Hi All, decided to join you:

[TelBoy]

:D I have had panic attacks since the mid 1980s, during the mid to late 80s they kind of went...now I have got them again!:)) I keep waking up in the middle of the night as though I am being smothered and can't breath,
I feel like I am about to die but after about 10 seconds, I come to my senses and then my heart starts racing, I then calm down and eventually go to sleep again...It is worried me to death... has anyone else had all this? I have spoke to my GP about it, but he just thinks I am just having anxiety attacks... but I say to him, what!! while I am asleep? surely not, and he just nods his head, yes it can be that yes... but I said, yeh, so? but it can also mean other terrible things? and that's as far as it has got.
I have had brain scans, that are normal thankfully, and I have even gone for CBT treatment at the mental health unit... that did me no good really either. I feel OK...but I did get odd feelings during the day, like as though I am missing out on something, or that I am anxious about something, but what I don't know. I have been on heart research programmes for 8 weeks and they did extensive tests on me and said all was fine... and yet I still get these terrible panic attacks.. if I was actually worried about something, then I could kind of understand it, but in the past when I have really been worried about something that is major in my life, I don't get panic attacks!!! it's when I *seem* to be at ease I get them.. am I actually going mad or insane:scared15:? I would be interested to know if anyone else on here has had what I keep getting.:byebye:

[Tanner40]

Interesting that you don't get panic attacks when something extremely stressful is happening in your life. Neither do I! I hold up just fine when the pressure is on. Once the pressure is gone and I think that I'm not stressed, my panic and anxiety kicks in and I can go to pieces if I let myself.
As for waking up out of a deep sleep with a panic attack, it happens to me frequently. Just last night, it occurred and I was up for two hours in a tizzy.

Just remember it's panic and anxiety. They can't hurt you!

[Tufty]

I'm the same - good in a crisis but can breakdown when sat thinking about nothing.

Night time panics are quite common, I wake with a start, my heart races, sweating, feeling scared and it takes a while for it to settle down again. This reduces the lack of restorative sleep you get and this can lead to feeling generally unwell and an increase in daytime anxiety.

If your heart and brain have been tested and are OK, I think it is time to look at what you can do to reduce the nightime panic. CBT didn't work for you, it doesn't for everyone, it maybe worth looking at trying a different kind of counselling or medication. Sometimes it is just a habit we need to break and some night sedation may help this.
Sam

[TelBoy]

:) thanks for replying to me:)) I am glad that others get what I get, well I am not *glad* as such, but you know what I mean eh:)
the hardest thing I cannot cope with is waking up as though I can't breath! I have had an attack when I have been just talking to someone at a table and not really been stressed at all... then all of a sudden, *bang!* it comes on very fast and I just don't know what to do with myself...I ended up running out of the room to try and calm myself but the more I did that the worse it got, then I really did think it was *the* end and that I was on my way out....I have often said to people that I must have been a dreadful person in the life before, because I am paying for it in this life!
I think the thing is with all of us, that although we get some sort of comfort knowing that other people like ourselves get these dreadful symptoms and experiences, but when we have an attack, we just suddenly feel that we are the only ones who know what it is like and that we really are alone with having these damn panic attacks and that nobody can help us... what a life eh:)):weep:

[chromegirl]

Oh boy, do I relate! If it's not impending insanity it's impending death!
I've said that to people also: was I Hitler in my last life? Whatever did I do to deserve this?
It helps to see some humor in it, honestly... ;)