Dealing with depression..anxiety and panic attacks

I am a long time suffer from all 3 and coping with my attacks are awful..Is there anyone out there dealing with the same..When I have a panic attack I can feel it coming on and I lose all control..My attacks from start to finish last about 2 hours of high blood pressure readings to pulses of 140..My heart feels as if it's gonna jump right out of my chest..I do not handle stress well..Anybody else feel the same ?Please share how you deal with this. TY

[Jeff1943]

Panic attacks are very unpleasant to say the least and most people here have experienced them as part of their anxiety disorder. They are caused when our nervous system becomes over-sensitised by too much worry, stress, overwork, loss etc.

Despite the bad feeling they bring panic attacks are harmless insomuch that they cannot damage your mind or body. The problem is that we react to them with fear and the fear hormone this produces only serves to keep our nerves in a sensitised state.

The way to deal with panic attacks is exactly the same as the way to deal with all symptoms of anxiety: we should accept them for the time being knowing full well that they cannot harm us: their bark is worse than their bite. But you must utterly accept them for the time being as calmly and fearlessly as you are able and thereby deny your nervous system the fear hormone that keeps it hyper sensitive.

So when the attacks come do not attempt to fight them, fighting only causes more stress and strain and your nerves need less not more of that, let them come and pass right through the panic.

At the same time you may wish to release the natural tranquillisers your body can produce through the following breathing exercise: breathe in and fill your lungs, hold it for about 5 seconds and then slowly breathe out through pursed lips. And repeat and repeat.

Panic attacks are merely blips in an exhausted nervous system and by accepting them for the moment and relaxing every muscle in your body when they come they will eventually pass. Acceptance is the key to your recovery.

[Hidden in reply to Jeff1943]

I have always been told that if you don't get your panic and anxiety under control that when your blood pressure goes up 147/110 pulse 134 puts stress on your heart and therefore could cause a stroke or heart attack left untreated. A little about myself.I worry about everything.I lost my Father my Mother then my Brother one after another for 3 years in a row.My whole family that I had was gone and I asked God why am I still here you didn't take me too.As I was flying to Michigan for my brothers funeral I had my first noticeable attack when I got to his home and I sat on the couch when someone said that was were they found my brother died.I lost it and felt really funny.I told my son lets go back to the hotel so I can get myself together.On the way there we passed by a ER Clinic and I told him to pull in there I really feel bad.Before I knew it I was in a ambulance to a near by hospital with a diagnosis of A Fib.I spent 6 days in the hospital missed my brothers funeral and was told when I get home see a heart doctor.When I got back home I did just that and ended up having a heart ablation for the electrical part of my heart..It was successful and I only take 1 325 mg asprin a day for that now.This was done in 2014.And ever since then my depression anxiety and panic attacks started.And of course I thought that my A fib had come back.I was then assured I was cured of that and was put on antidepressants Zoloft and Xanax.That worked for a few years,but the amounts of each were always being adjusted.At the end of that I was taking 200 mgs a day of Zoloft and as high as 4 mgs a day of Xanax.It stopped working and then the search for a new drug.I myself realized the Xanax was getting out of hand so on my own I tapered myself down from the Xanax was almost there down to .05 a day ( took me I year almost ) and then my husband had to have a 3 way heart bypass.I had to start taking more Xanax then or my husband would have been in intensive care and I would have ended up in the ER of the very same hospital.I was then put on Trintellix and clonazepam.The Trintellix did not work for me but the clonazepam did.Then they put me on Prozac and that didn't work.So now I am on Effexor ER started out at 37.5 mg then increasing my dose to now 150mg a day and .05 of clonazepam in the afternoon and 2mgs of clonazepam at bedtime.And with all that I still am having depression panic attacks and anxiety.My doctor just yesterday wants to up my dose of Effexor ER to 187.05.I am scared to go up because of the increasing side effects and I am not happy about the high levels of clonazepam.Last year I went to the ER 6 times thinking I was having a heart attack and all of those visits showed to be anxiety attacks.I lost my job because of the meds I take can cause dizziness and I was considered a liability to the company.I feel so useless and every time I have a attack the next day is horrible because I keep thinking when is the next one gonna happen.Plus the company that my husband worked for ( for )16 years sold out and we were told they were going to keep everyone and 2 days before this past Christmas my husband was told he was not needed any longer. What a blow that was..So continued my stress level.My husband is 67 and getting a new job at that age with heart issues is going to be tuff.I myself some days can't even get out of my pj's.I stay in the house and worry and cry what next..I feel awful and can' handle these attacks anymore.Thank God I have a strong support system with my kids and my husband.I am so afraid of all these drugs out there with the terrible side effects.Anything that states side effects could cause irregular heart beats,stokes or heart attacks I won't take.I am 61 years old and should be enjoying life instead of fearing it..Thank you so very much for taking the time and responding to my post....

