coastgirl
29-05-13, 08:11
I have mild panic attacks but I know what they are so I can calm myself down. They never get too bad.
However, I had a terrible panic attack today after getting bit by a spider. It was on my wetsuit and somehow stayed there when I turned the suit right-side out and put it on.
Anyway, saw there was a red mark, and once I confirmed there was a spider there (the dead spider was in the suit) I full on FREAKED out.
I know someone who was killed back home from a wasp sting - a healthy man in his 40's. He had an allergic reaction. So I'm rather scared of insect stings because I feel like you never know.
Being as I've never been bit by a spider, and I had no idea what kind of spider it was (I live in so cal) once that panic set in I could NOT tell if I was having a panic attack OR if it was a reaction to the bite. I jumped in the car and decided to drive to the ER which was only like 2 miles from where I was. I nearly pulled over and called 911 for myself because I thought I wasn't going to make it. I mean, it was BAD. Once I got to the place I calmed down a bit but was still on freak out mode. Basically they said I was going to be fine and just to take some advil or benadryl for the bite. I admitted to them that I couldn't tell if it was a panic attack or a reaction.
My question is this - how can you stop a severe panic attack if there's something like this that happens? Something that could legitimately cause panic-attack like symptoms? I don't want to go into hysterics over every proverbial bee sting. :wacko: It was definitely an over-reaction. Most people would shrug and put some ice on it and see if it got worse. Whereas I thought I was going to die immediately and had a full fledged panic attack.
However, I had a terrible panic attack today after getting bit by a spider. It was on my wetsuit and somehow stayed there when I turned the suit right-side out and put it on.
Anyway, saw there was a red mark, and once I confirmed there was a spider there (the dead spider was in the suit) I full on FREAKED out.
I know someone who was killed back home from a wasp sting - a healthy man in his 40's. He had an allergic reaction. So I'm rather scared of insect stings because I feel like you never know.
Being as I've never been bit by a spider, and I had no idea what kind of spider it was (I live in so cal) once that panic set in I could NOT tell if I was having a panic attack OR if it was a reaction to the bite. I jumped in the car and decided to drive to the ER which was only like 2 miles from where I was. I nearly pulled over and called 911 for myself because I thought I wasn't going to make it. I mean, it was BAD. Once I got to the place I calmed down a bit but was still on freak out mode. Basically they said I was going to be fine and just to take some advil or benadryl for the bite. I admitted to them that I couldn't tell if it was a panic attack or a reaction.
My question is this - how can you stop a severe panic attack if there's something like this that happens? Something that could legitimately cause panic-attack like symptoms? I don't want to go into hysterics over every proverbial bee sting. :wacko: It was definitely an over-reaction. Most people would shrug and put some ice on it and see if it got worse. Whereas I thought I was going to die immediately and had a full fledged panic attack.