View Full Version : For you, what is the scariest symptom of a panic attack?
GingerFish
22-08-15, 16:17
They are horrible and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. Some are easier to deal with and you can shake it off with some calm breathing and get back to your day in a few mins and then others absolutely floor you. I like learning about how they affect everyone as my mum and stepdad never get the overwhelming mental feelings, theirs are more churning stomach, tight chest, feel sick, tingling etc whereas me and my gran get more of the mental symptoms.
For me personally the worst feeling is the overwhelming feeling of impending doom or that I am dying. I don't get this with every panic attack, just the major ones but the feeling is horrible. I feel like it'll never leave and I find it so hard to forget once its gone even though I know its just a panic attack.
Physical symptom wise, I would say the pounding heart is the scariest for me. It feels like it is never going to slow down.
For me, my biggest fear during an attack is passing out! I used to think I was dying! But lately I've been able to control those feelings but now my worst symptom is the feeling of passing out! During a really bad attack I feel like it'll never go awAy! That's a terrifying feeling too!
xvolatileheart
23-08-15, 03:23
Believing I am going to die or getting really intense depersonalisation where nothing feels real.
Definitely the dying feeling. I can't understand why I can't just feel a symptom and call it what it is- ie headache, lightheaded. i hate feeling lightheaded- but as hard as it is to say it, I tell myself "so what if I faint. Won't be the first or last person to do it" it decreases the panic to a tolerable level. Feeling faint in a shopping mall for example and saying "I'm so weak I'm not going to make it back to the car" makes my panic go through the roof. My understanding of fainting is it happens quickly , there isn't some huge build up to it. My anxiety has convinced me for 5 years I was about to faint. Enough already!
GingerFish
23-08-15, 10:41
Sorry to hear you all suffer from the feeling of impending fear and death too. It seems to be a common anxiety symptom yet not one people talk about much. When people talk about PA symptoms its always chest pain, dizziness, feeling sick etc you hear but rarely the death and doom feelings. I was so convinced I was experiencing more than just a panic attack because I had never really heard anyone talk about that specific symptom before and I felt so alone.
Depersonalisation has got to be the worst one for me. Nothing feels real, not even me, and this completely freaks me out...
GingerFish
23-08-15, 12:49
DP/DR is horrible. It really feels like it'll never end. The longest I had it was for about a month and a half after my worst panic attack. I felt drugged. Everything looked different, I felt disconnected, voices and sounds sounded different. That was worse than the panic attack tbh.
Just to say I'm finding this thread really helpful x
GingerFish
23-08-15, 14:14
I'm really glad you're finding this thread helpful. I was worried it might make some people feel worse.
DP/DR is horrible. It really feels like it'll never end. The longest I had it was for about a month and a half after my worst panic attack. I felt drugged. Everything looked different, I felt disconnected, voices and sounds sounded different. That was worse than the panic attack tbh.
Oh my gosh im so glad I'm not the only one to go through this lasting forever!! I get this feeling for weeks at a time! And it is so terrifying!!!
GingerFish
24-08-15, 09:56
I took a really bad panic attack last night. It was up there probably in my top 5 worst. The worst last night was the feeling of it was never going to end and it was going to consume me or drive me crazy.
Quite proud of myself though because an hour after it I managed to go for a twenty min walk myself. At the start of summer when I started having medium level attacks they were enough to keep me housebound fort a few days so I was quite proud yesterday.
I hate the chest pain and the feeling of unreality. I'm terrified of vomiting and then I get really scared and nauseous and often do vomit. Then I am afraid that I'm going crazy and will have to be locked up and will lose my job and my family will be destitute.
I took a really bad panic attack last night. It was up there probably in my top 5 worst. The worst last night was the feeling of it was never going to end and it was going to consume me or drive me crazy.
Quite proud of myself though because an hour after it I managed to go for a twenty min walk myself. At the start of summer when I started having medium level attacks they were enough to keep me housebound fort a fed dstd so I was quite proud yesterday.
Sorry to hear that!! 😬😬 my last Attack was like that too! I felt like it would never end and I was just going to go insane!! But woo hoo to you for taking the walk by yourself!!!! I too often allow my attacks to ruin my plans for the rest of the day! So I understand your excitement!
GingerFish
24-08-15, 18:50
I managed to go on a five mile walk today with my partner and its a roasting hot day here today so I was expecting to be extra panicky because the heat makes me anxious but I managed fine. I had two panic attacks while out walking but they were just the minor ones that go away if you just slow down for a few mins and just gather yourself, my partner didn't even notice whereas yesterday with that bad panic attack, I was in hysterics. I was screaming, crying and pinching myself because I felt like I was dreaming or something.
Another panic attack symptom I hate is that everything looks different during an attack or when you are anxious. Its probably just a side effect of DP/DR but its so hard to explain. You can't explain what looks different but it really does seem so different to you even though you know nothing has changed.
icingsugar
25-08-15, 01:33
For me it's not being able to breathe (sometimes with the pounding heart etc. and sometimes with no other symptoms). I'm convinced I'm about to die. My first panic attack was the whole shebang: heart racing at a rate I've never had before, being unable to breathe, tunnel vision, pins and needles in hands and face, feeling hot and cold at the same time, dizziness and feeling I was about to drop dead instantly, I was convinced it was a heart attack even though I'm only 22...I've never been able to shake that feeling on the worst ones. I Was living alone in a foreign country where I don't speak the language and a trip to the hospital in an ambulance did nothing to settle me as I was convinced the doctors weren't understanding what happened...this was followed by repeated attacks every day without fail for a month or so, eventually calmed down to a few a week now.
GingerFish
25-08-15, 12:44
For me it's not being able to breathe (sometimes with the pounding heart etc. and sometimes with no other symptoms). I'm convinced I'm about to die. My first panic attack was the whole shebang: heart racing at a rate I've never had before, being unable to breathe, tunnel vision, pins and needles in hands and face, feeling hot and cold at the same time, dizziness and feeling I was about to drop dead instantly, I was convinced it was a heart attack even though I'm only 22...I've never been able to shake that feeling on the worst ones. I Was living alone in a foreign country where I don't speak the language and a trip to the hospital in an ambulance did nothing to settle me as I was convinced the doctors weren't understanding what happened...this was followed by repeated attacks every day without fail for a month or so, eventually calmed down to a few a week now.