[Jeff1943 in reply to Hidden]

Notme2018, you have had hard times in your life and yes, you deserve better. No doubt you are emotionally exhausted. So what I tell you now will not make you jump for joy and think 'At last, the answer to my problems!'

But you would be wrong. What I tell you will answer your problems and offer recovery though not immediately.

It is a book, a very special book, written 50 years ago by a psychiatrist whose method, I believe, has brought respite and recovery to more people than any other method.

A book. Doesn't sound very exciting does it? But I believe that if you read this book it will bring you understanding, reassurance and a road to recovery. It's quite short, no technical terms, in fact written as if the writer knew you personally.

It's titled 'Hope and help with your nerves' by Claire Weekes and still available either new or used from Amazon.

I will say no more, but I sincerely wish you better days ahead and closure for your health problems.

[maggief9812 in reply to Hidden]

Have you discussed your fear to take anything that “may cause irregular heartbeat” with your doctor? Do they know you haven’t been taking them? A good doctor has an ethical responsibility to make it clear to you Why they prescribed what they did, and they should answer your questions and fears about your meds. It could be that the med prescribed is the right one for your body chemistry/health conditions. It might be that the risk of rhythm irregularities is a better option than the risk of letting your body continue to live in a anxious state.

I recently had a cheek swab taken by my doctor and sent out to a company called genesight that analyzes your genetic profile to decide what medication is likely to best work for your body chemistry. The idea is to stop/decrease the trial and error as the docs try to find the right medication to treat your symptoms. I don’t know about where you’re from, but genesight bases it’s costs off patient healthcare coverage/economic situation to make sure its affordable for everyone. With my tax bracket it’s costing me $100- which I think is worth every penny to avoid guessing which med will work for me.

[efishman in reply to Hidden]

m 60 and siffer from extreme amxiety anf panic. My chest pounds. the last 2 nights i didnt get any sleep. we moved to a smaller house which turmed put to be a huge mistake. i lived on my house for 30 yrs. i am sufferimg with this great loss.

[Whiteflower5 in reply to Jeff1943]

Jeff, thank you for the breathing tips. I've heard many times that breathing can help, but the directions on how to do it are very helpful!

[TriggerPoint]

The Attacks Themselves ? Do ALL That To Me. I Wouldn't Wish That On Anybody. Going On 30 Years Now... The "ADRENALINE DUMP" Is AWFUL !*.... Knowledge & Learning Helps Greatly.. [ It Takes Some Of The Fear Away ]... But It Also Takes Meds Too...[ for me anyway]

Does This Sound Familiar :

Sudden high anxiety with or without a cause

Heart palpitations

Sweating

Shaking

A "smothering" sensation or shortness of breath

A feeling of choking

Chest pain or discomfort

Nausea

Dizziness or faintness

A sense of unreality

A fear of going crazy or losing control

A fear of dying

Numbness or tingling

Chills or hot flashes

Ect...

