Have you ever or do you have panic/anxiety attacks??

[Lynn CC]

My DS 17 has had 2 already. When my sister died, late that night after the wake. Also, he doesn't like to fly and he had one, so his doctor told me to get some Benedryl for him and it worked. It knocked him out for the plane ride home. Now he won't fly without it. Those attacks are really scary. He wants to go to college in the Northeast...no more flying for him!
{HUGS} to you all

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would say I haven't had a full blown attack but I get overwhelmed at times usually in the store, mall or when I am driving, my heart starts pounding, I feel disorientated, and can't breathe! So I practice "square-breathing". I put my hand over my mouth and take deep cleasing breathes for a few minutes. It works for me, so far.

 

[KimR]

I get anxiety attacks in crowds, too, exactly like Califlady described...I totally flip out. My mind shuts down and the only thing I can think to do is GET OUT. I don't know if what I have is technically an anxiety attack; I suppose it could be a phobia of crowds as well (or is that the same thing?). I am able to cope at times by blocking everything out in my mind and totally concentrating on getting through the situaion with my sanity intact; however if my kids are with me, that doesn't work because I have to keep tabs on them. I can remember times when I honestly thought I would start screaming and freaking out right in the middle of all those people Never happened, thankfully

 

[Christine]

Yes I get them. I find that Xanax is the only thing that works for me. I've tried therapy, cognitive behavior modification, relaxation techniques, etc.

Mine come in spells and, for me, are mostly due to a chemical imbalance. First off, if my thyroid hormone is too high, that will really send me into a downward spiral of panic attacks. If it is not that it is most often due to a sensory overload--crowds or bright lights, lots of noise. Combine that with being tired and I get very panicky.

For some people, the panic attacks are caused by a traumatic event. In those cases I think that therapy works. For most people, I would say they have a physical cause (either something out of whack in the brain or major organ system). Meds are the best in those cases.

 

[DoeWDW]

There are times at work when I feel so stressed out that my mind shuts down. I literally cannot focus or concentrate - feels like my mind is racing. I get very tense and do think about leaving the building (haven't actually done it yet though). My breathing becomes shallow and my heart races. I feel very anxious.

Is this an anxiety attack??

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by DoeWDW
There are times at work when I feel so stressed out that my mind shuts down. I literally cannot focus or concentrate - feels like my mind is racing. I get very tense and do think about leaving the building (haven't actually done it yet though). My breathing becomes shallow and my heart races. I feel very anxious.

Is this an anxiety attack??

Well, yes it is to some extent; however, some full-blown panic attacks are so bad that you REALLY feel like you must go to the emergency room. Or if they happen in the car, you could literally cause an accident.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I have mini attacks when faced with my fears and phobias.

Before my surgery, doctor's appts, at the ER, dentist appts, and the airport is when I have noticed having them.
I start shivering like I am cold and then my teeth start to chatter and I can't stop them but I am not cold.

 

[legs22]

I am not claustrophobic but then I had an MRI and felt very claustrophobic during the procedure. I talked myself through the MRI. After that I would only get panic/anxiety attacks when driving in the car (a small closed space). It helped if I opened all the windows of the car and turned the air on full blast. The panic attacks occurred less and less and now I don't have them anymore.
I was very frightened when I first had the panic attacks because I had no idea what was happening. You really feel like you are going to die. Once I knew what they were and I was not going to die, I could talk myself through it. It was a matter of gaining control over my thoughts.

 

[Mishetta]

Hi Beth ~ yep....have started having panic attacks everytime I need to leave the house. This started a few months ago & I knew it wasn't normal since I became pretty much home bound for a couple months. Not a good thing. Went to my GYN for my normal visit & told him about this problem with leaving my house & suffering panic/anxiety attacks & he feels it's caused by depression. He put me on Zoloft & has strongly urged me to seek counseling. I made the first step yesterday by calling a Hospice Grief Counselor & she's putting me in touch with a therapist since she didn't feel group grief counseling would be enough for me. (If you remember, I lost my Mom 9 months ago & as time goes on, it's been tougher on me instead of better.)

All I have to say is thank goodness there are meds out there to help those with problems & the other saving factor for me has been that I joined Curves & I feel much better after a work out there. Exercising releases good hormones to help you through those difficult times. I still feel extremely ill before I leave the house, but I force myself & a friend meets me there & after the work out, I'm a 'normal person' again.....for a short while anyway.

 

[Rajah]

I've had some mild ones on occasion in the past, but nothing serious.

 

[Epcotgal8]

I get them too. I believe it is a chemical imbalance in my body or something because I tend to wake up all of a sudden in the a.m. with my heart racing, sweating, rapid breathing, tremors, sometimes I actually throw up and I'm just fearful and don't know why. So it's not like I'm consciously thinking of something that gets me upset, it just happens. I took Paxil for a while and it didn't help. Now I'm on Celexa and it helped for a while but I'm starting to have them again and I'm thinking of calling my dr. about it. I hate it!! When I get them I don't want to move, much less leave the house.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

Haven't had one in a while. I take effexor right now and it seems to help. I have to fly to england in Oct and I know I am going to need help. Just watching a plane take off makes me start to feel shakey. I did start to have one last week as I am trying to get my meds adjusted....felt it coming and went for a long fast walk. It seemed to help. I am much better at calming myself than I used to be, but without the meds...YIKES I can't imagine what I would be like.

 

[MidwestPiglet]

I've had anxiety almost my entire life, and a few years ago started having panic attacks every single day. Not fun!! I thought I was on death's door almost every day for a year.

I went through the Midwest Center for Stress & Anxiety's tape program, and finally found relief. They walk you through practical steps to stop panic attacks, and give you ways to change your negative thinking. It was such a relief to know that I wasn't crazy, there are so many other people with problems with anxiety.

You're not alone, and there's help and hope for you!