Omg that sounds absolutely horrible. So glad your attacks have become less frequent now :hugs:
missgatsby
25-08-15, 20:25
The disorientation is probably one of the scariest symptoms for me. Weirdest thing I've ever felt, and it makes me more panicky. I remember having to walk out of a convention with my boyfriend and having no idea what was going on. I thought I was having a stroke or something.
Well done Gingerfish for walking and making yourself do it x
I've been able to manage my attacks a lot better the past week! However, when I'm woken up in the middle of the night (I have a 1 and 3 year old so this is quite often) I still feel really weird!! And tonight the nape of my neck was sweaty even though it's not hot in here! I'm sure I'm thinking too much into it like always lol but new symptoms always stress me out!
GingerFish
27-08-15, 11:34
Another symptom I hate and its quite a new one for me and only developed in the last few months is face tingling. One side of my face will tingle and buzz and it makes me jump to "I'm having a stroke!" Every single time
The derealisation and feeling like I'm not breathing! Just had a massive psycholigcal panick attack only physical symptoms were jelly legs and tingling face. The derealization was insane. I just froze on the spot. Never had it that bad before I'd say psychological symptoms are the worse.
GingerFish
27-08-15, 13:50
The derealisation and feeling like I'm not breathing! Just had a massive psycholigcal panick attack only physical symptoms were jelly legs and tingling face. The derealization was insane. I just froze on the spot. Never had it that bad before I'd say psychological symptoms are the worse.
hope you are feeling better now :hugs:
Thanks Gingerfish. Getting there. Congrats on the 5 mile walk!
GingerFish
27-08-15, 14:20
Thanks :) legs still haven't recovered from the walk, I don't usually walk the length of myself lol
I find it interesting that a lot of us find the mental symptoms of panic attacks to be the worst (and rightly so) yet they never really get brought up as common symptoms of panic attacks. When a doc explains what an attack is they always say a pounding heart, feeling shaky and yes those symptoms do come and they are horrible but you rarely hear about the true nature of the mental side of panic attacks. I think it that side of an attack was spoke about more, there would be a lot less stigma around those feelings and a lot less confusion to sufferers because we all do think we are going crazy when we feel those symptoms because they aren't even spoken about or explained to us. Its easy to see that extra adrenaline causes a pounding heart but you wouldn't think it would cause you to feel spacey, out of yourself etc and that leads to you feeling you're going crazy which only adds to more fear when we should be told that its just excess adrenaline and still a common panic attack symptom and nothing serious.
Yes exactly, I said so much to anyone who would listen "my panic is now more mental" and only last week I got an answer! It really does make it so much worse when it's not spoken about anywhere. I actually miss physical symptoms at least you can try and calm your heart beats etc.
GingerFish
27-08-15, 15:39
I miss my physical attacks too. They were horrible but a god send compared to the mental ones. I just had a bad mental one there out of nowhere. It feels like the walls are caving in and it'll never end. You feel so helpless during a mental panic attack.
Ah sorry to hear that, does your perception shift? Mine earlier I felt like I couldn't walk I was just absolutely terrified of everything and nothing in particular.
GingerFish
27-08-15, 15:44
Yeah my perception shifts. It also feels like everything looks different but I know nothing has changed. I can't even say what looks different but it feels different.
Yep I get that too. I just went into work to have a welfare review meeting and didn't make it to the door without a panic, everything went completely unreal and safe to say the meeting lasted two minutes and I scarpered out of there completely disorientated disconnected and terrified.
Hey guys, my scariest symptom is the feeling of death. Like when my mind goes into mad overdrive and I convince myself I'm gonna die in the next hour or so. It takes me days to get over the death symptom. After that it's gotta be the chest pain and sweating as that usually convinces me I'm having a heart attack or something.
GingerFish
01-09-15, 11:39
Does anyone feel that sounds are so much louder during a panic attack? If I am having a bad one (mostly a mental one with only a few physical symptoms) and say my bf tries to talk to me calmly to try and comfort me, I feel like he is absolutely roaring at the top of his voice and even sounds in the distance like cars and doors chapping sound like they are happening right next to me. Whenever I have an attack like that I tell him to be quiet for a minute or two until it passes which sounds nasty but it really amplifies the panic when I am in that state when he or anyone else talks to me.
I too feel that or have done. I had a mild panic trying to walk into a supermarket and everything seemed so loud. I told my boyfriend it was like the breakdown scenes they have on eastenders lol.
BlueEyesShining
01-09-15, 12:12
Stomach pain, definitely. During a panic attack i feel my stomach muscles getting tighter and sometimes the pain feels like something is going to explode inside my stomach
feelthelove
01-09-15, 14:53
I suffered many horrible symptoms over the years from panic but the most scariest symptom for me was this .
I was under extreme stress at the time my son had left home and wasn't talking to me , a family member put a brick through our front window over a disagreement and my parents were very ill at this time, also i had just recovered from flu and bronchitis so the stress was sky high . My husband took me for some supper fish and chips lol , on the way back to the car there were some young men shouting and being wild and although i didn't think much of it i got this sudden pulsing in my head and it then went to my forehead and eyes and my eyes felt like they would literally pop out of the sockets, my vision was distorted because of the pressure and it lasted around a minute . I was petrified and thought the worse of course , my doctor confirmed nothing was wrong but that it was an acute reaction to stress .
For me its either the palpitations or the dizziness. I hate anything that makes me woozy such as booze etc lol. Also it gets me because the dizziness effects me every day and its probably one of my strongest triggers =(
GingerFish
04-09-15, 12:55
I hate the nausea associated with panics and anxiety. I have a phobia of puking to start with so any nausea I sense is bad enough without it being caused by added on anxiety as well. When I get nausea because of a panic, it feels like I can't swallow because theres something giant like a golf ball stuck in my throat and its closing up. Bloody horrible.
I hate the constant nausea too. And the sensation of not being able to swallow. Usually I love food and love to eat, but when feeling this eating is very hard.
Does anyone feel that sounds are so much louder during a panic attack? If I am having a bad one (mostly a mental one with only a few physical symptoms) and say my bf tries to talk to me calmly to try and comfort me, I feel like he is absolutely roaring at the top of his voice and even sounds in the distance like cars and doors chapping sound like they are happening right next to me. Whenever I have an attack like that I tell him to be quiet for a minute or two until it passes which sounds nasty but it really amplifies the panic when I am in that state when he or anyone else talks to me.
