When the panic attack is triggered, what is the over-riding fear?

[jude uk]

I was talking to a friend and the subject got on to "what triggers a panic attack and what is our thought/s when that trigger is flicked on?"
The trigger is normally so quick that most cant even remember how the attack started but they can say how they felt.

The trigger I believe is learned behaviour. We may not know what the trigger is but as soon as its switched on we react in the same way. Now I dont believe we can ever get rid of the trigger but we can adjust how we behave/react to the trigger.

How many times have we all been having a nice day, it may be a walk, a drive or just talking with someone and then WHAM out of nowhere we suddenly feel anxious. I know how I felt when I was agoraphobic and confronting it. Out in the park hitting golf balls and then WHAM, feelings of doom.

I would like to ask what are your feelings when the trigger has been switched. I will put a few suggestions down but please feel free to add your own

[jude uk]

This is well worth doing because it gives an idea of what we all fear. so even if you dont comment please tick the boxes

Thanks

[Going home]

If it can sometimes happen as you say out of the blue when doing normal things, would people know what the triggers are? And I would think that once the attack has taken hold most of us probably fear death. But I don't think it takes a poll to figure that out, though I could be wrong...people like polls :D

Anna xx

[onceagain]

Hi

about to go to bed but noticed this post and decided had to reply and put my views to my triggers because I am one who does not get the normal by the sounds of it.

My fears started due to personal circumstances ie, being hurt, being cheated on and being left .. I find it hard to trust and with constant knocks I have such a low self esteem that I fear not being good enough and being hurt.

So I can be totally happy and then if I get even an inkling of a threatful situation I lose myself into it and off I go.. I have no control despite knowing what it is that is upsetting me.. and the reason that I cannot control it is because I'm not in control in the first place..

Let me explain.. my doctor and psycho doc and past counsellor tell me over and over that I am so aware of what upsets me they feel it is now so deep rooted that even CBT would not work for me, they are going to use menalization therapy with CBT and anticipate a change within 12 months.. I have low self esteem with anxiety and depression and I fear what others will treat me like or what others are capable of doing to hurt me or hide from me.. therefore I cannot switch it off as I cannot control the actions of other people.. I might see a situation that alone I might think okay I don't like this and leave but others will carry out the action that I feared .. and because this has happened over and over I now lose control as soon as I sense it .. so yes I'm sure that if people know their triggers they can work towards working at improving but I find it soul destroying that mine is one where I have to count on others to consider the impact and to err is human and unfortunately they err alot... lol.

Good night really is time to hit the pillow and hugs.. hope that this thread does lead to something positive.. x

[annette1]

My triggers, before I started trauma therapy triggers could be due to almost anything although I did have & still do some very specific triggers.

My overriding feeling is one of fear & being helpless, hopeless & worthless. Like my abuser is just around the corner waiting to finish me off.

After 16mths of trauma therapy I no longer have daily flashbacks, at one time they seemed to happen as often as I breathed! now they tend to be very specific & I can predict when they will happen, things like the fear of seeing my abuser or just knowing he'll be in the country when he comes to the uk in June or certain smells/places are more difficult to handle as there is no warning. I also have more triggers when I haven't got control of my anxiety, I now take meds to help with that.

I put my recovery down to the EMDR therapy I've had which has allowed me to experience my trauma in a very controlled & safe way. I generally find that during the week after a session my triggers lessen until they don't bother me any more.

[jude uk]

I feel this thread will prove useful on many levels.

1. It will allow others to see that they are not alone with these feelings and they will be able to relate as well as give positive answers to what they do when the trigger is switched
2. Information is the key to overcoming how we all feel.
3. As this thread grows, it is my hope that as I put myself in more and more uncomfortable situations (for my own and others benefit), I will be able to relay how I felt before during and after it.

For example, I was walking alone in the woods up the road from and felt good, then I have a thought......I am too far from help, then all the "what ifs" come flowing into my head....Choices are to make my way out of this situation.........keep walking and talk myself out of the oncoming panic fear.....lose control and suffer the attack while making my way out of the situation or stand and allow the panic to come and go.

My aim is to find the answer to why our mind always seems to jump to the negative thoughts, the fear and panic thoughts. Why does it not just accept this is a nice walk, enjoy it and return home feeling good?
I do not believe our minds are predisposed to automaticly thinking feelings of dread and the answers must lie in a few areas...which I have not worked out yet.

This is not just another poll question but a real attempt to find real answers that will enable us all to move towards better mental health.

so keep posting and lets start to question why we feel this way...Not just complain but think.....I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TODAY. I think together we can find the answers

[flipflop]

Great thread and since this is my first time here it must be fate that I joined to day. I have been asking myself for years what is the trigger and how do I switch it off. Thanks for this post

[Granny Primark]

Being stuck in a traffic jam when I was running late for a care call caused my first panic attack.
I was convinced that I wouldnt live long enough for my hubby to come and get me.
Now for no reason at all I can have a panic attack.
Il even sometimes wake up panicking.
The fear that I used to have that Im actually going to die isnt as bad now, but its always at the back of my mind.
However due to anxiety and panic I cant do the things I used to do. This has caused me to to have bouts of deep depression.

[Pippy]

I usually wake up panicking, it's usually related to work or dealing with difficult people or situations. I never think i'm going to die but I have great difficulty breathing and usually end up wretching really badly.
The fatigue afterwards is completely debilitating.

I'm always worried that I will loose my job over it.

[Lauren Chambers]

Good idea to make a post like this, keep it up :yesyes:

Lauren x

[jude uk]

The triggers and the pre-thoughts work together. We already have the thoughts stored away in our minds and it then does not take much to trigger them off. I remember years ago even before I had a panic attack thinking "I am going to have a shit time at this party" and yes I had a shit time. I went into it with negative thoughts. My trigger/pre-thought was already there!!!

I still have the odd time of agoraphobia even though I do get out and about. I go to Edinburgh and back on a regular basis via train(its all of 50miles and takes less than an hour)..Most of the time I am fine but I can notice the trigger coming, the what if thoughts creeping in.
Its at this point we have to make a choice
A. Feed the thoughts
B. Change how we think

[alwaysanxious]

my thoughts are totally random and ive noticed lots of things set my panic off like bordom when im not busy or havent got plans to do anything.. also i think about my family dying in the future iknowthat sounds awfull and morbid i dnt mean it but i think how will i cope without them being around .. i fear ill always be like this .and i dont want to b .

[jude uk]

Many have the problem with being too far away from help which in a sense is related to a fear of dying or something bad happening to them. Yet if you decided to go somewhere tomorrow and then put it off because of your fear and sat in the house. You will then see that nothing did happen and thats not because you sat in the house but because nothing was going to happen in the first place.

It is only by preparing ourselves for the task at hand and remembering that we will be okay, then we will be able to move forward.

what do others think about that?