Exercise and panic attacks

[Trev]

As a few of you know I'm suffering health anxiety. (Sadie describes my situation exactly in her thread "what if this is it this time?" so no point in me repeating it).
I feel I've made a fair bit of progress doing yoga, going for walks etc but my stumbling block has been taking the next step and doing proper aerobic exercise that gets your heart pounding.
Today, I cycled the 3 miles to work but when I got here I felt dizzy and felt like a panic attack was going to kick in at any moment. I held it off but only just.
Has anybody else found that vigorous exercise makes you worse?
Therefore, do I just have to stick with it and it will get better?
It's hard to believe it's good for you when I feel so bad afterwards.
Would love to hear from somebody who has made the transition back into regular "proper" exercise.

(Btw to give you a quick background I'm 38..........on the plus side I did loads of sport at school, mainly rugby and football, then had a few years gap after leaving then went to gyms on and off during college, I did karate for about 6 years and over the past few years did do a fair bit of swimming most mornings, tennis and 5 a side football once a week.
On the down side I spent 2 years travelling with no real exercise, I did ALOT of partying over the past 20 years and I've certainly had my fair share of drinks etc. Diet has been variable from fairly healthy to far too many pizzas and curries!)[V]

Cheers,
Trev

[mico]

Hi Trev

Judging by your brief take on your background you may well be healthier than what you think, not all that many people have had the excercise that you've had over the years, and as you say, your diet hasn't been consistently bad either.

Besides that, the fear is just the anxiety, otherwise you wouldn't have any concerns.

There's no reason at all why you should stop here. Sure, you get dizzy after 3 miles cycling. 3 miles isn't bad at all considering your fears. But, of course, you can do more with practice.

Firstly, you could keep going, it may temporarily make you feel worse, but it won't harm you.

I had a period a while ago when I was getting dizzy under the same circumstances, and I know it doesn't feel nice at all, but during my years of anxiety health concerns have never been a big fear for me. So, I just kept going and eventually after a few weeks the dizzy spells just stopped completely.

What I would suggest you do is just to try and ease into it, go a little further everyday, but accept that the symptoms are just that of anxiety and will cause you no harm. When you feel them come on remind yourself of this fact, then keep going. Facing your fears is the way out, it's just a process of facing these symptoms.

Edit: You may well feel drained afterwards too, but again, that is just the strain the anxiety puts on you. This too will fade with time.


mico

[Meg]

Trevor

Sometimes we learn to associate sensations with panic regardless of their cause so for some dizziness when getting out of a hot bath can feel the same with a fast heart beat as panic rising so avoid feeling that way.

Equally your exercise raises your heart rate and you start sweating so can sort of feel similar as being panicky even though the causes are totally different.

I remember when I was recovering that I went for a hike and said to my friends how lovely it was to have a racing heart beat but for all the right reasons rather than for a panicky reason.



Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[Piglet]

Hi Trev

As usual Meg explained that really well.

You know I'm still at the yoga phase cos I hate getting out of breath and I think I only bring on the crappy feeling cos I'm anxious about exercise.

I am expecting my mini rebounder thingy to come this week so I'll let you know how I get on!!!!

Meanwhile try and do as Mico suggested and just keep cycling, when you are happy with how far then you can extend it just a little etc.

Chat soon

Piglet

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[mirry]

Hi ,

I also have this same problem with cycling, last thursday i felt terrible going to work on my bike ,all dizzy and panicky.
Yet on the sunday evening i felt so annoyed at myself i decided there and then to get back on my bike and go the same route.......this time i did very well indeed and cycled with a huge grin on my face!

On my paul McKenna hypnosis cd he says when u feel anxiety creeping up on yourself greet it positively saying "im excited" not something negative. I am working on this idea daily.

Good luck and believe me when i say "you are not alone"

mirryx

[Meg]

Excitement and fear are exactly the same thing physically.

Its just the thoughts that you insert that creates the difference

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[Trev]

Just back from yoga so feeling all chilled out now. Thanks for the replies. I'm feeling as good as I've felt in a while.

Mico, thanks for recounting your experience. It's good to hear it from people who have been through it. I'm determined now to just try and push through it. The biggie for me is going to be getting back into some proper swimming and accepting that the resulting pains/tightness in the chest is just muscle fatigue!!!

Meg, thanks again. Your comments always seem to hit the button. That's just what happens. I get sweaty, faster heartbeat, and then I start thinking "What if?". Then I might get one of those funny heartbeats where it feels like you've missed a beat and wham, thoughts go onto looking out for all the signs of what's happening to my body. And of course, like you say, they are normal reactions to what I'm doing.
It's going to take time I suppose. In fact, when I look at it logically now is was only 7 months ago when I could barely walk to the end of the road. Over a period I then forced myself to walk round the park for longer and longer and although I felt terrible at the time, I can now do it easily without a care. Logically, it's going to be the same thing with this aerobic exercise thing. It's just keeping that logical thought when the moment of truth arrives. So much of this seems to hinge on confidence. Like the walking round the park thing. Once I knew I could do it then it just got better as my confidence increased.

Mirry, good on you for your achievement. I'm going to try the "I'm excited" approach and see how that goes.

Piglet, obviously I know exactly where you are coming from. Going back to when I started walking round the park it really scares me to look back at how bad I was at the time. There is a slight hill at one stage and I was shuffling up it like I was 300 years old. I didn't even realise I was like it, I was so tied up in my own inner thoughts of not over doing it and being anxious not to raise my heartbeat. Now I can do as many laps round the park at a normal to fast walking pace as I feel like doing. It's taken a while but if I can do it, then you can do it.
Keep me informed on your trampette. I want to hear all about Piglet's first successful flight

Cheers,
Trev

[Meg]

**In fact, when I look at it logically now is was only 7 months ago when I could barely walk to the end of the road. Over a period I then forced myself to walk round the park for longer and longer and although I felt terrible at the time, I can now do it easily without a care. Logically, it's going to be the same thing with this aerobic exercise thing.**

Thanks for the kind words ..

In fact -admit it- you're doing great !!!!

Yes you're right confidence is the pivotal key. Build it up slowly and it will stay.

Be proud of your body and know it is doing its best for you at all times and sometimes we have to accept it knows better than we do ie in order to keep up with you it needs to speed up heart rate and get rid of energy by products in sweat.

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[Trev]

You're right Meg, I am doing great. I've never been one for self congratulation. I find that sort of stuff very difficult to deal with. I'm great at praising others though!!! However, when the boot is on the other foot I just shy away from it and just want to get on with things. Given the state I was in at Xmas time to where I am now it's a HUGE improvement. Even I can see that and I know friends have seen it.
This morning I feel the best I've felt since this started I think.
The comments on here have really helped.
I'm not yet back at work 100% and just need to finally banish these thoughts of dying at any moment but they are definitely coming less frequently as I start to actually believe it's anxiety rather than just think it.
Thanks again for your helpful words Meg.

P.S. I'm almost tempted to post something in "succes stories" but the last time I was telling somebody felt OK I had my worst panic attack a few days after!!! But with hindsight I think I know the reason for that one. That was a few days before I found your site actually.

[mico]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">
I'm not yet back at work 100% and just need to finally banish these thoughts of dying at any moment but they are definitely coming less frequently...</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

That is usually a good indicator that your anxiety is subsiding

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">as I start to actually believe it's anxiety rather than just think it.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

That's just the realisations you need, the best way to bring them on is to confront your anxiety and learn by experience, such as you're doing.


Good luck with the rest


mico