I get this too. I think it's because your brain is on high alert as you're in the fight or flight mode. I can't stand people being near me or talking to me when I feel that way and often it amplifies my panic too if people try and comfort me, talk to me. Or if i'm in a busy place it's awful and I feel like I'm going insane.
The worst symptom of panic for me is the dp/dr. I would take literally any other symptom of panic I've felt over that feeling anyday.
SurfingWaves
06-09-15, 17:13
someone aproaches me to talk about something and panic starts then all I can think about is ending the conversation and getting out as quick as possible otherwise I start to feel sick and sweat a lot and cant listen to what they are saying and probably have a panicked look in my eyes
HaroldMorse
07-09-15, 06:28
For me, the typical symptoms for a panic attack are feeling dizzy and chest pain. For this, my specialist has given me some anti-anxiety medicines.
GingerFish
07-09-15, 11:11
I've been getting a lot of chest pain with my anxiety the last few days. I have been more stressed than usual the last 2/3 days and my chest and my back have felt so tight and achy that the slightest touch is painful and it feels like I need to crack my back into place
GingerFish
13-09-15, 17:45
Anyone elses anxiety/panics/OCD get worse when they are ill? I caught the cold off of my bf and for the last few days my OCD in particular as been through the roof. I haven't had any panic attacks really but I have been on edge and my OCD has been almost debilitating. I've noticed that any little hint of an illness even just a cold that I have had many many times is enough to utterly drain me but always leaves me with enough energy to panic and worry over it! Done nothing but stress and sleep since I have had it.
Mine is the mental symptoms. Being out of control, feelings of absolute doom, scared of what I might do to escape the place or situation if I find there's no easy way out.
for me it's shortness of breath
ugg
and when i say shortness...
GingerFish
15-09-15, 09:39
I had a bad one yesterday while I was out and I was in the car waiting for my bf to come out the bank and I felt like the car was literally caving in and I was suffocating. Was so close to opening the doors and screaming for help but I didn't. It was a horrible feeling.
I had a bad one yesterday while I was out and I was in the car waiting for my bf to come out the bank and I felt like the car was literally caving in and I was suffocating. Was so close to opening the doors and screaming for help but I didn't. It was a horrible feeling.
awwww.
hope you feel better now?
think the worst 1 i've had in a while happened at like 2/3 in the morning, and lasted longer than usual
GingerFish
15-09-15, 10:37
awwww.
hope you feel better now?
think the worst 1 i've had in a while happened at like 2/3 in the morning, and lasted longer than usual
Yeah I am ok now thanks. I managed to go out again about an hour after it happened with no panics at all but it scared the life out of me when it happened. I have the cold too so already feel like I can't breathe properly and that made it worse yesterday.
I had panics during the night. They always seem to last longer than usual, especially the ones you wake up with. That added 'just up' weird feeling makes it ten times worse.
When I'm away from home, I always feel more vulnerable to a panic attack. I suppose it's because I'm not in my 'safe' zone where i would be able to summon help if needed. Night time is also bad, when i start to feel anxious my thoughts star to spiral, then the palpitations begin. If I cant talk myself down fairly quickly I become a quaking wreck in no time. Then I feel as if I'll never calm down & will eventualy either collapse or have a complete meltdown & make a fool of myself. I'm 59 and have suffered from anxiety & panic since I was in my early twenties.
GingerFish
16-09-15, 09:04
When I'm away from home, I always feel more vulnerable to a panic attack. I suppose it's because I'm not in my 'safe' zone where i would be able to summon help if needed. Night time is also bad, when i start to feel anxious my thoughts star to spiral, then the palpitations begin. If I cant talk myself down fairly quickly I become a quaking wreck in no time. Then I feel as if I'll never calm down & will eventualy either collapse or have a complete meltdown & make a fool of myself. I'm 59 and have suffered from anxiety & panic since I was in my early twenties.
I am the exact same. I am going away for the weekend next week and I am terrified of being away from my home even though a lot of the time, my worst panic attacks happen at home! I'll only be away 90 miles down the road but its still sending me into a panic thinking about being away from home. Night time is my worst time too. I used to feel better at night but the worst attack I ever took happened during the night and I just haven't been a fan of night ever since. Not looking forward to the early nights soon :mad:
positivegirly
16-09-15, 19:20
I can relate to so many of you, my worst symptom is nausea, I have a fear of throwing up, have done since I was little, when I panic I get the shakes bad and the feeling of nausea washing over and over me, cold sweats as well, I had it this morning, it lasted for about 10mins and i thought I wouldn't recover and then started the irrational thinking....It always gets me at night as well, 2.30am this morning and it did wake me up which started with s stomach ache and then the nausea followed by full blown panic xx
BrokenSteve
17-09-15, 14:24
I go bright red when I go through a panic attack, which then leads to someone pointing out I'm red then I go even more red.
AstralBeing
17-09-15, 21:19
While not the scariest for me, I get why you find it scary BrokenSteve. Today in the tube my hands started tingling and turned bright red, scared the crap out of me... Now 3h later I'm still on edge, had to walk around the block for 2h to calm down enough to stay still without shaking or feeling my heart trying to escape. Second day in a row I get that coming back from work.
The scariest for me is that feeling of being completely lost... Makes the panic go hyperdrive. While I don't feel it everytime, when I do the feeling sticks for days if not weeks...
I can relate to so many of you, my worst symptom is nausea, I have a fear of throwing up, have done since I was little, when I panic I get the shakes bad and the feeling of nausea washing over and over me, cold sweats as well, I had it this morning, it lasted for about 10mins and i thought I wouldn't recover and then started the irrational thinking....It always gets me at night as well, 2.30am this morning and it did wake me up which started with s stomach ache and then the nausea followed by full blown panic xx
Sorry to hear about the bad night positivegirly, did you manage to catch some sleep still?
positivegirly
18-09-15, 08:58
I'm struggling still, I didn't get back to sleep after that but still had to go to work for a 9hr shift which was so hard but I did it (don't know how) It was my day off yesterday and I slept better probably because I knew I didn't have to go to work, last night I slept on and off but up early again with a bad stomach because I know I have to go to work today, it's only for 4hrs but I'm dreading it already, really trying not too as I need the money so was hoping for overtime if I can cope but I'm not sure I can just yet, maybe I should just take it easy for now and do my 4hrs? But then I go home feeling guilty Iv only worked half a day and then I can't relax for the rest of it because my mind won't let me!! Il sit there panicking and worrying about everything and I know I won't relax. Can't stand this awful cycle xx
The scariest symptom I have experienced, though panic attacks seem to hit us right out of the blue, was when driving on a motorway and the loss of control of myself and my car.I will never forget that. Generally over thirty years I have had most of them at home or in the street and have learnt to go with them as opposed to fighting it. Often passers by would come over to me thinking I had had a heart attack but I just waived them away and slowly regained my composure.
