Anxiety and Panic Attacks

[kuzuri-love]

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks a lot lately and I was just curious to know how it feels for others? If you don’t mind I’d love to hear how they affect you and how you deal with it. Thanks in advance!

[Hidden]

Hi Kuzuri, well... there are a gazillion of symptoms and I m sure we all feel more or less almost a billion of these. So you re not alone. During a panic attack I m sweating, then shivering. My heart races up to 120BPM, blood pressure goes up, I m lightheaded and have problems with vision and hearing. Can't even think straight. Otherwise I m suffering anxiety every day most of the time. I feel it mostly around my stomach, like a vibrating, pulsing sensation. I m shaking and often this feeling is creeping from stomach to upper chest... makes me breathless. Deep breathing helps me a lot as well as mindful meditation and muscle relaxation. I have benzos handy nbut try without. Have maybe 1 or 2 per month. I m on beta blockers to calm down my heart so I don t have too many panic attacks. all the best, keep in touch

[kuzuri-love in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for sharing, I appreciate it! I started meditating and reading this book on mindfulness but I kind of abandoned it. I’ll try to get back to it

[Hidden in reply to kuzuri-love]

you re welcome. Yes, try to get back to mindfulness. Once you know what to do it really helps to keep you in the moment. Before I knew about it I always drifted away during anxiety and panic. Now I manage better. I use an app called Aware, the mindfulness coach has a very soothing voice and guides through panic attacks. I have my earphones always in my bag. When severe anxiety hits I listen to the 20 min session on panic, it helps. Hope you find your best way of dealing with your anxiety

[meganhill395 in reply to Hidden]

Do u ever experience actual chest and arm pain from anxiety? If so how do u cope with it? Its destroying my life.

[Hidden in reply to meganhill395]

Yes, I experienced it but this symptom is almost hone, only chest pain sometimes. At first the pains increased my anxiety, I thought that was a heart attack. I always survived so I assumed it s not an attack. I did the folliwing: progressive muscle relaxation. Google it, I have an app for it. By guided relaxation of every part of your body the pains will go. It is usually because we tense up too much when we re so anxious. It still scares me, it still is very uncomfortable and I d rather have it gone. But once the tension is gone you ll feel much better. My chest pain comes actually from a severe tension around the middle of the spine, feeling like a metal cage around my chest. Try PMR (progressive muscle relaxation) and try meditation afterwards, it really calms down. Best of luck to you, and strength

[meganhill395 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much. Will definitely give this a try

Best wishes to you.