panic attacks

[Sonic-boom]

will panic attacks ever leave me???....suffered from them for years now, counselling and meds dont seem to ease anything, is there light at the end of the tunnell?

[Catkins]

Yes, keep at it with the counselling and medication. Have you tried CBT? There are also some good tips in the sticky section.

[NoraB]

will panic attacks ever leave me???....suffered from them for years now, counselling and meds dont seem to ease anything, is there light at the end of the tunnell?

I have a panic disorder and at one time was having numerous nocturnal panic attacks during the night and every night. With the help of CBT and religiously doing the relaxation exercises, those panic attacks are now very occasional.

In my experience you have to work with the 'attacks'. By that I mean move about and disperse the stress hormones but also to understand why they're happening and what's triggered them..

Also it's important to understand that while panic attacks are very unpleasant, they're actually our brains trying to protect us from harm. It's just that the brain can't tell the difference between what's real and what's imagined..

After so many years of having severe anxiety our bodies become sensitised and that means that really trivial (but real) things can trigger the fight or flight response. At my worst with this disorder, a change in tempo in music would trigger a panic attack. Or a gust of wind. Or the closing of a car door..

First thing I'd be asking you is what do you ingest - body and brain?

What do you eat and drink on a daily basis? Look for the stimulants (caffeine, sugar, junk food, nicotine, alcohol etc) and eliminate them all (for the time being) Medication? Supplements?

Then take a look at what you're doing throughout the day. Are you adding to (or creating) the problem by playing stimulating online games? Spending a lot of time on social media? Watching the news? Dramatic movies & TV?

All these things are hugely significant when it comes to panic disorders.

Can you take us through an average day for you? Including your sleep hygiene (if any) and you have to be 100% honest or this won't work.

[Lencoboy]

I have a panic disorder and at one time was having numerous nocturnal panic attacks during the night and every night. With the help of CBT and religiously doing the relaxation exercises, those panic attacks are now very occasional.

In my experience you have to work with the 'attacks'. By that I mean move about and disperse the stress hormones but also to understand why they're happening and what's triggered them..

Also it's important to understand that while panic attacks are very unpleasant, they're actually our brains trying to protect us from harm. It's just that the brain can't tell the difference between what's real and what's imagined..

After so many years of having severe anxiety our bodies become sensitised and that means that really trivial (but real) things can trigger the fight or flight response. At my worst with this disorder, a change in tempo in music would trigger a panic attack. Or a gust of wind. Or the closing of a car door..

First thing I'd be asking you is what do you ingest - body and brain?

What do you eat and drink on a daily basis? Look for the stimulants (caffeine, sugar, junk food, nicotine, alcohol etc) and eliminate them all (for the time being) Medication? Supplements?

Then take a look at what you're doing throughout the day. Are you adding to (or creating) the problem by playing stimulating online games? Spending a lot of time on social media? Watching the news? Dramatic movies & TV?

All these things are hugely significant when it comes to panic disorders.

Can you take us through an average day for you? Including your sleep hygiene (if any) and you have to be 100% honest or this won't work.

What you're saying makes a lot of sense Nora.

Certain sounds which previously used to go over my head, such as doors slamming, motorbikes, souped-up car engines/exhausts and people driving such vehicles like lunatics, loud rap or ravey-type music blasting from car stereos with the windows wide open (especially near my day centre), people shouting across the street, etc, send me into a raging panic, though I don't always show it.

It also seems that the media still revel in keeping us scared witless right now with all the relentless horror stories about Covid, shortages, cost of living, violent crime, endless scandals involving authority figures, etc. This year alone it's been just one big hyped-up problem after another.