An isolated panic attack, while extremely unpleasant, is not uncommon or life-threatening. Panic disorder and panic attacks are not the same thing; panic disorder refers to repeat panic attacks along with worry and concern about having repeat attacks. Panic attacks can be a symptom of other anxiety disorders as well.

You Have Anxiety/Panic Disorders, Then You Have GAD. They ARE NOT The Same Thing Yet They Walk Hand In Hand.

Different anxiety disorders have different medication regimens. Some are preventive and some are designed to cure the problem.

There Are The SSRIs & SNRIs

Antidepressants, particularly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are widely used to treat and prevent a variety of anxiety disorders. Examples of SSRIs that are commonly used to treat chronic anxiety include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). The antidepressants duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor), SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) which act on the brain chemicals serotonin and norephinephrine, and some of the tricyclic antidepressants like imipramine (Tofranil), may also help. [ These Are Basically GAD Meds That CAN Lessen The "Attacks" But It Doesn't Mean They Completely STOP Them All ]

Then There Are The BENZOS

Anxiety medications are also benzodiazepines alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan) .

These Are Prescribed On A "AS NEEDED BASIS" For The "Attack Itself" ONLY. Not The GAD.

These Are Highly Addictive. BUT ! People Become Addicted To Then Because Of Their "Relief Value" & Start Using Them For Their GAD. That Is NOT What They Are For. The SSRI's Are Kinda Like The Pill An Asthma Patient Takes Everyday. The BENZO's Are Like The Emergency Inhaler They Cary Around. [ for a possible "attack" ONLY ]....

Your Symptoms Are No Different Than A Diabetic Needing Insulin or/ A Asthma Patient Needing Their Meds Too.... Your Symptoms Are Just As Real. They Just Come From Another Place In The Body....

You'll Be Fine....

[Hidden in reply to TriggerPoint]

Thank you so much for answering my post.I do suffer from most of the side effects you mention.There is no magic pill.But the search for the right one is getting to me.And to the people that tell me get over it it's all in your head.Until you have a severe anxiety/panic attack you will not understand what I am going through.I had to let go of my best friend of 24 years because she thought I was making things up and never was there to comfort me when I needed her.My therapist told me she wasn't as good of a friend anyways and it was in my best interest to let her go instead of letting her upset me so.I live way out in the country and the only neighbors or friends I have are cows and horses..So my daughter told me to reach out in one of these sights where there are people like me who are suffering from anxiety and depression and panic attacks I might learn better how to deal with things..So here I am crazy or not .

[TriggerPoint in reply to Hidden]

You Are "NOT" Crazy At All My Friend. Crazy People Don't Sit Around Worrying Why They're Crazy. They Don't Even Think About Going Crazy. They Just ARE. You Have A Conscious. THAT Is Why You're Here Reaching Out. That Is A Unreasonable Fear. [ it's normal in all anxiety disorders ]... For ANYBODY To Tell You To Basically "Snap Out Of It" Are Very Selfish Unlearned People... It's Like Snatching An Inhaler From An Asthma Patient Telling Them It's All In Their Heads or/ Refusing A Diabetic Insulin. [ pause and calmly think about that ]

