Scared

[Sweeshings]

30 year old female, just joined today. I had a panic attack that landed me in the emergency room over the weekend convinced I was going to die. I do not know how I managed to work myself into that state but I did. No one in my family has anxiety problems, nor do my close friends, not that I have many. Over the past few months a sense of impending doom has washed over me and I just can not help feeling like I’m going to die soon, has anyone else experienced this? I have a good but stressful job, a stable home life. I just feel lost.

[Hidden]

Hi Sweeshings, I have anxiety. Ive had it most of my life. I do feel that impending doom. I had a panic attack and went to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. Sense I went to a psychiatrist, he prescribed medication. I feel that I now have more control. I’m not experiencing panic attacks at this time. Anxiety can make you feel your going to die.

[Sweeshings in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for sharing with me, I appreciate it.

[Hidden in reply to Sweeshings]

You’re welcome 😊

[Hidden]

Yes this is why they call it panic attacks, you feel like your going to die, a panic attack won't kill you, hope you feeling better x

[Sweeshings in reply to Hidden]

Before this weekend I thought that I’ve had panic attacks, I was wrong. It’s so hard in the moment to feel like you aren’t going to die. Thank you for your response.

[Sweeshings in reply to Hidden]

Before this weekend I thought that I’ve had panic attacks, I was wrong. It’s so hard in the moment to feel like you aren’t going to die. Thank you for your response.

[CCWilliams]

I have panic attacks and anxiety. Meds help keep the panic under control for me. Anxiety, for me, is a dark hole that swallows me up sometimes. Talking helps me. I am hoping this place will be a place I can get help and give help.

[Sweeshings in reply to CCWilliams]

Meds make me feel so groggy it’s hard to function. I’ve used herbal stuff to control it which works for the most part, until it doesn’t. Talking helps so much when it’s with people that understand. I am hoping to get the same things out of this place. Thank you for reaching out and responding.

[jadelstein]

I had a panic attack today and I am in a really great college program and I am doing well. There was no sense of impending doom, just that I feel like I need to be better all the time. I understand how you would end up in the emergency room, I am an EMT. I have handled some stuff, and now it feels like these courses are beating me. So trust me, I can understand.

[Hidden]

Hiya, so sorry to hear about the panic attack. Anxiety can be related to specific incidents or it can come out of nowhere. I don't think the medical profession are clear about whether it is nature or nuture, such is the complexity of human physiology. In any event, it may not matter where it comes from, it's about recognising it and any triggers. You do mention that your job is stressful and over time that pressure could build up. I suppose questions you could ask yourself are: Do you do activities to relieve workplace stress? Are you satisfied with your home/work balance? I have been in a similar position to you and after many years of looking for an answer, a consultant told me quite simply that I am an anxious person and he gave me a beta blocker to suppress the adrenalin. It has certainly helped, although now and again I still suffer panic attacks, when I am worried about something in particular. The mind is so powerful, negative thoughts can easily overwhelm you. Late in life I have realised and come to accept that we have very little control over events and that bad things do happen, that's just the way life is. All we can do is to have a sense of proportion over our response to events. That comes with practice, possibly counselling, such as CBT therapy, distraction activities, social contact with others, a healthy lifestyle and being compassionate and kind to yourself. Sorry I've rambled a bit here but, yes, I do have some understanding of what you have experienced and can assure you that you are not alone and there are ways of dealing with this. Take care,

[Sweeshings in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your response, it brings me back to one of my favorite psychology classes from college. I appreciate you sharing your experience with me.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

What a lovely response x

[darlagosnell]

