Awful Panic Attack

[LeahGrey]

So yesterday in school I had a gigantic panic attack which has left me feeling terrified. I felt short of breath all day, then after lunch I was sat in class and I didn't feel quite right and I couldn't catch my breath. I started shaking so I put my head on the table where I started crying hysterically and I kind of started screaming and hyperventilating at the same time and everyone was apparently terrified. I left the room and eventually managed to slow my breathing but I just completely lost control of myself and it's worried me. I'm worried as to why I just started crying and screaming without having any control over it, and it honestly just seemed to come on completely out of the blue.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can stop this happening again? I am extremely embarrassed and scared it will happen again. Also, has anyone else ever experienced uncontrollable screaming or hysterical crying during a panic attack? Because those two symptoms are new to me and I've never heard of them being associated with panic attacks

[Shazamataz]

Gosh, that's no fun, sorry you had that experience.

I've never had screaming or crying with a panic attack so don't know what that's like. I seem to be able to keep all of my screaming and crying on the inside!

[TheChangingMan]

Hi Leah,

I too suffered my first Anxiety Episodes in Adolescence.. Was this your first Panic Attack?

[GingerFish]

So sorry you experienced this, especially in front of everyone. I've been there, not fun. Hope you're feeling a bit better today :hugs: Yeah, I've screamed and cried hysterically during a particularly bad panic attack. Luckily though it was just in front of my partner who is very understanding but I was still mortified. I screamed and shouted that I was dying and demanded him to call an ambulance even though deep down we both knew it was just a panic attack. It was my first as I call them 'terror attacks' because they filled me with so much terror. They felt beyond a panic attack.

Sadly, there's no way you can prevent this from happening again. The more you worry about it happening again, the more likely it will happen as you add more stress and tension and that makes the way for future panic attacks - both big and small ones. The best advice I can give is, go to your GP if you haven't already for a check up and hopefully that will help settle some of your nerves to show you are physical OK, confide in someone you trust whether that is a family member, friends or even someone online, eat and sleep as best as you can. I know its hard, almost impossible to eat and sleep well when you are anxious but not sleeping and eating well also can lead to more panic attacks. I know how scary they are, especially your first few and when they happen totally out the blue but I can 100% promise you that they wont harm you. They may embarrass you but that is the most they can do, no matter how scary or life threatening they feel. My first ever panic attack happened in a biology lecture at college when I was 19 and was totally out the blue so I know exactly how you feel.

[TheChangingMan]

So sorry you experienced this, especially in front of everyone. I've been there, not fun. Hope you're feeling a bit better today :hugs: Yeah, I've screamed and crying hysterically during a particularly bad panic attack. Luckily though it was just in front of my partner who is very understanding but I was still mortified. I screamed and shouted that I was dying and demanded him to call an ambulance even though deep down we both knew it was just a panic attack. It was my first as I call them 'terror attacks' because they filled me with so much terror. They felt beyond a panic attack.

Sadly, there's no way you can prevent this from happening again. The more you worry about it happening again, the more likely it will happen as you add more stress and tension and that makes the way for future panic attacks - both big and small ones. The best advice I can give is, go to your GP if you haven't already for a check up and hopefully that will help settle some of your nerves to show you are physical OK, confide in someone you trust whether that is a family member, friends or even someone online, eat and sleep as best as you can. I know its hard, almost impossible to eat and sleep well when you are anxious but not sleeping and eating well also can lead to more panic attacks. I know how scary they are, especially your first few and when they happen totally out the blue but I can 100% promise you that they wont harm you. They may embarrass you but that is the most they can do, no matter how scary or life threatening they life. My first ever panic attack happened in a biology lecture at college when I was 19 and was totally out the blue so I know exactly how you feel.

Excellent Advice :noangel:

[LeahGrey]

So sorry you experienced this, especially in front of everyone. I've been there, not fun. Hope you're feeling a bit better today :hugs: Yeah, I've screamed and cried hysterically during a particularly bad panic attack. Luckily though it was just in front of my partner who is very understanding but I was still mortified. I screamed and shouted that I was dying and demanded him to call an ambulance even though deep down we both knew it was just a panic attack. It was my first as I call them 'terror attacks' because they filled me with so much terror. They felt beyond a panic attack.

