LEP
05-10-11, 23:47
Hi all
Sorry to post before introducing myself but I’ve got a mental health assessment tomorrow and in the last one I had the assessor really didn’t understand where I was coming from so I thought I’d try to find people with a similar issue.
Panic attack sufferer for 10 years but I make a very clear distinction between my panic and anxiety attacks (my hypnotherapist pointed this out and said he’d never had a client who did this before). For me anxiety attack = mental agitation, feeling physically uncomfortable, stressing about having a panic attack – usually when I’m stuck in a situation I can’t get out of e.g. traffic jam. Panic attack = totally physical response, no mental triggers at all (unless deeply subconscious and I’ve been trying for years to work out what they could be), always after physical exertion, when pulse/temperature are raised, but can be after walking around a shop too quickly or after a full workout in the gym. Symptoms are hyperventilation, weakness = end up lying on floor unable to move (even to prop myself up be sick!), unable to speak, vomiting, defecation, lasts about 20 minutes each time. (sorry for the gory details).
After 10 years I am able to clearly distinguish between the two, I understand panic disorder very well and have no anxiety before or during a panic attack – I simply think about what I will need to do when the attack has finished (e.g. clean up, get some food). The anxiety attacks happen after a bought of panic attacks and I am able to stop them with basic hypnotherapy so they really aren’t a problem. The panic attacks appear to start for no reason, then are triggered by some sort of rise in temperature/pulse/BP but not every time – I am totally unable to make myself have one, I even do the same activities in the same places and nothing will happen. This is really affecting my health as I am unable to do any form of exercise ‘just in case’, I know that sounds like classic avoidance but as explained I have gone out of my way to continue as normal and even push myself to see what is triggering attacks but they still appear a bit random but often enough for me to stop certain activities.
I have had several forms of treatment (usually 12 months SSSRIs, also CBT and hypnotherapy) but I have never been able to get to the bottom of why I have the attacks, I’ve had plenty of physical/medical tests, can get a bit stressed but this does not correlate with the onset of panic attacks, had no big medical or psychological events in my life and overall am a very happy content person with my dream job/house/partner/pet. The SSSRIs generally help with anxiety but don’t have an effect on the panic, CBT was pointless as the attacks are instant and there is no particular time/place/frame of mind/past event to work with and the hypnotherapy can stop me associating activities/places etc with attacks but not stop them completely.
If anyone out there understands what I’m talking about – the physical triggers and difference between panic and anxiety – please get in touch!!
Sorry this is so long but I really haven’t been able to find anyone who can relate to this. Thanks for reading.
Sorry to post before introducing myself but I’ve got a mental health assessment tomorrow and in the last one I had the assessor really didn’t understand where I was coming from so I thought I’d try to find people with a similar issue.
Panic attack sufferer for 10 years but I make a very clear distinction between my panic and anxiety attacks (my hypnotherapist pointed this out and said he’d never had a client who did this before). For me anxiety attack = mental agitation, feeling physically uncomfortable, stressing about having a panic attack – usually when I’m stuck in a situation I can’t get out of e.g. traffic jam. Panic attack = totally physical response, no mental triggers at all (unless deeply subconscious and I’ve been trying for years to work out what they could be), always after physical exertion, when pulse/temperature are raised, but can be after walking around a shop too quickly or after a full workout in the gym. Symptoms are hyperventilation, weakness = end up lying on floor unable to move (even to prop myself up be sick!), unable to speak, vomiting, defecation, lasts about 20 minutes each time. (sorry for the gory details).
After 10 years I am able to clearly distinguish between the two, I understand panic disorder very well and have no anxiety before or during a panic attack – I simply think about what I will need to do when the attack has finished (e.g. clean up, get some food). The anxiety attacks happen after a bought of panic attacks and I am able to stop them with basic hypnotherapy so they really aren’t a problem. The panic attacks appear to start for no reason, then are triggered by some sort of rise in temperature/pulse/BP but not every time – I am totally unable to make myself have one, I even do the same activities in the same places and nothing will happen. This is really affecting my health as I am unable to do any form of exercise ‘just in case’, I know that sounds like classic avoidance but as explained I have gone out of my way to continue as normal and even push myself to see what is triggering attacks but they still appear a bit random but often enough for me to stop certain activities.
I have had several forms of treatment (usually 12 months SSSRIs, also CBT and hypnotherapy) but I have never been able to get to the bottom of why I have the attacks, I’ve had plenty of physical/medical tests, can get a bit stressed but this does not correlate with the onset of panic attacks, had no big medical or psychological events in my life and overall am a very happy content person with my dream job/house/partner/pet. The SSSRIs generally help with anxiety but don’t have an effect on the panic, CBT was pointless as the attacks are instant and there is no particular time/place/frame of mind/past event to work with and the hypnotherapy can stop me associating activities/places etc with attacks but not stop them completely.
If anyone out there understands what I’m talking about – the physical triggers and difference between panic and anxiety – please get in touch!!
Sorry this is so long but I really haven’t been able to find anyone who can relate to this. Thanks for reading.