Length/strength of your Panic attacks ?

[LittleMissSleepy]

How long or intense are your panic attacks usually ? Do you have any techniques to quash it when you feel it start ? My usual techniques failed last night. (mostly distraction techniques)

Since CV19 in Jan 2020 and shielding I've experienced an average of two panic attacks a week, always at night, most medium, a couple of intense, some milder if I get a grip on it quickly.
I had a month without any when the CV19 cases had fallen to their lowest and no cases locally.
Now the virus is on the rise again I've experienced two panic attacks one after the other and two nights back to back with the longest episode last night.
Longest being up to an hour of shaking being unable to move in bed as it causes more tremors (after racing heart which I take prop. for).


I've been feeling that buzzing sensation in my body - has anyone else had this internal vibration ? It's defo worse after a PA.

[ankietyjoe]

Anything between 5 minutes and several weeks on a scale of 1 out of 100 to 1 million out of 100.

After many years I discovered the only thing that works and eliminates them from becoming a real problem is to just ignore them. You can't stop them, and you can't always quash them once they've started, so all you're left with is to accept them. It's just a sensation after all, albeit a nasty one.

[NoraB]

How long or intense are your panic attacks usually ?

They vary. They're mostly non-starters these days because I know how to trigger the parasympathetic response to calm it all down. But if I get them early in the morning, and not get up, I can be dealing with the stress hormones for hours afterwards - which is why it's always better to get up and move.


Do you have any techniques to quash it when you feel it start ? My usual techniques failed last night. (mostly distraction techniques)

I breathe properly. (it triggers the parasympathetic nervous system which turns off fight or flight)

I use the box-breathing technique where I breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, and hold for 4, but first, I completely empty my lungs.

I find it better to just go with the sensations because I understand them. They feel unpleasant, but they pass. As I breathe, I can feel my heart slowing down. On especially bad attacks, I do some EFT tapping too - which is very effective.


Now the virus is on the rise again I've experienced two panic attacks one after the other and two nights back to back with the longest episode last night.
Longest being up to an hour of shaking being unable to move in bed as it causes more tremors (after racing heart which I take prop. for).

If you can't watch the news and be rational, you probably need to avoid it as much as possible. I go by a 'need to know' basis simply because it's all the other shit that ramps up anxiety the most.


I've been feeling that buzzing sensation in my body - has anyone else had this internal vibration ? It's defo worse after a PA.

It's due to hyperventilating, stress hormones or a combo of both. When you have a PA, there is a shit load of adrenalin and cortisol in your body and you will feel the effects of these stress hormones long after the PA has subsided - buzzing, tingling, numbness etc. I always feel like I'm plugged into the mains if that makes any sense?