WE Who Are Here w/ Anxiety Disorders & Panic Attacks Are NO DIFFERENT Than Anybody Else Living With Any Kind Of Disorder. OURS Is Just A Chemical Imbalance Of Our Brains.... [ pause and calmly think about that too ]... It Was Triggered Somewhere. Just Like A Diabetic May Not Have Always Been A Diabetic...No Different ?... Fear Is Everybody's Real Enemy In Life... & No ? There's No "Magic Pill" ?... Don't You Think Other People With Disorders Wish They Had A "Magic Fix" Too ?... Just Like Everybody Else With Disorders We Learn To Live With It... There Are Many Different Meds For Our Disorders Also... It's Just A Matter Of Finding The Right Combo... We Need Support Just Like They Do Also... Not Just A Med... They're Not Hiding ? They Get Out There & Learn How To LIVE With Their Disorders... We Tend To Wanna Hide With Ours Because We Haven't Come To The Realization That Ours Is Manageable Too... Learning ALL You Can About Your Disorder Will Help You Cope By Realizing How & Why Your Disorder Works. [ it takes out allot of fear & THAT is a great start ]... I've Been Living With This For 30 Years... It SUX, But I'm Gonna Live My Life No Matter What... & So Will You. You Are A Normal Person Living With A Disorder [ and it IS just as physical as it is mental ]. OUR Chemical Disorder Happens To Be In The The Most Powerful Organ Of Out Bodies. Our Brains. Others That Have Disorders Just Come From Elsewhere In Their Bodies. No Different When It Comes To The Fact That Millions & Millions Of Everyday Folks, Just Like Us, Live With Somekinda Disorder.

You Are No Different Than WE Here Too....

We Are ALL Here For Ya 1000% !*

[samjon1 in reply to TriggerPoint]

You have explained very well what we truly are

[SueSue13]

Everyone has given you great information. I get them as well. When I feel one coming on I try to use grounding techniques: deep breathing, counting, change your temperature (run you hands under cold water), go for a walk. They sometimes help me calm down so the anxiety attack doesn’t get to its peak.

[Seekinghappiness]

Yes. Same. It’s tough. I started EFT tapping and it helps some. I try to do it every morning. There is an app you can download on your phone. I only have the free version. Look up the TappingSolution. I also try and write down things I’m grateful for. It’s a bit forced especially when you have the feelings that we do but it’s a good reminder of what we have vs what we don’t. The rest of the time I just try and keep myself busy so the intrusive thoughts stay away.

[Whiteflower5]

I am so sorry for all that you are struggling with. I don't have problems with anxiety - I suffer from depression, but my 15 year old daughter is struggling with both depression and anxiety. She has had panic attacks that lead to hyperventilating and trips to the ER. It looks like you are getting some great feedback and advice here from others who have experienced what you are going through. The only thing I can add is similar to SueSue13, my daughter's pediatrician (who admitted that she struggles with anxiety) told us that the part of the brain that is responsible for anxiety and panic are the same areas that are used for math. If you can catch the anxiety before it gets too far, or learn what your triggers are, you can use this to help prevent it from coming on. She said that you should focus your brain on math type activities such as counting backwards from 100 by 7s, doing long addition/subtraction problems in a workbook, knitting or crocheting something with a complex pattern that requires focus/counting. We are working on this with my daughter, and it seems to help.

Hang in there! I will be thinking about you!

[TAPNewEngland]

I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. When I feel an episode coming on, I find a safe/quiet space until the feeling passes. For maintenance purposes, I exercise a lot and keep very busy.

[efishman]

I suffer from panic attacks

my chest is pounding from anxiety it lasts all day everyday and its very hard to do anything. last night i didnt have any sleep because of the anxiety. i moved to a different town and I have tried everything to deal with this anxiety. the move triggered the unresolved death of my mother. i have no memories up to the age of 9. i lost my job because of too many days missing i used to be busy that was my coping mechanism to deal with this anxiety it lasts all day everyday. where i live there's nothing to do. i just want to die

[LaPetiteGen]

Oh love, I'm so sorry you are dealing with such a scary issue! Panic attacks can be terrifying. Anxiety is such a nasty thing and causes pain and disruption to our lives! Have you sought help from your doctor and/or therapist? There is so much great advice that has already been shared that I don't feel qualified to add more. Although, I don't typically recommend books or other resources- but in this instance, I feel like I should share this resource with you- The Anxiety Cure by Dr. Hart. Here's a link to the book- bit.ly/2RT3LGh

Praying you find peace and that you can get the help you need to get your anxiety under control.