Sadly, there's no way you can prevent this from happening again. The more you worry about it happening again, the more likely it will happen as you add more stress and tension and that makes the way for future panic attacks - both big and small ones. The best advice I can give is, go to your GP if you haven't already for a check up and hopefully that will help settle some of your nerves to show you are physical OK, confide in someone you trust whether that is a family member, friends or even someone online, eat and sleep as best as you can. I know its hard, almost impossible to eat and sleep well when you are anxious but not sleeping and eating well also can lead to more panic attacks. I know how scary they are, especially your first few and when they happen totally out the blue but I can 100% promise you that they wont harm you. They may embarrass you but that is the most they can do, no matter how scary or life threatening they feel. My first ever panic attack happened in a biology lecture at college when I was 19 and was totally out the blue so I know exactly how you feel.

thank you so much for the reply, all three of you! And thank you for the advice, I admit I haven't been sleeping great recently as I'm soon to sit my exams. Ive struggled with anxiety for almost 3 years now, and have only started having panic attacks since Christmas, and this was my third one ever.

[GingerFish]

Exam time is notorious for causing panic attacks, so you're definitely not alone at this time of year even though you most likely feel like you are. How are you feeling now after that panic attack?

[Ditapage]

I'm so sorry for you but you're certainly not alone. The thing that stands out for me in your post is you felt short of breath much of the day. Which tells me you were already anxious about something and it eventually escalated into a full blown panic attack. Unfortunately no one can guarantee if/when/where it will happen again because we can't even predict our own. Sometimes a general feeling of anxiety is an opportunity to rationalise with yourself "what am I anxious about?" But I can't talk I'm afraid... Just today I had breathlessness for hours before it became a massive attack. Other times I feel breathless, distract myself and no attack happens. There's just no predicting these things.

The only 'cures' (and I'm not there yet) is to take a medication or stop fearing the symptoms.

Just wanted to say don't let this beast diminish your confidence. More people experience this than we think. dont be alarmed about the crying- I've had panic attacks that made me want to scream and then I panicked more because I thought I wouldn't be able to stop myself. Crying is fine compared to screaming. You just have a lot of pent up emotions and need to let it out. Be kind to yourself. The lack of control you feel is just all the adrenaline racing around your body. You're not losing your mind or going crazy. Panic attacks are emotional events for most of us.

[icingsugar]

Hi, I hope you're feeling better now. I had this for one year almost every day so I know how you are feeling. The key thing is that you were feeling out of breath all day which was probably a result on some anxiety/not sleeping well etc (If you have been checked up at the doctors, it could also be something like anemia which is nothing to worry about but can cause these kinds of symptoms). If your anything like me your body at the back of your mind probably reacted to it as you being in danger hense the full blown panic attack. Even if on the surface you feel fine your subconcious can mis-interpret symptoms such as these as being dangerous and cause an attack.

[Seffie]

Hi just a quick note to say that I have suffered from anxiety on and off for around 25 years. The most helpful books I read were the Claire Weekes ones but the language is a little dated now, however, I found an excellent website by the Anxiety Coach and he has written a book called the Panic Attack workbook. It is really an updated Claire Weekes guide, very user friendly and so far I have found it very helpful, he really 'gets' it and understands the thought processes behind anxiety and panic attacks. Have a look at his website the Anxiety Coach, I think his name is John Carbonell and he is a psychotherapist / psychologist. Not surprised you had a panic attack as your slight breathlessness during the day before your PA sounds like chronic hyperventilation which will trigger the fight / flight reaction-sympathetic nervous system-and release adrenaline into your system, that's all that happened. Learn low, slow belly breathing and you'll be able to calm your breathing down and switch your parasympathetic system back on.
Inform yourself as much as possible about what is going on during anxiety and panic attacks and then work hard at learning to face panic attacks head on in order to lose your fear of them - this isn't easy I know and is still a work in progress for me.
Good luck!
Seffie x