Fear of losing control...

[Dreamer029]

hi all,
haven't had panic attacks in awhile. they are striking me again recently. hopefully it is short-lived. i find that i am having a fear of getting worse or losing control while i am panicking. i get the horrible adrenalin rush of course, and pounding heartbeat, sweaty, nauseated (sometimes vomit) etc. I just dread it coming and while i am having it think, what if it never gets better? what if i can't do all the things in life i want to do?? this scares me more than anything. does else anyone get this feeling, i think that is what makes the panic attack escalate. i've come to realize that whenever i feel out of control of the situation i panic. so one panic attack yesterday led to one today and i just don't know how to break the cycle.
laur

[bumbles]

It is just what happens fear feeding fear. horrid!. Have you listend to Claire Weeks free tapes in the NMP shop they are brill. Good luck breaking the cycle it can be done. X

[andie73]

Hi

I think most of us fear losing control, that's how panic takes over. The only way to beat this is to challenge it. Panic cannot harm you, it's horrid feeling like this but you are quite safe. Once you start to test things out and you see that you survive and don't lose control, you will learn to cope with these feelings better. And remember, you haven't lost control while panicking yet so why would you start now. Our bodies become more highly tuned when we panic and the adrenalin is in full flow, so in effect you are actually more in control. You just don't feel it cos of the bodily sensations.

[gtrgrl3369]

Here's how to look at it, what's the worst thing that will happen if I lose control? Will you scream out loud or wet yourself? Will you faint(most unlikely)? We panic over control and fear. When the next one happens in public, go with it and see what happens. I have learned that what I fear the most had never happened. Fainting. Once you face the fear of losing it in public it will lose the spot in your mind. Go for it,it might surprise you. Take care.

[jill]

Hi hun,

As you can see, you are not alone with this, there are many memeber who have had this

Fear of losing control

What you feel:
In a crowd or group, you may feel that you will do something to make you feel embarrassed like passing out, vomiting, gagging, stumbling and so on. You may feel that you might not be able to control your body or what you'll say. You may become very self-conscious among people.
What causes this:

When an anxiety attack occurs, the high stress biology causes fear and anxiety as a side effect. This means that our state of reasoning is impaired and often overshadowed by anxious thoughts. At the root of these anxious thoughts is an underlying sense of doom which threatens our mental stability. Because an over stimulated nervous system can also impair our judgment and reasoning, the feeling of losing control is very common for those who experience anxiety disorder. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most common symptoms.

When you experience this fear, just remember that it is a ‘false’ impression and that as the nervous system gets sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and subside. You can also thought stop and thought swap to remain calm as the fear of losing control is only a false thought or impression, nothing more. By not reacting to it with more fear, it will fade away as the other symptoms do.

This symptom will come and go in nature, but can become ingrained if the individual begins to dwell on it. But again remember, it is only a false thought, a symptom of an over active nervous system, nothing more. With sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and eventually fade away completely.

Here is something else I found which explaine it is the same way, but differently, if you know what I mean LOL
When we are afraid of panic attacks we want to be in control, desparately. Many people say, "I feel like I am losing control !" And the sufferer goes into a deep inner search to somehow stop these fearful feelings while fretting over the future panic yet to come. But let's put "in control" IN perspective:

I will say that we never have conscious "control" and it is a futile exercise to try to attain it. In fact, what "control" we do have is all on the autonomic and subconscious level - nervous system, breathing, heart beating, swallowing, blinking, etc. When we attempt to exercise a CONSCIOUS control over our autonomic systems is when we get into trouble. It's highly stressful and not possible. If I am worried about not being able to swallow (because of a dry mouth or lodged food) and then try hard to control it CONSCIOUSLY, you can bet that I will feel like I CAN'T swallow and the resulting fear and focus will prevent more swallowing as it becomes exceedingly difficult and the subconscious control is all messed up and distorted. Why? Because we are trying to CONSCIOUSLY control a function that left to our autonomic nervous system will function just fine!

The fear that we feel in a panic attack is similiar. Fear is created by your nervous system which is an automated bodily response. Trying to gain control over fear creates tension and more desire for conscious control. When we stop trying to control our fear, which includes worrying and fretting over it, we don't lose anything...sanity or consciousness or identity. We don't even get amnesia. There is no control to lose. But in reality the "old" feelings, the old "YOU" before panic attacks began, was a state of mind of NOT trying to control your fear because you didn't feel the overwhelming fear that a panic attack brings. The point is that fear is a natural response to what you are informing your nervous system about. It reacts automatically. And you can't do a thing about it except let it happen. Or medicate it away.

"In control" is an unreasonable expectation that furthers panic attacks. The desire for such control becomes the basis for the apprehension many times that sets the panic in motion. "If only I could control this damn fear then I would feel better!" But the wish is unrealistic and never attained until the suffer gives up all hope for conscious control and by this method settles down the nervous system and returning a feeling of "control."

Hope this helps a little

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX

[bluewillow]

hi all,
haven't had panic attacks in awhile. they are striking me again recently. hopefully it is short-lived. i find that i am having a fear of getting worse or losing control while i am panicking. i get the horrible adrenalin rush of course, and pounding heartbeat, sweaty, nauseated (sometimes vomit) etc. I just dread it coming and while i am having it think, what if it never gets better? what if i can't do all the things in life i want to do?? this scares me more than anything. does else anyone get this feeling, i think that is what makes the panic attack escalate. i've come to realize that whenever i feel out of control of the situation i panic. so one panic attack yesterday led to one today and i just don't know how to break the cycle.
laur
Hi I know how you are feeling mine used to be occasional now its everyday several times a day. Im at the stage now where I cant work and dont go out unless it is absolutely necessary. I ring the school with excuses to take the children out early incase it gets so bad I cant pick them up at all. I have asked for clinical hypnosis to try and deal with it as I have had CBT and pills for most of my life and nothing helps. I know what you mean when you say will you ever be able to do anything again. Im 35 and life is passing so quickly and im stuck in doors watching everyone else have a life.