History of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

[Sunset_Chaser]

I started having panic attacks March 2023 after hitting my head. Last August was the worst. Since Oct 2024 they went down to about once a month although I also had a lot of anxiety in between. Since Jan 2025 I had one mid march and then several this month 9th-10th. I use coping skills - drink ice water, apply ice to wrists and/or chest, cold showers or alternating cold/hot, breathing with the assistance of fitbit relax on my watch. I also take prescription ativan as needed. The last panic attack I was driving and had to sit in a parking lot and wait for someone to come take me home. So now I'm on edge, worried about driving at all again.

[litethatnevergoesout]

welcome to this supportive and caring community. is there a question hidden in your post or are you just putting this out there. how can we best help you?

[Sunset_Chaser in reply to litethatnevergoesout]

No hidden question. Just hoping someone understands what I'm going through. Makes it easier.

[Dolphin14]

Sunset_Chaser

Your car accident was a very traumatic experience. Is something bringing it back up again?

If your coping skills and your medication are not working you need to reach out to your therapist and prescriber for some help

❤️🐬

[Sunset_Chaser in reply to Dolphin14]

I actually had a car wreck resulting in concussion / traumatic brain injury in 2010. I'm on disability for that. When I hit my head again in 2023 is when the anxiety and panic started. Counselor suggests PTSD related. Sometimes it seems there is a reason (like lots of stress) and sometimes it just comes at me out of nowhere.

[Dolphin14 in reply to Sunset_Chaser]

That is the nature of PTSD. Things creep up when you think you are over them.

Is your counselor able to provide you will trauma therapy?

You will need a diagnosis from a psychiatrist but it's quite possible that's what's going on.

I have ptsd so I speak from experience not medically

[Sunset_Chaser in reply to Dolphin14]

We do talk/ CBT Therapy. I'm not sure how much is PTSD related but will bring it up next week.

[Dolphin14 in reply to Sunset_Chaser]

It's worth talking about

When the things that worked before are no longer working something is going on.

I hope you feel better soon

[Sunset_Chaser in reply to Dolphin14]

Thank you for your suggestion and thoughts.

[Jets94]

hey there, I used to go through the same thing. I used to get panic I drove to the point I would shake and I would fantasize about crashing my car into a wall. But what I realized is, I did not crash my car. I just wanted everything to stop. So I had to strength within me to figure that out thing I figured out is that my anxiety empowered all my negative thoughts. We cannot stop negative thoughts. It is human can control power we give those thoughts. Anxiety is a good thing because it embraces us for possible failures in failures in the past or possible failures. You just have to remember a lot of your thoughts is just from anxiety and you just have to tame it for now. Make a process and follow the process. It would not be cured in a day but every day it can’t get better. Hopefully this helps.

[Winterhart]

I know a person who was fully normal and then had a TBI and ending up with Panic disorder. It is the damage to the brain that causes it. Have you seen a neurologist? Also you can find a neurologist who also has training in TBI induced mental illness. I do not know any advice I could give. I have not delt with anything like this minus that friend I have.