what i learned from my last panic attack

[panelman]

i decided recently that i would instead of fearing my panic attacks, that i would try and learn from them, and to see how they have changed or my ability to cope with them has changed over the 9 years since i first started having them. well the 1 i had yesterday went (from what i can remember) like this... 1st of all i felt it coming on for about an hour, but instead of lying down and relaxing untill the feelings subsided, (like i normally do) i decided to push my self a bit, just walking around the house going up and down the stairs a few times, and in my head, thinking about trying to go back to work in the new year as i haven't worked since last august. well eventually it came on me while i was in the bathroom upstairs. 1st it started with a bit of fear, then the not being able to swallow started (i noticed at this point that i swing my head from side to side to try and swallow) now i get like shots to the chest area, like the type of shot you get if you have just had a fright (you think you hear a noise in the night, a skid with the car etc. etc.) but these shots just keep coming. now the real fear hits.. actually its terror beyond what anyone should ever have to endure. my hands are shaking very bad. i remembered later that my legs were shaking bad also and, it seemed to be because of fear alone that they were shaking so bad. im not sure whether it was my increased heart rate or profuse sweating that i noticed next. well at this point i thought i was gonna loose control or it was gonna keep getting worse. i was in that much fear i decided to try and use some techniques to try and lessen the attack. i started to breath slowly and deeply and also took out my phone to distract myself by playing a game on it. probably the height of the attack lasted no more than 1 to 2 mins. the next 10 mins i spent deep breathing and trying to focus on other things but during this 10 mins i noticed feelings or waves of panic starting to come over me several times. at this point i took 0.25mg of xanax as i had myself convinced dat i would die or the body would not be able to take it if i had another attack. so just to recap it all about what i have learned over the years.... i have not hyperventilated due to panic in along time. i can get my heart rate back down to a desirable level within a few mins (IF I REMEMBER TO BREATH PROPERLY) i still fear them more than anything even after all these years. i still think im gonna die from the attack. the one thing i can't remember about my last attack was whether i felt faint or whether i felt detached. any way thats about what i can remember of it. it was alot harder to study when it was happening but this really was my first attempt to see what i could learn. i think if i could get over the sheer terror it would help alot. well ive typed enough at the moment. if any one has any comments or suggestions i would be very greatfull. and also id just like to wish every one a very happy new year from henry:yesyes:

[Chelle1]

hi henry,

I dont remember what my panic attacks are like, just that they are terrifying and i think im going to die, The fear is the problem, it is worse than any normal fear i think. i fear the terrifying fear. fearing the fear brings on more fearful symptoms. It is really hard not to fear the symptoms and i find it impossible not to fear that terror. Distraction is good for me, when panicing i find myself always so concious of what i am doing and its difficult to concentrate. I drink water with bach rescue remedy in it which seems to help too.

I wish you well for 2009.

[Meltdown]

Imagine that you had taken some sort of drug, or been hypnotized in such a way as to unquestioningly believe the next thing I said, and I then said to you the following:

A panic attack is completely harmless, that it is just a collection of physical symptoms of anxiety, that there is nothing wrong with your heart, and that you are not going to die as a result of a panic attack.

If the drug/hypnosis worked, so that you REALLY believed the above, you would be cured!

It is the dread of these attacks, and fear of the consequences, that drive the fear-adreneline-fear cycle which is the root cause of panic attacks.


The problem is that you (or I for that matter) don't really believe the above, especially in situations where we feel we are about to panic!

My approach (which has been working well this year) is to try to convince myself of the above, whilst taking a let-it -happen and see what happens approch to attacks. I always have a paper bag to breath into if I hyperventilate, and this always gets rid of this disturbing symptom.

I try to follow the advice I was given by my CBT therapist, to NOT avoid the situations that cause panic, and to try NOT to distract myself from what happens when I have them. Difficult to do, but it does work!

[JohnBliss]

Hi
Despite constant anxiety I have not had a panic attack for several months.What works for me is that when I feel a panic attack coming I tell it to come on and do its worst. When nothing happens I tell it "come on = try harder." Strangely this seems to disarm/disable the panic attack.I know this is an approach which many experts do recommend but for me it really does work.I just wish I could find something equally effective to disperse the anxious thoughts.
All the best
John