Panic/Anxiety Attacks

[Lilyrayne]

Hi all. I was wondering what exactly a panic attack is like.. I have them, I think, but not sure if that's what they are. A few years ago I was diagnosed by my GP with "generalized anxiety disorder" but I think there's more to it than that. What happens when you have a panic attack?

This is what happens when I think I have a panic attack, or the worst ones anyway. These usually happen when I am under a lot more stress than normal, and everything gets to be too much and I have a breakdown...

The first thing is I usually start crying and I feel extremely frustrated, then I start hyperventilating to the point that I can NOT get any oxygen and I start freaking out because I can't stop crying and hyperventilating at the same time, so it makes it worse... it feels like someone is standing on my chest, and my throat closes up and I can't seem to get any air in. Then I start to get nauseated and shaky and really scared. I just sorta lose it I guess.... then I feel weird for a couple of days after it's finally over. Sometimes they get bad enough that I think I literally lose it and I get suicidal sometimes. Sometimes it's sudden like someone flips a switch, other times it's the result of stress-related anxiety building up and coming to a head.

This doesn't happen often, I would say only about every 3 months or so. When it does, it usually lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. But I feel weird for days after.

I have other "episodes" of weird things going on, but I don't know if those are the result of the anxiety or a physical medical condition I have, but I do know that what I described above does not have anything to do with my condition.

I'd appreciate input from anyone, especially those knowledgable about panic attacks and such.

[Epiphany]

Basically, what you described are the symptoms:

Palpitations, pounding heart or accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feeling of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Derealization (feeling of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Numbness or tingling sensations
Chills or hot flashes

It varies from person to person. As you said, usually they do occur during stressful times, but sometimes, they can happen out of the blue. It is said that:

it occurs suddenly, without any warning and without any way to stop it.
the level of fear is way out of proportion to the actual situation; often, in fact, it's completely unrelated.
it passes in a few minutes; the body cannot sustain the 'fight or flight' response for longer than that. However, repeated attacks can continue to recur for hours
Attacks that meet all other criteria but have less than four of the common symptoms are referred to as a "limited-symptom" attack.
Four percent have recurrent panic attacks--more than two within a small period of time (six months or one year) with at least one month between attacks.
The key symptom of panic disorder is the persistent fear of having future panic attacks. If you suffer from repeated (four or more) panic attacks, and especially if you have had a panic attack and are in continued fear of having another, these are signs that you should consider finding a mental health professional who specializes in panic or anxiety disorders. (Since at times it can be hard to distinguish between panic attacks and the disorder itself)

I don't neccesarily have panic attacks, but more or less symptoms of paplitations and overwhelming fear of losing control. However, that is mostly in association with my anxiety disorder rather than panic disorder or an actual panic attack.

[pocketfullofrain]

i was diagnosed with an anxiety problem over a year ago. i havn't had really bad attacks like you described, i get pain in what seems to be my bones and joints. i get frequent headaches and want to sleep all the time. i'm not sure if my problem is anxiety anymore. i havn't seen a doctor or psychologist in months. anyway, i get the shortness of breath and i get really bad pain in my chest. my doctor said it all had to do with anxiety. i also get really bad stomach pains. i get a lot of physical symptoms. i hate it. but my mind goes crazy too, i worry about the pain and everything, literally everything. and sometimes nothing. i just dont think about anything and i start freaking out. i think it's just the pressure im feeling lately all pilling up. i can't handle it. but i should be able to, i dont have that much pressure on me. my life is ok. but i just get so upset and confused and angry and just miserable sometimes. this doesn't connect directly with what you were saying, but i just had to get it out of my system, tell people who know what it's like how i'm feeling. i like this forum.

[Andy73]

Don't take life so seriously ... sometimes it is good to do the opposite of what the cultural pressures surrounding you would have you do. Don't run from the most negative aspects of your mind, confront them head on and show them who is boss. Refuse to be neurotic, resist what society would have you believe about yourself. Freely lose touch with reality when your inclination is to cling to what you believe is real. Always insist that you have the right to peace of mind.

