Having a panic attack right now

[Panda22]

I was at school this morning but i felt so very anxious. I had a group meeting but i just felt so out of it. Like it wasn't really happening and i was still half asleep or something. Felt so sweaty, dizzy and on the verge of a full panic attack, it felt like i just had to get out of there or i would lose my mind

So i said i felt sick and went home... Now im home and still feel close to a panic attack

It's so scary.. i don't want to lose my mind :( what if i go completely crazy? and i forget everything in my life and lose myself?

That's how i feel.. i just couldn't even stay at school it was so bad

Im scared it's not anxiety/panic but a worse mental illness

---------- Post added at 10:10 ---------- Previous post was at 09:23 ----------

I feel a little calmed down now but don't ever want to feel like this again... it's horrible

I truly feel for anyone who's going tru anxiety and panic

How can i know for sure im not going crazy during panic?

[Carys]

Hiyer, Don't have much time to make a long reply right now...but copied this link for you about panic attacks...

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/panicattack

If I had a £1 for every person on this forum (over the years) who has said 'I am going crazy/am I going bad' during high anxiety and panic....well...you know the rest :winks:


but don't ever want to feel like this again... it's horrible

You might have another panic attack, but you need to accept it for what it is - something that can't hurt you, can't make you go loopy or cause long-term problems. The moment you accept it, and don't have a fear of it, it will be self-limiting and go quickly.

[edgeofpanic]

Very good article that, nice and concise.

@Panda22 - the problem with panic attacks is they always seem to surprise you when you least expect it! I find concentrating on something like that article mentions helps me a bunch, for example "what do I need to remember to do tomorrow at work" or solving a math puzzle. Deep breathing really does help too. Stroking a pet (if you have one) also.

Theres some great help on this forum, I only joined yesterday but I've found help here already.

[Panda22]

Thank you both - i read all of that article and it explains it well

I feel exhausted now after the panic attack.

Most of the time i'm able to control it, but this morning at school i just couldn't. It really felt like if i stayed any longer i would lose my mind and go crazy to the point of no return :weep:

I think if i knew that couldn't happen i would fear it much less

[Carys]

It REALLY REALLY REALLY can't happen, it does NOT happen, ever...though it sure feels like it can happen at the time. If it did happen, I would have lost my mind about 40 years ago. (Errrmmmm, nobody else needs to say anything at this point:winks:!) If you look up common and usual symptoms of a panic attack, fears that you are 'going crazy/will go crazy' are right up there.

[Mindprison]

The thing with panic attacks is that with your first one, you fear that you're about to die. While this fear carries on to future attacks, I would say that you actually begin to fear the THOUGHT of having a panic attack rather than the attack itself.

The important thing to remember is that it is simply not possible for a panic attack to kill you or cause you to go insane. It is a natural reaction that you have to stress and believe it or not, it is intended to keep you safe. If it were to hurt you in any way, it would be counter productive to what it's supposed to do.

[jray23]

My CBT therapist has told me that people who are literally losing their mind don't recognize that they are, so the mere fact that we have the thought "I'm about to lose my mind" during a panic attack is proof in and of itself that we aren't going insane.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[Carys]

My CBT therapist has told me that people who are literally losing their mind don't recognize that they are, so the mere fact that we have the thought "I'm about to lose my mind" during a panic attack is proof in and of itself that we aren't going insane.

Yep, I was told this too many years ago; People with true psychosis or organic pyschiatric conditions don't have awareness of their mental changes. NO, you can't 'make' yourself have another condition like that either!!!! (to answer your next question :winks:)