Completely random panic attacks

[Mattavfc]

Does anyone else get panic attacks completely at random?

I'm actually a pretty relaxed person and do not get too anxious about things, however I still get panic attacks completely at random. Today I went to the shop and as soon as I started walking there I started feeling nauseous and strange, while in the shop I was feeling like I had to leave immediately. Even when I got home I was still feeling dizzy, nauseous and it was only after maybe half an hour that I started feeling normal again.

Like I said I am a relaxed person, am generally pretty healthy, yet I get these weird episodes, seemingly completely at random.

Anyone else had experience of this and can help me?

[ocdbaking]

What I've learned over the years, and through counselling, is that there is always a reason for the panic attack - sometimes subconsciously.

[ana]

I agree with ocdbaking. Even though they might appear to happen at random, there's always a reason as to why panic attacks happen. Learning to identify your triggers could be a challenge, but personally, I've found that I channel a lot of emotions into my anxiety instead of dealing with them as and when they happen. Once I'm able to tell that it's my anger or sadness over something that's causing me to panic, it's easier for me to examine and experience the actual feeling (as opposed to just channelling it into a panic attack).

[Blubelle]

Hi. Today started well, I felt good sun was shining so made some lunch, grabbed some chairs and sun brollie and headed for the beach. I read my book for a while. I noticed it had got breezy so warned hubby that sun brollie could take off ( I think that may have been the trigger ) before I knew it I am up telling hubby that we had to go, that I couldn't stay there and off I ran. Totally mad my poor hubby doesn't know wot hit him. Felt better once out of the wind but not been right all day since. It's a constant battle and I do think I am going mad :(

[MadWomanintheAttik]

My panic attacks are seriously random. They aren't random in the fact that they "usually" occur when I am trying to relax :) sound familiar? Nothing really triggers them, although I have noticed that if I feel anything weird in my body, I get worried and the panic attack comes shortly after. But yeah, I totally believe they are random. Some doctors have said that they aren't random, and that maybe we worry subconsciously. Well, the subconscious is called the subconscious for a reason, so how are we to know if we are worrying or not?

You aren't going mad, but you're probably exhausted. When I first started having panic attacks and didn't really know how to respond to them, I felt like I was walking in a dream world, or nightmare world, lol.

[spaghetti3]

I get these too, almost every time there isn't a specific trigger but my psychologist told me that panic attacks can be caused by msomething as simple as muscle tension in the shoulders.

[titch]

I literally signed in to post something similar. I have bad health anxiety but recently I've been getting random panic attacks for no reason or so I think. Like I seem to get aggitated if I need to wait in a line and even at the hairdressers I couldn't wait to get out I get so aggitated. All I want to do is stay at home in my safe place x

[dorabella]

I've been experiencing this for years -and most of the time there is no obvious trigger, i.e.some emotional trauma, noticeably stressful event etc.

Usually there is a there is underlying stress behind it - not necessarily mental or emotional - but quite often physical - as others have suggested. Could be muscular tension - as in my case prolonged physical repetitive activity resulting in tight ribs, stiff neck and chest muscles etc, which trigger the anxiety.

Sometimes - and this is the most ridiculous thing - there are occasions where I suddenly become aware that I feel relaxed, feel emotionally good or just feel normal again. This in itself is a shock to my system as I'm so used to feeling wound up, tense and on the edge of panic- and the immediate reaction is that I actually panic at feeling normal. Daft isn't it - but then panic isn't logical.