GingerFish
22-09-15, 17:25
I took a scary attack about an hour ago. I have been feeling off all day and barely slept so was pretty much expecting a bad attack at some point during the day but I felt calm just before it happened. I was standing there talking to my bf and then out of nowhere this feeling of "omg I am going to pass out" along with feeling like the room was literally closing in and I was suffocating. It only lasted about 30 secs, maybe even less but it always feels longer than it lasts when it comes to panics. One thing I was proud of and kind of shocked at is when it was at its worst I managed to say to myself "right ok, this is 100% just a panic, let it slide and sit down for a second" and within a few seconds I felt an instant relief. I felt shaky for a while afterwards and once I had calmed down a bit more, the regular anxiety came back and made me wonder if it was a panic attack.
For me its the feeling of about to go insane and never regain sanity....then I get the depersonalization which makes me think am going insane.....I never get the fear of dying I have had the impending doom feelibg though... .and I always feel trapped and want to run away.....brutal x
PS this thread has helped me too👍
Reeny
GingerFish
23-09-15, 21:55
For me its the feeling of about to go insane and never regain sanity....then I get the depersonalization which makes me think am going insane.....I never get the fear of dying I have had the impending doom feelibg though... .and I always feel trapped and want to run away.....brutal x
PS this thread has helped me too👍
Reeny
Can deffo relate to those symptoms. They are horrible and never ending. I would take the physical symptoms of a panic attack over the mental ones any day. Glad this thread has helped you :):hugs:
yeah thanks... makes you feel not so alone :) x
Reenymac mine is similar, the going insane, feelings of doom, needing to escape. I also dont think I'm dying but the feelings I get can be terrifying. And if I dont escape the situation that I feel trapped in ASAP I'm scared just how insane I could get and what on earth I would do if I couldn't get out. I'm scared about what I would do ie break a window to escape, totally lose it etc. last year I even thought that ending my life was the only escape, and those thoughts scare me.
GingerFish
02-10-15, 09:13
Lately my worst physical symptoms have been really strong palpitations. Usually they feel like a flutter but lately they have felt like my heart weighs a tonne and its trying to punch its way out of my chest. They still only last for a second or 2 like the lighter palpitations.
Strawberry_3
05-10-15, 12:33
For me it's the feeling as though my sight and hearing are changing. It's really tricky to explain, but it's as though I'm not really 'there' in the situation anymore.
This is especially horrible when I'm in the middle of talking to somene.
The racing heart is one of the worst, as well. I have awful visions of it speeding up even more or just packing in completely from exhaustion :/
x
GingerFish
06-10-15, 09:55
For me it's the feeling as though my sight and hearing are changing. It's really tricky to explain, but it's as though I'm not really 'there' in the situation anymore.
This is especially horrible when I'm in the middle of talking to somene.
The racing heart is one of the worst, as well. I have awful visions of it speeding up even more or just packing in completely from exhaustion :/
x
I get these exact symptoms too. Bloody horrible :weep::hugs:
nursegreenwhippet
06-10-15, 10:53
Going mad! Apparently if you worry about going mad, you can't actually be mad!
GingerFish
06-10-15, 10:54
Going mad! Apparently if you worry about going mad, you can't actually be mad!
Yip that's what all the docs tell me! Can't say it stops me from fearing I'm going mad when I'm in the midst of a panic though :(
GingerFish
09-10-15, 08:58
Took a bad panic last night after waking up from a nap so I had that horrible dream like spacey feeling through it and I can safely say now that the worst panic feeling for me hands down is that 'this is never going to end' feeling. I feel it during every bad attack but last night I could have put money on that being the one attack that would never end. Thought I was on my road out tbh.
That's the thing with panic attacks and why the *******s has so much power over us. It's one thing to think "it's just a panic attack. I am fine. It will pass" when the sensations feel like imminent death. I always think i could handle this if I knew nothing bad was going to happen, but every single one feels like THIS IS IT. I've rarely had a "oh this is just a panic attack" style-attack. All of them feel different than the last.
GingerFish
12-10-15, 11:27
Spot on, Ditapage. I can count on one hand the amount of panics I have been able to talk myself out of completely by reminding myself its just a panic, the others take me by full force and I refuse to accept it was just a panic attack. You would think after having a few, you would be a master at recognising them but like you say, each one feels different from the last. One day one might feel like just a churning stomach and you feel a bit on edge and you can sit and relax for a minute or two and it goes and then the next day you can have the full orchestra pretty much - the fear of dying, heart pounding, can't stand up for weak legs and feeling like you are going to pass out.
GingerFish
16-10-15, 13:10
Been feeling that horrible detached and unreal feeling today ever since I got up. I woke up to bad news, mum and stepdad were in an accident but thankfully they are fine and I have been ill with panic and DP/DR ever since. Also had a lot of physical symptoms of panic for once instead of pretty much just mental symptoms.
Got to be the palpitations that are the worst because that then kicks everything else off the shaking and the irrational thoughts. Horrible
Mine have changed over time and still vary a bit, but as someone who has agoraphobia (even though I have only been housebound for a month or 2 when I first started having panic attacks 14 years ago), my worst feeling is that trapped, needing to escape feeling but with nowhere to go. This is why my biggest problems are driving on unfamiliar roads, especially highways, elevators, large crowds, especially outside, long walks away from home, dentist chair, barber chair, etc.
I pretty much have gotten to the point where the physical symptoms are very present, but I am so (unfortunately) experienced with panic attacks, I don't always feel like I am going to die, or impending doom, but do feel like the attack will not end soon or I might pass out, get dizzy, or just outright freak and embarrass myself.