Your fears arise from socioeconomic realities, but the shrinks won't always admit to this. Go to the source of your fears and completely confront that which scares you most. Don't hold onto life too tightly.

I, personally, flat out refuse to be what the shrinks would make me into. NO ONE TELLS ME WHO I AM!!!

I simply will not live in fear, I will sooner let go of life altogether than live in fear. I am who I choose to be.

Once again ..

NO ONE TELLS ME WHO I AM!!!!other than myself, that is

[Lizard Lady]

Wow, I have been on the forum for almost a month now, and only just noticed this thread. Don't know if y'all are still posting much to it, but, thought I'd give a whirl at giving you a shout anyhow.

I agree with an earlier poster, this is a nice thread. I guess there are places out there, online and off that deal with these issues, but, I haven't sought them out, so I don't know. It's comforting in a way, to know you're not the only one feeling this way, so thank you for starting the thread and sharing your experiences.

I have not had attacks like what you describe, but, I have had bad anxiety attacks. I would frequently wake in the night and get them. When my mind would be most relaxed, all of the sudden all of my real and/or perceived anxieties and worries would come at me in a rush. I would get sick to my stomach and get digestional problems. This went on for many years.

It wasn't until last summer when my whole life went to hell that I actually reached out for help. I had been depressed and anxious for as long as I could remember. I am very shy usually, and that I believe is due in part to social anxiety. Even if I want to share with people, I would become paralyzed into speechlessness. As a result I hermitted myself away from the world.

I am not a big fan of medicating, but, when it came to the point where I was so depressed and anxious that I wished I were dead, I asked my doctor about Paxil/Zoloft. It actually has helped me quite a bit. It generally keeps me from getting so worked up that I'd get myself sick over things like I USED to all the time. It also takes the edge off the worst of the depression. Counseling is another thing that can be helpful if you've an open mind to it. Sometimes it's hard to admit you need that kind of help (it took me 30 years), but, if you can do it, you can benefit in countless ways. That and the loving counsel of my dear hipforum (and longtime friend) buddy Kitty Fabulous has helped me to start changing myself for the better. I am still neurotic, but, not paralytically so anymore. I have learned to let go of some my demons and have become a much happier person as a result.

Ok, sorry, that got a bit (read that as a LOT) off on a tangent....

[sweetdreadlover]

Hi all. I was wondering what exactly a panic attack is like.. I have them, I think, but not sure if that's what they are. A few years ago I was diagnosed by my GP with "generalized anxiety disorder" but I think there's more to it than that. What happens when you have a panic attack?

This is what happens when I think I have a panic attack, or the worst ones anyway. These usually happen when I am under a lot more stress than normal, and everything gets to be too much and I have a breakdown...

The first thing is I usually start crying and I feel extremely frustrated, then I start hyperventilating to the point that I can NOT get any oxygen and I start freaking out because I can't stop crying and hyperventilating at the same time, so it makes it worse... it feels like someone is standing on my chest, and my throat closes up and I can't seem to get any air in. Then I start to get nauseated and shaky and really scared. I just sorta lose it I guess.... then I feel weird for a couple of days after it's finally over. Sometimes they get bad enough that I think I literally lose it and I get suicidal sometimes. Sometimes it's sudden like someone flips a switch, other times it's the result of stress-related anxiety building up and coming to a head.

This doesn't happen often, I would say only about every 3 months or so. When it does, it usually lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. But I feel weird for days after.

I have other "episodes" of weird things going on, but I don't know if those are the result of the anxiety or a physical medical condition I have, but I do know that what I described above does not have anything to do with my condition.

I'd appreciate input from anyone, especially those knowledgable about panic attacks and such.

I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks as well bree.....of course the worst ones are the ones that happen while im at work or during and especially during large family or public get togethers....the only way i personally have been able to fight them is by closing my eyes and practicing a breathing technique my piercer actually taught me. they teach piercers when their customer is being pierced a slow deep breathing is what helps to calm and slow endorphines. it also helps with every other walk of life. u sit and close your eyes and take 5 or 6 very deep breaths as slowly as u can and on the last breath out open your eyes.....its worked for me every time ive used it:)