Panic Attacks

[ChrissyB87]

Hi, I am hoping I may be able to find someone who can help me with my panic attacks. I had my first panic attack a year ago, I thought I was dying. I know thats normal for panic attacks, but I had ingested too much of a mind altering substance which lead me to feel as though I was dying, or had died, or had never existed to begin with. I knew I had a lot of anxiety after that but I didnt have another panic attack until recently. They are becoming a lot more regular, I have now had 3 panic attacks in the last month and a half. I know I'm not dying but every time i feel a little off my mind immediately jumps to that. Its starting to make me depressed. I've been able to atleast deal with this so far, I just want to be able to live my life the way it was before that night a year. Can I ever be like that again??

[Hidden]

Panic attacks occur more frequently due to your fear of them. Your fear is the only thing keeping it around. My first panic attack occurred almost a year ago. It was thirty seconds long and my hearing went really weird, I felt distant, and then my hands were shaking.

My worst attack was about a week after that and that was when I was on the floor, holding my mom's hand. It felt like my chest was breaking with each wave of fear and I remember looking at my hands that were shaking a lot.

These panic attacks became frequent, sometimes once a day. They weren't the kind (everyone's attacks are a bit different due to what we are afraid of) that lasted thirty minutes. They were these weird overwhelming senses of fear that made me feel out of control and like....I can't even explain it. Just know they were scary and I'd end up with a pounding heart and shaky body.

Anyway, I started to....stop seeing them as a big deal. Because they didn't hurt me. It may have felt that way, but they didn't. And that's how to overcome panic attacks; by not seeing them as being threatening to you. Because they aren't. It's just cortisol fueled by your fear being released into your body, activated by your fight or flight response.

I haven't had one of my panic attacks for....I think months. And I don't care if I got one, because they have lost their influence.

If you think like, "oh my gosh, I hope it doesn't happen again," change it to, "if it happens again, I'll be okay. It won't hurt me."

I've had anxiety for four years, but only started experiencing body symptoms and panic attacks last year. It began with a sense of worry (I was drinking a lot of caffeine and heavily working out), that grew into fear for no reason that....tada......produced a panic attack.

But remind yourself: panic attacks aren't harmful. They won't make you go crazy. Minimize them as being your body's response to beig overly stressed.

And yes, panic attacks can happen out of the blue, but that's common and no, not an indication of something else. Your body and mind are just so hyped up that it can react super fast.

[Hidden]

Hello

Do you feel these panic attacks are caused by the drug you were/are taking

BOB

[Hidden]

Hello

As you have experienced panic attacks feels dreadful when we are having them

After you had had your first one & it was so frightening for you somewhere in the back of your mind that fear may lay dormant & now & again raise it's ugly head again creating another panic attack but try & challenge it , if & when it happens tell yourself you know what it is you won't die so let it do it's worse till it passes & they always will

When you feel yourself having a panic attack remember they soon reach there peak & once they have the only way they can go is back down again , keep that thought in your mind

The old fashioned breathing in & out of a paper bag really seems to work till they pass maybe something you could try as well as looking on line at Mindfulness which helps many to learn relaxation techniques

You will get your life back on track & remember you Doctor is there & they are very understanding at acknowledging how anxiety affects their patients & offering support

Be reassured that no one has ever died of a panic attack

Keep reading posts & talking to others that know how you are feeling , knowing you are not alone really helps to

Take Care x