panick attack nightmare

[R.Barratt]

hello
i used to suffer with panick attacks a long time ago but they just kind of stopped whilst my anxiety and depression got better.
but at the minute my anxiety and depression is massively up and down so now i am having at least 3 panick attacks a day and its horrible i actually feel like im dieing.
i think it links with how im adjusting to my new routine at college and i have my first exam tomorrow and the pressures on. but i need advice to deal with them please especially tomorrow because i need to do well in my exam
please help! :weep:

[PanchoGoz]

Tell yourself why you are panicking: You are stressed, you are catastrophising about your exams, you are panicking over the fear of panicking tomorrow, you are not managing the attacks, perhaps you are not taking care of yourself too well de to stress like not sleeping, eating well etc.
Tell yourself why you should not be panicking: because you don't have to let it get on top of you, you are in control of how you do in your exam and you know you will do fine and if you don't it doesn't matter, you are letting negetive thoughts get out of control, analyse your thoughts objectively
When you feel anxious: relax all your tense bits, smile a bit and let the thoughts go, don't have little panic arguments in your head, don't give it attention, don't do anything differently due to the panic, just get on with what you were doing, don't sit there and focus on it.
Make little flashcards reminding yourself of what to do if you feel anxious.
Remind yourself that you should be focusing on your exam work, your anxiety can wait till after and then you can deal with it.
Most importantly, don't fight against it, just let it happen, it can't hurt you.

[R.Barratt]

thank you very much for that advice but i dont know if i am strong enough to keep that logical especially when its started. i think its also due to the fact that in my exam i am meant to be in a seperate room with extra time but my college havent sorted it out so now im in a room with hundreds of people for my exam

[PanchoGoz]

I was really scared for my exams I thought I would panic - but I didn't. People never do in exams because you are completely distracted. In fact it is the ideal situation for panic as you are perfectly focused! It's when you have nothing to do that it's worst. If you know you can handle a panic attack, then you won't even panic, as you won't be building up fear in you.
Have a routine, or make a neumonic that you can easily remember as soon as you panic.
For example: Stop, float, relax and accept.
Stop is catching the panic.
Float is you letting the negetvie thoughts float on by without you giving them attention.
Relax is relaxing all your tense bits like your hands, calves shoulders and belly.
Accept is you letting the feelings carry on in the background for the time being and getting on with your day. Hope that helps a bit more.