Mine vary in this intensity so much, and ivtoo get the feeling they are never going to end quite frequently, but to a certain extent I have the" get out" with medication (although I tend never to take it and try to work through it myself, in case I then start to believe meds are the ONLY cure)
But
It is the doom feeling that floors me more than anything! Meds don't help and I have NO control over the mental and physical feeling that washes over me in waves. That I'm going to die!! Not panic , just terrifying, without question terror and doom
That fear has landed me in A&E more than once. It's hard to describe but there's nothing like it. It's the only time i have felt such fear in my life even when i have had actual reason to feel it.
GingerFish
19-10-15, 09:51
I've came close a few times to calling an ambulance during a panic attack because of the impending doom and death feeling. I always dread one day I will succumb and call them and then only waste the paramedics time as I would most likely have calmed down by the time they arrived at my flat.
I was so sure that I've had casesam.co.uk (http://www.casesam.co.uk/)more than just a panic attack because I've never really heard some talk about that specific symptom and I felt so alone. Samsung Galaxy S6 case (http://www.casesam.co.uk/category-galaxy-s6-case-cover-15.html)
GingerFish
20-10-15, 09:40
I was so sure that I've had more than just a panic attack because I've never really heard some talk about that specific symptom and I felt so alone.
Same here. That's why I am so glad I made this thread as soooo many of us have mentioned the impending doom and death feeling and its not a panic attack symptom that gets mentioned often on symptom websites or even by docs. I wonder why that is because it's truly terrifiying and seems to be common in panic attack sufferers. It can last hours after the panic attack is gone for me.
Oh man where to start. Fatigue, shaking, numbness, pain, passing out. There are countless of symptoms I find scary and dreadful. But probably the scariest would be to pass out because you'll never know where you are and what you're standing on and when you pass out, you might fall.
Let me just say that this is a very interesting question and I'm very intrigued to what others will say. Thank you for opening it up. :D
No one thing actually is the scariest as panic attacks can all be different in duration of time or recovery.
Because ones heart starts to beat so fast that one thinks it's going to pop out of your chest, it's not an unreasonable to think one is dying, yet a real heart attack has often quite different symptoms.
That's the thing with panic attacks and why the *******s has so much power over us. It's one thing to think "it's just a panic attack. I am fine. It will pass" when the sensations feel like imminent death. I always think i could handle this if I knew nothing bad was going to happen, but every single one feels like THIS IS IT. I've rarely had a "oh this is just a panic attack" style-attack. All of them feel different than the last.
This is hard to do and where the "disorder" part comes in. However, in reality we actually don't want those thoughts to stop. I know, that sounds mad, right? Think about it though - we still need this fight or flight mechanism to actually survive if we ever need to. We don't want to get to the point where we need to cross a busy street and think we can just walk whenever without worrying about the potential of serious injury or death. However, in these situations, the feeling doesn't bother us because it is "normal" and our thoughts interpret it as such. Believe it or not, many times, we get the same bodily reactions, we just don't pay attention to them in the way we do when we have panic attacks. Pupils dilate, hearing is changed to allow for quicker response, blood pressure changes, heart rate goes up, etc.
GingerFish
25-10-15, 11:08
Lately I've been finding the aftermath of a panic worse than the panic itself:weep:
hheavenlyangel
01-11-15, 22:26
HI Gingerfish,
I find it fascinating that you have your Mum & Dad, yourself and your grandmother who all suffer with Panic disorder I don't hear of it very often having so many in one family affected.
Me, I have had it since I can remember, I believe my Mum has it and my niece is Bi-polar. So there is a definite genetic connection.
So, the worst thing for me during a panic attack and it happens all the time.... is the impending doom. The hopeless feeling that there is nothing I can do, its all my fault this happened and I have only me to blame feeling and no matter what.... its all bad kid...
The tingling throughout my body is a close second. I have never really thought about my heart, I know it races but I notice the tingling and the feeling of doom more than everything else I experience.
Stomach issues, sweats, nausea, headache, numbness, can't think, everytime I close my eyes the fear rises again.
I was on here this morning with a major panic attack. I have many fears mainly surrounded by taking Codrol daily for underdeveloped eustachen tubes in my face and I had Liver problems from it don't you know. Even though I never go over the stated dose but that didn't matter..... So there is another one.... the continual negative thoughts.....
I have been fortunate to have done Cognitive behavior therapy and more recently did some mindfulness meditations.
I feel so alone as though I am the only one who suffers like I do but I know its not true. I have been on medication since I was my mid 20's, I am 43 now. I went off my meds for about 6 months but my panic attacks started up again so I went back on my tablets.
Anyway... enough jibber jabber....
There are many for me,exhaustion,loss of appetite,cold shivers,nervous shaking and an inability to stay still and an overwhelming feeling of blind desperation.I also find it impossible to stop my mind going to some very dark places.I've done the CBT and mindfulness courses to help deal with this but its never really helped.
The aftermath though is just as bad in its own way,a feeling of anxiety and panic bubbling away just beneath the surface,feeling frail and lightheaded.
And just the sense of being levered out and separated from reality and your surroundings,feeling so sick and fragile.
i forgot to mention loss of appitite, certainly a difficult one
and trying to eat during the first 15/20 minits afterwards.
don't do it. I've tried it
Yeah trying to eat after is awful but it still sometimes happens because i can be so OCD about what times i take my meals and you can't predict when an attack will happen.
Guess i'm a glutton for punishment Ha!
Yeah trying to eat after is awful but it still sometimes happens because i can be so OCD about what times i take my meals and you can't predict when an attack will happen.
Guess i'm a glutton for punishment Ha!
hahhaa same!
as an example, I always have to have my dinner at 5 30. their's no logic to it. I just have to eat at 5 30
if I don't, it's not so much the end of the world.. but I do have trouble eating if it's not at the correct time, (I think my body's used to it as well!), and eating later or earlier messes with my appetite
GingerFish
03-11-15, 08:25
Lately I've been finding the constant overall anxiety worse than any panic attack I've had lately. I've had a constant heavy dread feelingnin my gut and all the other GAD symptoms to the point I am almost begging for a panic attack because that would burn off some of the anxiety for a while if you know what I mean?
helenclaire
04-11-15, 13:18
For me it's the constant dizziness/ lightheaded feeling.
I am scared to move some days in case I collapse.
It's horrible and prevents me from going places because the fear of something bad happening is too much.
