How long do your 'episodes' last once triggered?

[Ruby77]

I'm curious if there is a common timeframe on this.

I'm currently a week and half into an anxiety episode triggered by a specific event and trapped in 'I will be stuck feeling this way forever' mode.

Do you all find that it generally passes after a certain period of time?

[ankietyjoe]

When I used to have really bad anxiety it would be anything from a minute to 6 months. I don't think there's a specific timeframe at all. It's one of those 'how long is a piece of string' things.

[Ruby77]

Oh god I hope this doesn't last for 6 months. It needs to stop now!!

[ankietyjoe]

Well what I learned was that the length of time it lasted is directly related to the amount of attention I paid to trying to force it to go. I know it's hard, but the less focus and importance you place on the sensations, the faster it goes.

Feeling like it's going to always be this way is very common, but it won't always be this way.

[sammiej123]

I would advise you read Claire weekes book self help for your nerves it’s really helpful. It’s about not paying it attention and accepting it as the more you indulge it the more the adrenaline takes over and you get stuck in fight or flight continuously trust me I’ve suffered for years and just started to understand it