panic attacks

[Proteinpower97]

I have klonopin for a rescue med when I have panic attacks but it leaves me in more of a tired state. I have panic attacks when my routine is changed at work so idk what I’m supposed to do? My doctor won’t change the type of medication for my panic attacks until the 20th. Anything work for you guys that is natural?

[Agora1]

Hi Proteinpower97, as fast acting as Klonopin and other meds can be in reducing the

effects of Panic Attacks, the results are also tiredness. I remember being on meds

years ago that reduced my panic and anxiety states but left me having to take a long

nap each day. I felt that I wasn't living a full life but just existing from one pill to another.

Thats when I started researching other ways to reduce anxiety.

I found the "key" that works for me and that is "Breathing".

When we are confronted with changes or stresses, our adrenaline tends to rise causing

our mind to believe we are in danger. Once we believe we are, the fear grows until we

are in a fight or flight state of panic.

With breathing properly, we can basically calm the adrenaline rush before it peaks.

It can lower our b/p and h/r and calm us down without the side effects of tiredness.

It's a win win situation all around. The problem is that it is not an overnight success.

It takes time and patience and practice but it works. xx

[Blearyeyed]

Sorry you suffer with panic attacks.I realise it must be so hard and you should be proud of yourself for trying to find a way to cope with them.

One thing that can occur after a panic attack , no matter which medication you take , is called an ' Event Hangover'.

People with extreme Migraines get the same thing , sometimes called a " Headache Hangover".

As Agora pointed out a panic attack affects you physically not just mentally because it sends your body and nervous system into , ' Fight or Flight' mode.

In panic , the body overshoots in its reactions because they brain is finding it impossible to tell it what is going on.

The nervous system overreacts with the amount of hormones it sends out like Cortisol and Adrenaline to make your responses go up a gear to cope with the Emergency.

These hormones put your body into high alert so that it can respond quickly to the real or perceived threat.

It raises your heart rate , which can feel like palpitations, it raises your blood pressure , and these also raise your temperature.

The quicker circulation of blood around your body can cause lots of symptoms like chest pain, headaches, wobbliness and dizziness.

This is partly because we need to get more oxygen at the same time , often causing us to breath too quickly or hyperventilate.

You also use up a lot of the bodies hydration and many nutrients while your body works hard to defend you.

This reaction may be more extreme but it is actually your body still doing it's job well in a time that your brain reacts to a thing it believes to be a threat.

Once the panic is over, your body gets a sudden drop in these hormones so your Nervous System can return to 'Rest and Digest' mode.

Whether you are on medications or not , your body feels like it's been through a big threat. It's used up a lot of energy and felt a hundred different responses throughout it .

Going through a panic attack , even if you are not moving about while you have it , has put your body through the equivalent of activity of a marathon or a big night out.

This is why it aches so much and you feel so tired.

Your Nervous System is also busy pumping out other hormones to tell you your body and brain need time to rest and recover again, just like it does when clearing away the toxins of a hangover.

It needs time to rebuild its strength , restore hydration and nutrients and cope with reducing any stress or inflammation in your muscles that may have occurred when you body and brain were so tensed up.

We need to listen to the body and brain and give it some time to heal.

Agora is right .

One of the best ways you can turn around the ' Fight or Flight' reaction from the Nervous System is to learn Deliberate Controlled Breathing.

Deep Breathing exercises tell the vagus system to help the body calm down .

Distraction strategies help to redirect the brain and body to doing other tasks which trick the Nervous System to believe it has other more important tasks to do deviating it away from the physical responses that make the attack so severe.

You can get help learning these breathing techniques from charity websites that deal with mental health issues.

Or , it is worth seeing if your health provider can send you for a CBT and breathing course that teaches you the techniques to help relax your brain and body during an attack.

Vagus and Deep Breathing is similar to the breathing techniques taught during COVID to improve the flow of oxygen to your body and reduce your heart rate.

Breathing techniques whilst sitting with legs raised make the biggest natural impact on reducing how strong a panic attack will be.

Sipping cool water is also helpful.

The coldness in the chest distracts the nervous system to concentrate on regulating your body temperature instead, it's a trick I need to use with my Tachycardia health issues.

It also helps you to breath more easily and prevents dehydration making things worse.

Distracting your mind as you breath with counting or visualising relaxing things with eyes closed helps.

Keeping a hair bobble on your arm to gently snap also diverts your bodies reaction to a smaller touch response.

You can also do activities whilst breathing and drinking in a comfortable seated position with your legs raised in a cool space.

Activities can be looking for various three things lists : things of one colour, one shape , pointy things, things that tell the time etc.

Tapping out a slow tune on your lower arm with your fingers, if you find one that you can slowly breath in time with it can help you breath as you should too.

Play it in ear buds at the same time quietly if that is helpful for you.

And , gently tap your feet, or take your shoes and socks off , have a soft fluffy cushion with you and rub your toes and feet in the fabric.

If you need to you can also create some Mantras such as , " I know what's happening, I know I will control this, This will pass, I can help this pass"

All of these sensory distractions , redirect your nervous system and brain to respond to more positive , less threatening stimuli and stop giving it's attention to a panic response which spirals as you also worry that you can't do anything to stop it.

It's also helpful to speak to HR and work and see if you can have a quiet space to go to or sit in when you first feel tension rising in your body to help you reduce how many panic attacks you have , and get yourself a work buddy , whose written down in paperwork to have permission, like yourself to be with you , or nearby , to support you by keeping work mates away from you and bringing you things like water and distraction supplies to help you during the process.

You will get there , believe in yourself , take care , Bee