I can just about cope with the other symptoms but this one I feel is totally out of my control and I can't find anything that helps:shrug:
I'm going through something like this right now.I have a strong feeling of dread and desperation.Can't relax,i'm not getting much sleep and everything feels accelerated.I'm restless,nervy and full of dread especially in the evening.In my case though,i've just been through a nervous breakdown(a few days ago and not my first)and this is the aftermath.
I've felt the beginnings of a panic attack on and off since then but in my case i'm not sure having one would do anything good for me.
When an actual panic attack is surfacing, I feel completely unable to soothe or calm myself. I feel like life itself is not real and that I can't "escape" or get to a safe place even when I'm not actually in danger. I feel like I'm going crazy, like I belong in a mental institution and nothing around me looks or seems the same as it did before, like the whole world is crashing in on me. I can't get comfortable no matter what I do and I feel like this feeling is never going to end.
GingerFish
10-11-15, 10:02
When an actual panic attack is surfacing, I feel completely unable to soothe or calm myself. I feel like life itself is not real and that I can't "escape" or get to a safe place even when I'm not actually in danger. I feel like I'm going crazy, like I belong in a mental institution and nothing around me looks or seems the same as it did before, like the whole world is crashing in on me. I can't get comfortable no matter what I do and I feel like this feeling is never going to end.
That is exactly how I feel. Definitely the worst part of a panic attack imo:hugs:
For me it's the fear of not acting "normal" and worrying what people think. Which makes it worse cos you hardly act "normal" when you're having one :doh:
For me I think it's the constant anxiety and anxiety symptoms that remains for days after a panic attack.
That is exactly how I feel. Definitely the worst part of a panic attack imo:hugs:
Thanks for the comforting words, GingerFish. Always good to know you're not alone but am so sorry you're suffering. Aside from therapy and meds, have you tried transdermal magnesium? Anyone? I've been applying the spray on my skin for a couple months now and I've noticed a major decrease in my anxiety and panic symptoms. Either way, I hope you're able to find some piece of mind very soon :hugs:
GingerFish
11-11-15, 09:03
Thanks for the comforting words, GingerFish. Always good to know you're not alone but am so sorry you're suffering. Aside from therapy and meds, have you tried transdermal magnesium? Anyone? I've been applying the spray on my skin for a couple months now and I've noticed a major decrease in my anxiety and panic symptoms. Either way, I hope you're able to find some piece of mind very soon :hugs:
Thanks :) Nope I've never tried that. Never even heard of it tbh! I will look into it as I don't really fancy taking meds after bad experiences in the past and there's a long waiting list for the therapy I am waiting on so I'll look into it.
---------- Post added at 09:03 ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 ----------
For me I think it's the constant anxiety and anxiety symptoms that remains for days after a panic attack.
Yip I get this too. Sometimes I think the aftermath of a panic attack is actually worse than the panic attack itself. Most of the time its not the severity of the panic attack I dread, its the severity of the aftermath I dread because it can last days or even up to a week for me.
Yip I get this too. Sometimes I think the aftermath of a panic attack is actually worse than the panic attack itself. Most of the time its not the severity of the panic attack I dread, its the severity of the aftermath I dread because it can last days or even up to a week for me.[/QUOTE]
I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets this. Yeah, mine usually lasts about a week. I do a lot of self talk when it happens. Telling myself that I'm ok and that it will pass just like every other time. It's hard though.
GingerFish
16-11-15, 11:21
I took a bad one yesterday while out. That's the first time I've took a major one while outside for months. My bad ones have only been happening at home lately. It really knocked me for six. I had the horrible "I need to get out of here or I'll die!" Feeling and was screaming at my bf to start the car and he just sat there trying to calm me instead which is probably what I needed but I just kept screaming at him to start the car and punched my legs in frustration when he wouldn't. Not been in that state for a while! Thankfully I calmed down within ten mins of that but still had that horrible left over high anxiety after it. Still have it today a bit. I've been really stressed lately so I shouldn't be surprised I had a bad one like that. I'm doing my challenge chart again to make sure I keep going out and don't let it scare me to staying in the house again for a few days.
GreyClouds
17-11-15, 05:04
When I did have VERY severe panic attacks it would feel like parts of me would shut off, speech, vision, thoughts and everything would become a drunkin' blur. The panic would get so bad sometimes I would actually hallucinate, full blown psychotic episode brought on by a panic attack.
It got really bad when I was at Wal-Mart my body started to shut down, I fell to the ground threw up and when I came to everyone around me was these demonic beings trying to rip me apart. Luckily it's been a few years since I've had such panic attacks but all of it was brought on by anxiety induced panic, over stimulation and lots of adrenaline being dumped into my body triggering fight or flight.
GingerFish
18-11-15, 10:10
How everything goes into haywire.
The worst would be the severe distress I feel. I never knew what panic attacks were before I started getting them a few months ago. It's something you just wouldn't wish upon anyone. I thought I had the because of the panic I felt in certain situations and feeling sick. I just called them panic attacks.
PA's are something totally different!!!!
Completely agree. For years I had what I thought were the worst a panic attack could bring but it turned out they were just minor ones. Once I felt the full force ones, I truly knew what it was to have a panic attack and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. I truly felt like I was dying in them. Its so hard to describe the exact fear you feel during a full on one.
My worst fear is that my head is going to explode..
GingerFish
26-11-15, 11:03
I've never felt like my head was going to explode during one, but u have felt like my heart was going to explode from beating so fast and my chest feeling so tight. Bloody horrible.
I hate the intense fear that just seems to linger. The DP/DR screws with me and My dad don't help because he likes messing with my head. He will be talking to me and then go what are you talking. Me knowing dang well I hadn't said anything. He has even told me why you keep repeating that. It's funny sometimes but it's not. When I'm all cool and relaxed I will think back and laugh about it. I just know his days coming when he gets older and I might just repay him for it lol.
GingerFish
01-12-15, 12:38
I hate the intense fear that just seems to linger. The DP/DR screws with me and My dad don't help because he likes messing with my head. He will be talking to me and then go what are you talking. Me knowing dang well I hadn't said anything. He has even told me why you keep repeating that. It's funny sometimes but it's not. When I'm all cool and relaxed I will think back and laugh about it. I just know his days coming when he gets older and I might just repay him for it lol.
