Panic attack at the hairdressers

[phoebe]

Hi,

i haven't been on here for about 4 years as my panic attacks went away with the help of councilling, now they're back and I don't know what to do.

I went to the hairdressers last Thursday, I was really looking forward to it as my hair was driving me mad! Anyway, she'd just started cutting it when completely out of the blue my heart started racing, I then got this strange sensation of needing to get up and run out of there as fast as I could, it was awful and to be completely honest I have no idea how I sat there whilst she finished cutting my hair and blow drying it but somehow I did.

I feel stupid now as the only way I got through it was to keep talking, when I think back I know I must have been talking rubbish but its the only way I could keep my mind off it and also from getting up and running straight out of there (with half finished hair, lol!). I just can't understand why I had one so out of the blue, I wasn't in a stressful situation, I was actually looking forward to it.

Anyway I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since (its now sunday morning) and yesterday evening I had a friend round for a takeaway with me and my other half and it happened again! It didn't last as long as the one in the hairdressers but it happened on 2 seperate occasions throughout the evening and once earlier in the afternoon.

I always thought panic attacks were linked to hyperventalating and shortness of breath so is what I'm experiencing classed as a panic attack? It certainly feels like one, I just thought it strange to have 3 seperate occasions of the heart racing thing yesterday.

When I think back, I've had a few of these this year, I had one when I was having eyelash extensions done (a present from my friend). I was lying there with my eyes closed and felt like the room was spinning, I had to ask the girl to stop( I told her I felt sick, which really seemed to freak her out) she got me a drink and after that I was ok but I felt so embarrased.

Anyway me and the other half are on holiday for a week now, we've got something called 'go ape' booked on wednesday (an adventure course thing) now I am worried that I'll have the heart thing again and of course I know worrying about it now is more likely to bring one on, do I still go? I'm not sure I'd be able to carry on with it if I did.

To top all this off there is a chance that I know deep down what may be causing these, i just don't understand how I've gone all these years without anything happening and now the panic attacks are back but the thing that I think may be causing them is still there, if that makes sense!

Any thoughts or advice would be extremely welcome.

Thanks for reading:)

Phoebe xx

[diane07]

In answer to your question... yes go to the "go ape" the worst thing you could do is cancel it.

Try not to analyse your panic attacks if you can, you had one in the hairdresser and as horrible as it was you stayed and worked through it, you didnt get up and run and nothing bad happened to you.

I recovered from agoraphobia after having it for five years and believe me the worst thing you could do is start cancelling engagements.

If you sit and wait for a panic, be sure it will come, what you need to do is tell it you are too busy having fun and have no time for it and if it does come then you kick its backside as its not welcome.

di xx

[Lindy]

Hello there, definitely don't cancel - tell yourself that if you need to stop or break from it, you can allow yourself to do that, but don't assume you will panic. Once you start avoiding things - well, it can get worse!

I used to hyperventilate with panic attacks and I guess now I suffer (not so much these days but stil recovering) with a similar sort of thing to you. It's the internal panic attack, I always called them anxiety attacks. I'm not sure there is any difference any more, different people have different things. Have also had them in the hairdressers - I suffer more in places I feel I cant' escape, it's quite common :/

If you think you know what might be causing them, maybe now is a good time to think about dealing with it ? Quite often I think I have had delayed anxiety - i'm anxious about things that have in reality already happened..... xx

[potato11]

Hi Phoebe

If you think about it, you panicked when you were in situations you felt like you 'couldnt escape' - somewhere where, if you feel yucky in any way/shape, its a bit embarrasing

so, if you feel any unusual sensation, you catastrophise and run away with your thoughts, which kicks off fight/flight and gives you strange symptoms

and so the cycle goes round

scary but simple

then, when you try to analyse 'why' attacks happen, you get more fearful because the only way you feel you can explain them is there is something 'wrong' with you

so you focus on any strange sensations that pop up - and they will, because your fight or flight mechanism is on high alert for strange feelings, and when it feels one, more adrenaline will be shot out, making them stranger!!

Then you get the good old 'anticipatory anxiety' - whereby you're just WAITING for the next 'episode' - and sure enough one will come along, particularly when you are in a situation where it would suck to have one (as you are more worried about embarrasing yourself, not being able to escape)

I highly recommend the online CBT4PANIC programme and the website that is in my signature :)

[hello]

hello,

if i had to sit in a hairdressers with that chord on the bib thing tied tight around my neck like a noose, staring at myself in a mirror with bright lighting everywhere and then someone breathing down my neck cutting my hair; i think my head would explode.

fortunately i am male and can simply grade 2 my head in the comfort of my own home, beyond you doing the same and wearing wigs, i don't know.

but as for the go ape: the aforementioned hell of the hairdressers, compared to the outside with fresh fresh air, no confinement, "messing about in trees" is a world of difference, i think you should go and will have fun.

[phoebe]

Thank you all so much for your replies, I really do appreciate them. I've had a couple more panic's since I last posted, nothing as bad as the one at the hairdressers but still worrying me. Anyway, I'm really trying to be strong with this and think about something else when it happens, in my head I've been telling the panic to 'f**k right off' (sorry for the language but I have to be stern with it!).

Anyway tomorrow is 'go ape' day, fingers crossed I don't have any strange, panicky moments and if I do and I'll take myself off down a zip wire!Lol! I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again for the support

Phoebe x