First panic attack, is this normal?

[brentcat]

Hi all. I'm 18, had my first panic attack about two months ago as the result of marijuana (doesn't agree with me obviously), and then again when i went for an MRI (unrelated) a week ago. Since that time I've had dull chest pain on and off as well as tightness in throat and have had to work very hard at times to not have another attack, having maybe 3 close calls with the latest being at the movies this evening. Just wanted to know if this is normal or whether i should have regained complete control by now.

If it isn't normal, would this suggest i have/am being to develop a disorder, or are the panic attacks simply isolated?

I'm quite social, and have just left school. My current lifestyle is a mixture of many different things which may have contributed to my attacks (excessive drinking, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, poor diet, mulitple stressors). With changes, can put a stop to these attacks? Which would be best to start with?

Thanks in advance for your help

[sickandtired]

definitely lack of sleep,exercise and stress,worries etc can contribute to panic attacks (and i imagine alcohol wont have helped)...
worrying about the MRI scan may have brought back some old painful memories too.....
have you had a recent bereavement? or very upsetting incidents?
try not to give too much attention to your panic....try to keep doing your everyday routine....usually the worry about the next panic attack is worse than the attack itself
Im not sure you can ever really stop an attack,just look after yourself,get enough sleep and relaxation,try not to drink excessively and if you do have worries,talk them over with a close friend or family.If you have any painful memories from your childhood,then maybe its time for councelling?
dont let this panic rule your life and stop you doing things you enjoy

[Stormsky]

The thing here is not to let the fear of panic get hold... you dont want years of this believe me! You cant gain control if you have any continuing fears of having another panic attack..
You cant stop an attack, but you can choose not to PANIC... an attack is when you start to feel nervous, heart racing , etc... when this happens dont let worrying thoughts start up, as in, what if im going to die, what if i lose control, what if, what if... its the what ifs that start up adrenaline, and adrenaline leads to panic ... without fuel (adrenaline) you cant panic, it just dies off....
your diet, drinking, smoking etc all play a big part in anxiety as well, you need to try and be more healthy.

[brentcat]

Thank you both for your answers. I'm just wondering when you think i can get back to exercise. Simply running up stairs the other day set my heart racing. I fear that any strenuous activity will lead to an attack. Is it best to rest up for a while? I'm an actively involved in sports and have been held back by a knee injury but i'm ready to hit the gym again, do you think this would be a good idea?

Also, any particular dramatic diet changes you would recommend? Exclusion of coffee for example?

[Stormsky]

Exercise is good adrenaline, so you should go to gym.
Exercise will cause the heart rate to go up, in a good way, you just have to not see it as an attack !! as its not...
Sufferers often mistaken exercise adrenaline and heartrate as the start of a panic attack... two different things.... exercise is exercise and you will know yourself that your heart rate goes up while exercising, all normal..
And yes cut out caffeine if you can, or if you do have it, dont have much, and defo none before bedtime

[sickandtired]

yes any exercise is good and i definitely recommend giving up coffee......on the day i had my last panic attack,i,d had 7/8 brews.....i limit myself to just one coffee in the morning and sometimes dont bother at all.
i had a back injury last year and really struggled with sleep...i ended up tired depressed and other incidents sent me into meltdown.
Ive had to give up netball but am thinking of joining a walking club,as going for walks has helped me in the last few weeks

---------- Post added at 14:22 ---------- Previous post was at 14:22 ----------

also,my doc said to stop drinking tea too

[brentcat]

Can i ask quickly again about alcohol? As mentioned i do not want this to control my life, and i do miss going for a drink with my mates, sitting there sober isn't very fun. I understand this may not be the best thing for my health, but at 18 years old i don't want to miss out because of fear.

Secondly, is it right to assume things will get better in the coming days? Is the anxiety following the attack normal in the days following?

Thank you again for your help so far, and although i'm new to this situation walks have been great for me in this short time so a walking group sounds like a good idea!

[robinhall]

Hi
As a therapist I have encountered many people whose panic was triggered by recreational drugs. The reason people take these drugs to begin with is that they heighten our senses which can lead to feeling 'high' but if a person has been under any stress then THAT can be intensified as well which can lead to a panic attack.

A panic attack can be so alarming that it plays on our mind (no matter what the trigger was) and we can get caught up in cycles of fear which leads to more panic attacks.

Rather than try to work this out through diet or exercise it is very important that you understand the processes that are keeping the cycles of fear in place. Even if you feel a bit better after exercising that won't necessarily take away your fear of the symptoms. Get a book on understanding panic attacks - I recommend Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or try CBT4PANIC which is recommended here on the forum.

Best of luck :)
Robin