Yip the lingering aftermath is horrible. I miss the days when the lingering would only last a few hours but for the last few months its been dragging on for days after a bad panic.
Yep same here. When I was younger the spaced out feeling would pass within an hour. Now it just sits and simmers till I boil and have panic. The process then starts all over again. Its a bummer.
I hate all anxiety symptoms to be honest mental ones are the worst
GingerFish
14-12-15, 13:01
I hate all anxiety symptoms to be honest mental ones are the worst
I agree. Give me the physical symptoms any day instead :weep:
I'm not sure if fear of death is the scariest symptom for me though it always plays a part. I think the scariest symptom is of losing control or losing who I think I am (actually, having said that, it probably is fear of death!)
At the moment I'm struggling with a viral throat infection and accompanying anxiety and, my goodness, it's so hard to distinguish between the two, particularly since one of my main symptoms is globus.
retching, especially as i'm emetophobic. though having this happen in the recent year has helped me face it a little
GingerFish
21-12-15, 20:57
I had my first major panic since October 2 nights ago and it happened in the bath. Because it was warm and steamy, it made the suffocating feeling more stronger and I had an overwhelming fear that I was going crazy and had to be sectioned and I tried to call my bf for help but nothing would come out my mouth and I grabbed onto the side of the bath for what felt like dear life. It lasted about 10 mins I think and stopped abruptly but I was left over with that horrible mix of left over fear and then a kind of joy that I 'survived' it.
GingerFish
28-01-16, 15:38
Anyone else find that panic attacks brought on by OCD are so much stronger and more insidious than an unrelated panic attack? I've only really been getting panics lately that are related to my OCD and I can't really describe them . They feel almost dark and evil. It only makes me feel like I am possessed or something because of this horrible feeling that washes over me but I have been reassured by docs that its very common with OCD but you never hear of it
Depersonalisation has got to be the worst one for me. Nothing feels real, not even me, and this completely freaks me out...
i get that too, horrid. You start to think everyone else has noticed that you look panic stricken too. I usually just say I am feeling dizzy just to stop the fear of anyone else noticing, because then I have "justified" it by saying I may be physically unwell if that makes sense. I think it's caused by hyper ventilating, but even though I know the cause, I still get it.
Anyone else find that panic attacks brought on by OCD are so much stronger and more insidious than an unrelated panic attack?
I agree, any panic from my OCD really turns me into mush. I just cant cope!
I think the worst symptom for me is the feeling of loss of control or the lingering "spaced out" feeling I can have for hours/days afterwards x
GingerFish
29-01-16, 11:58
Glad I'm not the only one who feels this about OCD panics! No one ever talks about the level of panic that comes with OCD. So many people think all we do is wash our hands or count things. No one understands the debilitating part of the illness which for me is the panic attacks and overwhelming guilt and doom feelings.
Feeling of throat and mouth swelling! I am paranoid about having an allergic reaction even though I have no known allergies :(
nataliejosephine
05-02-16, 12:16
For me, it used to be the rapid heartbeat and the faint feeling you get when you're not breathing properly.
Now, it's more that I HAVE to go to the toilet and do my business :S I can deal with the rest of it, but because I need the toilet it won't go unless I'm in a safe place (at home, or able to get home via taxi/car). My legs go very wobbly too so the fear of getting home works alongside the toilet :|
funfunfun
hi all . Definitely the banging heart racing . Late at night wakes me up awful :ohmy:
---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------
For me, it used to be the rapid heartbeat and the faint feeling you get when you're not breathing properly.
Now, it's more that I HAVE to go to the toilet and do my business :S I can deal with the rest of it, but because I need the toilet it won't go unless I'm in a safe place (at home, or able to get home via taxi/car). My legs go very wobbly too so the fear of getting home works alongside the toilet :|
funfunfun
hey Natalie , me too I get those symptoms of panic . Have you tried any anxiety drugs , I'm on fluoxetine 20mg seems to be helping x
nataliejosephine
05-02-16, 12:46
hi all . Definitely the banging heart racing . Late at night wakes me up awful :ohmy:
---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------
hey Natalie , me too I get those symptoms of panic . Have you tried any anxiety drugs , I'm on fluoxetine 20mg seems to be helping x
It's a nightmare isn't it! I even bring a small toiletry bag with spare clothes and wipes incase something ever happened... but that's what's helped a lot tbh... if you feel ok with it your body doesn't react as much.
I'm on Propranolol(for panic attacks) and Citalopram(anxiety). Anything that helps relax the mind and body is good :roflmao:
Mine was the racing, pounding heard. Probably the scariest thing I've experienced besides a miscarriage. I'd even say it was scarier than when I had Penicillin allergy which included swollen lips.
For me, the feeling that I am about to pass out. I HATE that. I have passed out on more than one occasion during a panic attack, and I have to try so hard to stop it happening.
In terms of really high anxiety symptoms - not so much an actual panic attack, the thing that scares me witless is depersonalisation/derealisation......that feeling of everything being unreal and like I am in the wrong body...awful.
GingerFish
09-02-16, 12:45
I hate DP/DR, I've been feeling a lot of it the last few days and even to this day after experiencing it on and off for years, it still scares me.
DP/DR is the worst. I get the occasional pain in my chest / arms but i've learned to dismiss that as something serious as i'm only 31 and have had 2 EKGs last year. DP/DR is just the worst feeling ever, I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy
little kyle
10-02-16, 06:38
Believing im going to day and breathing when it feels like im not getting enough oxygen and or smothering sensation
To me it's the fear of something terrible happening. Like unbridled terror, you can't escape it until the adrenaline has stopped pumping out either.
GingerFish
13-02-16, 01:10
Now I remember why I rarely ever drink, the bloody panic attacks that follow after it :(
Smelltheroses
06-06-16, 08:46
I also hate with a passion the palpitations. Just wish they would go away! It's sad that they happen so frequently that they are almost normal for me.
Also I'm not a fan of the low mood I feel for a few days/weeks afterwards. I feel like I have to start building myself back up again.
