my first fight. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what. It never got real BAD till Hermes and I fought.
I was never even scared when I was gretting ready to walk out I actually loved that part. The part that really got me bad was when the action would stop. That was when the panic attacks would start. It was like putting a clasterfobic person in a box. I wanted out of that ring win or loose.
Now I hate to loose more than anybody I know. So feeling so clasterfobic in that ring or cage that I didn't care if I loss as long as I got the hell out of there. This was when I started to realize what was going on. This is when things got worse. I would be in the back and my only fear was hoping not to have another panic attack and let my skills get me through the fight.
I still to this day can bang with anybody in the gym at mine or any other. I don't fight anymore because I can't get my mind to let my body perform and not have these attacks. I have tried taking meds and spar to see if that would work but NO DICE. Can't spar very well when I feel slow.
I know I am not the only fighter that has felt this way in the ring or cage. I have seen first hand a VERY good fighter by the name of Jason Flynn have a panic attack and just leave the venue before the fights started. He has a win over Dean Lister so he really isn't affraid but can't deal with his attacks.
Just thought I would share my first hand story of my panic attacks!
Anthony Hamlett
Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing.
I agree. I suffer from panic/anxiety attacks, also. Worse feeling in the world. I finally have them in control for the most part, but occasionally they hit me. For a while I used Ativan to control them, but like ICEE said made me feel slow.
That sucks. How old are you?
I suffer from them aswell brought on from ptsd from being wounded in the military. its not fun stuff at all and is hard to explain what it feels like to somebody who doesnt have them.
Props to fighters who are willing to talk about the real aspects of the mental game.
besides meds, have you gone to a therapist to see how they could help? give you techniques to help you deal with them. somone very close to me use to have terrible panic attacks. once to where they couldn't even go to the store. they were on meds for a long time. but now can control them through techniques they've gotten from therapists.
thanks for sharing.
There are people out there that can help you. Have an open mind and give it a shot. Whether it is me, or even someone else, walk away from competing because it is time to walk away... not because you allow your anxiety to cripple you.
Richard Mendelson, MSP
President
Competitive Mindset Enhancement
www.CMEmentaledge.com
www.myspace.com/CMEmentaledge
rich@CMEmentaledge.com
1(888) CME-7114
1(888) 263-7114
Clostraphobic IMO Anthony.
And your entrance when you fought Cole was awesome.
Carry on.
I am only 36. My skills now are better than ever but I still suffer from them fellings once in the ring/cage. I always had them but once I noticed them it was worse.
I tell people it's like this. If your knee hurts and you keep training on it but you finally go to the Doc and when you do you find out you have part of your MCL torn now it's hurts like a SOB. When you reonize something is actually wrong it's real bad.
I miss competing. I got to compete on the highest level there was for my weight at the time. I had alot of fun and fought some wars. I beat some very tough guys and loss to some.
When I watched Karo talk about his panic attacks and he says how bad it was. It makes me remember them days.
10 mg of xanax twice a day for me
crowbar - Clostraphobic IMO Anthony.
And your entrance when you fought Cole was awesome.
Carry on.
Actually I'm pretty sure it's "claustrophobic", but thanks for playing.
ahyeah - I suffer from them aswell brought on from ptsd from being wounded in the military. its not fun stuff at all and is hard to explain what it feels like to somebody who doesnt have them.
I used to have PTSD something fierce (of course, like most people, I was in denial for a long time that I had it); there is actually a treatment for it that works pretty well; it involves staring at a red light that moves back and forth while you bring up the memories of the events that caused the PTSD, which allows the brain to reprocess them. It sounds strange, and I didn't believe in it at all when I tried it (my mom's a shrink and offered to pay for the treatment, so I did it to humor her); however, it worked like magic, and I haven't had an "attack" since.
For real Anxiety and Panic attacks suck. I've tried medicine for them but they made me feel like crap.
I started to suffer severe anxiety and panic attacks after losing a lot of people close to me in a short period of time. It's a horrible illness and one which I think is very underestimated in how severe it can be. Props to Karo for being so frank about it, and I hope he gets over it. For anyone else who suffers even mild phobia or anxiety i'd highly recommend getting a copy of 'The Anxiety and Phobia workbook' by Edward J Bourne. It has helped me immensely.
Thanks to all (Grammer Police excepting :-) for this thread.
ttt
MmmWhiskey -You sir are correct,and I stand corrected.I will not edit my post just so I can be ridiculed & face further embarrassment.crowbar - Clostraphobic IMO Anthony.
And your entrance when you fought Cole was awesome.
Carry on.
Actually I'm pretty sure it's "claustrophobic", but thanks for playing.
appreciate your candor
waits for someone to correct Kirik
(don't ban me! I love you!)