Hi! I had my first panic attack 2 and a half years ago. I woke up with vertigo one night and thought I was having a stroke or heart attack. My husband rushed me to the ER where they diagnosed vertigo. I later went to an ENT doc who prescribed 60mg Prednisone for a week, 3 days later I was back in the ER with my first full blown panic attack. That led me to 10 ER visits the first year after my first attack. I was 57 at the time and had never suffered from panic or anxiety in my life. I finally gave in and saw a psychiatrist who explained what happens to us when we first experience panic. That first attack scares us so bad that some of us then begin to fear the next one. Well here I am, over the past couple of years I have had every medical test know to man (lol) and everything is PERFECT! I must be the healthiest 59 year old woman in South Carolina. While I stopped having panic attacks and have not went to the ER since that first year, I still have anxiety. It is hard to believe that we can be so frightened that we just can't let it go. I am much better and feel like I am improving each day. Please do not let yourself get in the shape I let myself get into. I feel like I have wasted over 2 years of my life because of this stuff. Just remember, panic WILL NOT kill you, although it really feels like it. It is just our bodies way of trying to protect us. We release adrenaline and go into fight or flight. It is really scary but no harm has come to me. You will be fine, I promise! If you need to talk, just let me know. I will check here often to see how you are doing. I will pray for you.

[Sweeshings in reply to darlagosnell]

First off my Mom lives in South Carolina and she is around your age, that made me smile because my mom can not understand what I am going through very well so it’s hard to talk to her about it. I’m not sure if that make since at all. Thank you for your support and sharing your story with me, I very much appreciate the thoughts and prayers.

[darlagosnell in reply to Sweeshings]

I am really sorry that you are going through this, and yes I completely understand how much it means to have someone understand what this is like. I have found that unless you have gone through this you cannot truly understand just how awful it is. I know that I probably would not have fully understood it unless I had gone through it. When this first started, I developed health anxiety. I thought I had every disease out there. I was convinced I was going to die or either go completely crazy. The health anxiety has more or less gone away. I have come a long way in my recovery. I promise you, you will get through this. There was a time that I felt I would never get better and I found it very hard to even go to work. I just pushed through even when I was so anxious that I just wanted to run. I'm not sure where I wanted to run but I just felt like I needed to flee. The thing I have found out is that we can't out run this stuff. And the harder we fight it, the more it grows. I pray that God will give you peace. I have read a book about anxiety that really helped me. Dare by Barry McDonagh. He suffered a panic attack that led him down the road we are traveling now. If you get a chance, please check it out. I think it will help you see that what we are going through is pretty much what everyone goes when they first develop panic and anxiety. We feel like we are the only ones going through this but we are not. I will continue to pray for you every day! Please remember that you will get through this and will be much stronger when you do!

[ANXIETYDEpRESSEDOCD in reply to darlagosnell]

I had health anxiety for a while, then it developed into Severe anxiety then depression and OCD, I feel like trying to talk to someone might help, even the slightest

[Harrislin in reply to darlagosnell]

Wow encouraging

[Sweeshings]

It’s actually interesting you bring that up because I’m adopted. The little I found out about my birth mother in my late teens said that she suffered from anxiety problems. My adopted mother gets nervous easily at times but has never shown any signs of anxiety or depression.

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm so sorry to hear your situation, I hope things improve for you x

[Jen456]

Oh yes!!! I know the feeling. It’s a scary feeling right?! I went to the ER twice for same thing. Once I was able to read about why the body reacts in that way, I was able to reassure myself that I was fine. Once i start feeling those feelings I used to try and fight it and it would make me freak out and panic more. So now, I feel like I know my body and I just do some deep breathing. Put my tongue on roof of my mouth and breathe slow and deep. I tell myself that this will pass and I just accept it for the moment. Then I tried meds which helped But the most impt thing is to read the why your body feels that way so u can understand and it will make u feel much calmer.

Best,

Jeneen

[ANXIETYDEpRESSEDOCD]

hey try to take some deep breathes and figure out what is going on, if you are going into histeria I suggest calling a loved one on your doctor/Therepest, i know what it is like, II myself have severe anxiety and know what it is like, i have had so many panic attacks in public areas and it it so stressful, try to be strong