But I think it's comforting to know others with my symptoms :)
Tardisbrain
06-06-16, 14:30
Dp/dr, feeling as though the oxygen I'm breathing have isn't working and the feeling of passing out....it comea as a huge pressure that keeps building until I wish it would just kill me and get it over with! Of course it disappears about then....
littlebitcrazy
17-06-16, 22:22
The feeling that you're dying or going crazy, and the uncontrollable shaking. Also the day after is awful for me. I feel so messed up. I have awful anxiety over every little thing, I have the shakes, I can't eat because I feel as if I'll get sick, I get extremely hungry, and I'm in the mood to stay in bed all day but I can't sleep because I start worrying.
what I dislike is feeling like everybody can see how distressed I feel
and So I just want to get away from public view and then recover from how I'm feeling.
but another symptom I find very hard to bear is having a fit of tremors.
when I'm very stressed out my head starts nodding and I get tongue tied and my mind feels muddled and I just feel so vulnerable.
sadly that happens to me quite regularly and I'm never prepared for it and so it always gets to me big time
and then I think to myself why can't I learn to cope better?
and the only reason I can think of is cause severe fits of tremors are difficult to control.
it takes tremendous effort to control ones body when its shaking like a leaf and your brain is racing and you can't think straight and you feel really Vulnerable and helpless and humiliated
and its made worse when people laugh or mock you because it seems funny in their eyes but its far from that in ours.
its not nice at all.
For me it seems to be about my breathing. I get all the usual symptoms of trembling, tingling, cold hands and feet, depersonalisation and the sense of impending doom, particularly feeling that I'm in the throws of my last few seconds of life and that there's nothing I can do. This feeling persists despite thousands of panic attacks over more than 30 years. However it's the tight chest and the feeling that the air I'm breathing has no oxygen in it, or at least that it's not making it into my bloodstream, that I struggle with. Of course I'm aware that I mustn't hyperventilate but this means thinking about my breathing and taking slow, deep breaths. However as soon as I start thinking about my breathing it starts to feel unnatural. I feel I am manually having to take every breath and this leads to a sore throat and aching chest. I feel I have to force every breath in. This was an issue when I tried hypnosis because they wanted me to concentrate on my breathing then BINGO! Panic attack.
I'm new here by the way so please excuse me if I waffle :blush:
For me it seems to be about my breathing. I get all the usual symptoms of trembling, tingling, cold hands and feet, depersonalisation and the sense of impending doom, particularly feeling that I'm in the throws of my last few seconds of life and that there's nothing I can do. This feeling persists despite thousands of panic attacks over more than 30 years. However it's the tight chest and the feeling that the air I'm breathing has no oxygen in it, or at least that it's not making it into my bloodstream, that I struggle with. Of course I'm aware that I mustn't hyperventilate but this means thinking about my breathing and taking slow, deep breaths. However as soon as I start thinking about my breathing it starts to feel unnatural. I feel I am manually having to take every breath and this leads to a sore throat and aching chest. I feel I have to force every breath in. This was an issue when I tried hypnosis because they wanted me to concentrate on my breathing then BINGO! Panic attack.
I'm new here by the way so please excuse me if I waffle :blush:
Pix,
you wasn't waffling at all.
and welcome to the forum.
I'm pleased you shared your personal experience of panic attacks.
I believe that having the courage to talk about our experiences of anxiety is one part of a process which hopefully leads to recovery
or at least a better understanding of why we react to situations in certain ways.
so keep talk talking Pix!:yesyes:
Save
Save
Pix,
you wasn't waffling at all.
and welcome to the forum.
I'm pleased you shared your personal experience of panic attacks.
I believe that having the courage to talk about our experiences of anxiety is one part of a process which hopefully leads to recovery
or at least a better understanding of why we react to situations in certain ways.
so keep talk talking Pix!:yesyes:
Save
Save
Thank you. :bighug1:
Shazamataz
22-06-16, 12:11
It's so hard to really describe a panic attack isn't it? It's the same but different for everyone. But a person who hasn't experienced it will never understand.
When I panic or have extreme anxiety (apparently if it lasts more than a few minutes it's not a panic attack?) I feel like I am being squeezed, especially around my head, a sensation that everything is closing in on me. I get very hot and dizzy and my legs turn to jelly and I feel like I can't walk properly and might fall over.
There's also that intense feeling of dread/doom, I'm going to die or sometimes I wish I would die just so I don't have to feel like this any more.
It's almost impossible to believe that people can barely notice anything is wrong. The world around you is carrying on while inside you are screaming and crawling out of your own skin in the agony of it all.
I'd never wish this on my worst enemy.
Hi Shaz,
I Agree...some symptoms differ...I don't think I have experienced the feelings you described.
It must be very distressing getting such feelings.
when I have panic attacks it tends to intensify the symptoms of essential tremors,
so my body starts shaking and my head nods uncontrollably and I feel very self conscious and out of control.
its very distressing and very difficult to control.
I still don't understand what causes essential tremors?
any Ideas?
spanishbasqueheart
23-06-16, 00:12
Feeling of not being able to breathe xx
For me, the problem has been and as it is at this moment, (11 o'clock on Thursday morning, 23.06.) a feeling of complete weakness. Arms and legs are completely floppy. I have to lye down, otherwise I feel sure that I shall simply collapse into a pile onto the floor. The cause - I booked a night in a hotel that is 120 miles away from home for the Saturday evening for my wife and myself. I shall have the car to be able to drive home at any moment, or my wife could drive me home, but even that comforting thought is not enough to stop this dreadful feeling of fear that I shall be in a position of not being in control. I so much want to get through this, otherwise I would have to accept that I shall never to able to go away from home ever again. Any thoughts anyone?
Later today - same day - hotel booking cancelled - feeling fine once more:D - energy back, but feeling ashamed for being happy - and asking the question 'where too from here'? Pip78
LiveAboveIt
27-06-16, 15:04
Its all about the mental symptoms for me. I hate the thoughts and feeling like I have no control and that I might lose my mind.
Anything heart related for me - I get a fast heart and skipped beats
My disappointment with panic attacks is that they never kill me. When you want a panic attack to kill you and it never does, you lose all respect and fear of panic attacks. It's a great cure. You just need to be suicidal for this cure to work. Haven't had a panic attack in about ten years.
Really glad of this post is here, sometimes feel alone with my symptoms. The worst symptoms for me are hand numbness, dizziness brief or long lasting. Feeling like this for over a week.
Flowershine
18-07-16, 15:09
Hi there - for me its the locking of my hands and arms (I look like ive got pincers!) and the way my face contorts and I can't speak.
Had one this morning driving to work - distressing and scary
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