I am new to this - also i am worried.

[Jpork]

Hi everyone. I'll get right to it.

I had a staff meeting for work yesterday. It was held a few miles away from work, so i went to a friends house so we could get a taxi together. The taxi was very late, wich meant that we turned up very late to the meeting, there were about 6 of us who were late.

We nocked on the meeting room door, and when it opend i saw that the room was very small, hot and stuffy. Not enough chairs, lots of people stood up. We all filed in, and i stood close to a guy who was already in there. And the rest of the late people filed in behind me and stood there.

As i was listening to my boss drone on about yearly sales, i very suddenly became aware of how uncomfortable i was. I started fidgeting and feeling really hot, my heart started racing. I thought to myself "just ignore it" And continued listening to my boss. Then i started to ask myself just how long this meeting was going to last, and i realised i might not be able to wait that long, as i now felt like my heart was going to explode. I looked to my right - lots of people, to my left - lots of people. A desk infront of me and a wall behind me.

The adrenaline rush i felt afterwards was uncomparable to anything i have experienced before. My heart was thumping like a jack hammer and i felt a tingle come from my toes all the way my body till i felt light headed.

i HAD to get out. I felt like at the time if i had to kill someone to get out of there i would have. I managed to stap over peoples feet and push past people and fumbled with the handle clumsily, evening finding this difficult.

When i got outside the most incredible weight was lifted off me, but i began to have serious worries. I have always been paranoid in large social settings, but i always ignored them. I felt like i was submitting to a voice in my head or something. I genuinly felt like i wasnt right.

Im sorry for the long post but i have to let this out somewhere. It was hugely embarrasing and i really am worried about it.

I had a mini "flashback" today while stood in line at the bank, but luckily the clerk asked me to move forward before it got out of control.

What is happening to me?

Thankyou to anyone who replies.

And if you only read my post, thanks too.

[groovygranny]

Hello Jpork, welcome to you :)

You've just experienced a panic attack.

Not a long post at all - you should see some of mine! Anyway, the fact you've posted at all is the most important thing not how long or short it is.

Oh, this sounds so familiar - it takes me back about two months ago when I was in a very similar situation !!

That clerk did you a huge favour if she did but know it - she took your mind off the flashback and gave you something to focus on away from it.

That's what you must try and do if it happens again. Focus away from the fear - for it is the fear of it happening again that will increase your anxiety and ultimately your panic.

Embarrassing yes -

Frightening - definitely

Likely to happen again - maybe

Can you control it? - absolutely!


You're not alone - we've all been there in some way or form.

Please feel free to PM me if you like

:hugs:

[Nick]

Well it seems you're in the right place as it sounds like a panic attack. The first time I had one was last year, and it's still a mystery to me what triggers it off. I got out of bed, turned the TV on and felt a numbness creeping up my legs all the way to my neck. I couldn't breath properly and felt like I was going to well...die. There is no other way to explain it. It lasted for ten minutes and went away, only to come back a few minutes later and lasted for another ten minutes before it finally went away.

I didn't know what had caused it or what it was, as time went buy and it hadn't returned I kinda forgot all about it. Then last month I was sitting in my kitchen around 11PM talking to my mum and it struck again, I didn't feel stressed before hand, it just came over me for no reason. Only this time it was far worse, I started shaking, felt like I was going to faint, my face went completely numb and I could hardly walk. My mum thought I was having a stroke or something and wanted to call for a ambulance. But I told her not to as I had had this before and it would go away, (I wasn't sure if it would as I didn't know what was happening) I was walking up and down the garden in the middle of the night in a state of panic thinking I was going to die at any moment. Not knowing what it was made these episodes worse. Terror is the only word I can use to describe it.

Now I know what it is I'm not to worried, I at least know it's not a stroke, or is not going to kill me which was my main worry while it was happening before. I think lifestyle can play a big part in triggering these attacks, I've read that smoking can have a effect, (I'm a smoker trying to quit) and in my case I think drinking to much alcohol a few days before these attacks also played a role. I think they add stress on to your bodily functions which can subconsciously trigger a panic attack even if you're not feeling stressed at that moment they happen.

I could be wrong of course. Sorry if I'm rambling on, but this is my first post here and I just wanted to get my story off my chest, and to tell you not to worry about it to much, it may never happen to you again, but if it does remember that it can't harm you and will pass. It may lessen the effects of it if you remember these things if God forbid you have another. I'm 31 and only started to have these panic attacks in the last year, nothing has changed in my life so I don't know why they're happening now, I have since found out that my sister who I don't really keep in contact with also has them which makes me believe they may be hereditary.