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View Full Version : How I defeated my panic attacks.



Sclorch
20-01-07, 16:08
I'd just like to tell everyone about how I defeated my panic attacks, first I will give you some background information about me.

I'm a 19 year old mail, I was always really shy as a kid had some anxiety problems but they weren't too bad until I was 13 or so when I started doing drugs, I started getting panic attacks when I started smoking weed, I also became pretty anxious in general. I later discovered hallucinogenic drugs like mushrooms, I had a horrible trip once where a panic attack lead me into an alien and terrifying level of consciousness. I later discovered I had a depersonalization / derealization episode. I'll try to describe it simply here, it starts with extreme anxiety and a real agitated state of mind, sounds became much louder and my mind became really frantic, I couldn't focus on anything I just felt the need to run away (psychologically) all of the sudden I had an intense sensation sort of like the perceptive and awareness jump when you get de-ja-vu, except it was 1000X stronger. It is like driving head first into a brick wall and receiving that sort of jolt. All of the sudden you feel a transition into a totally new frame of mind (yet for some reason which still interests me to this day it feld familiar, like once long long ago it had happened to me before) Anyways I started thinking in a very primitive way, its really hard to explain it feels like part of your brain shut off. Reality is twisted in a horrible way, I never would have imagined that the human mind could be such an uncomfortable and terrible place. I also think that the mushrooms intensified the whole thing, it left a permanent scar on my psyche until only recently.

Luckily I snapped out of it after a couple days (contemplating suicide the whole time) since then I have had the sudden awareness shift and the de-ja-vu sensation a couple more times, but luckily I never crossed the threshold back into that state of mind, I managed to stop it each time before it took control. But my mind was constantly occupied with the thought and fear that it would happen again, and it made my anxiety and anxiety attacks even worse. I wanted to stay away from that frame of mind because I wasn't sure if it happened again if I could get out of it. So I became a prisoner of my own mind.

This past year I became a little more sane and my anxiety levels dropped but I would still get the ocasional panic attack. I started learning abuot trancendental meditation, and one of my sessions I had been meditating using a deep breathing exercise for about 2 hours or so, I definately had a very relaxed state of mind, and all of the sudden little thoughts would come to mind that would give me insite into my mental problems, it seems like I had quelled my mind of thought and my subconscious was coming to the surface

Now this little bout of anxiety emerged from my calm and relaxed state, I practiced what I had learned about meditation and didn't analyze it or try to push the feeling away, I took a chance and I just became aware of it, non judging, I kept an emotional detachment. I let the anxiety be there, soon I had the all to familiar sensations of a panic attack, my heart started pounding, I had the urge to leave to run away, but another part of me my 'pure awareness' just let it happen, I decided then and there to not run away, I let the panic overcome and fulfill me. It was an effort to not let my ego attach to the panic and try to run but I was firm in my resolve. Now I am guessing that this probably took about 5 minutes or so and very abruptly all of the sudden I started feeling really good! my panic and anxiety turned into acceptance and very strong positive emotions, I had faced my fears head on and I had conquered. I started feeling this energy and 'electricity' pulsing through my body and my spine and had those really good feeling chills and tingling sensations.

For the first time since I was a kid I felt truely alive, I was living totally in the now, I became aware of things that I am usually never aware of or even care about, the simplest and smallest

Lindalou64
20-01-07, 16:13
hello sclorch
welcome thanks for sharing,im happy for you that you have found your way...............wish ya the best.......linda[8D]

rmlamatt
21-01-07, 01:01
((Now this little bout of anxiety emerged from my calm and relaxed state, I practiced what I had learned about meditation and didn't analyze it or try to push the feeling away, I took a chance and I just became aware of it, non judging, I kept an emotional detachment. I let the anxiety be there, soon I had the all to familiar sensations of a panic attack, my heart started pounding, I had the urge to leave to run away, but another part of me my 'pure awareness' just let it happen, I decided then and there to not run away, I let the panic overcome and fulfill me.))

I have tried to tell some of the folks on this site how panic attacks became a gift to me. But you most certainly discribed it the best. Good for you. You have found the cure, I DO believe. You relaxed your body, and felt the energy and blood pulsate all through your body. Isn't it a great feeling. I learned this years ago, but I have found you do need to keep the exercises going. Don't fall back into the old you. Once caught off guard those ugly heads will pop up. Thanks for your story.

Rose

Don't walk in front of me I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend

honeybee3939
21-01-07, 10:51
Hi Sclorch

Lovely to read you have found a way of controlling the Panic/Anxiety,
Thats brilliant progress for you.:D

Thankyou for sharing it with us,

Love

Andrea
xxxx


"If you have a worry turn it into a problem, you cant solve worrys but you can solve problems"

Piglet
21-01-07, 12:25
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote"> I let the anxiety be there, soon I had the all to familiar sensations of a panic attack, my heart started pounding, I had the urge to leave to run away, but another part of me my 'pure awareness' just let it happen, I decided then and there to not run away, I let the panic overcome and fulfill me. It was an effort to not let my ego attach to the panic and try to run but I was firm in my resolve. Now I am guessing that this probably took about 5 minutes or so and very abruptly all of the sudden I started feeling really good! my panic and anxiety turned into acceptance and very strong positive emotions, I had faced my fears head on and I had conquered. I started feeling this energy and 'electricity' pulsing through my body and my spine and had those really good feeling chills and tingling sensations.


<div align="right">Originally posted by Sclorch - 20 January 2007 : 16:08:59</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

I've done this in 'Homebase' a few times and I know it works!!! You are absolutely right to face the fear head on and let it absorb you, wash over you and be on it's way!!

I know very well that when I did this I had quite a good long period of respite - trouble is like you say you need to keep remembering this way for other times! I forgot but I am trying to remember it again for 2007.

Good post :)

Piglet :)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.