View Full Version : Does panic attack damage nervous system? - feel like walking on moving ground
I have had my first panic attack about 1 month ago. I have since felt a lack of balance often when working feeling like the ground is moving.
Apparently this is a common symptom for many sufferers.
I am just wondering whether this is caused by some damage to the nervous system as it doesn't realy make sense.
Secondly, can anyone let me know if anyone's recovered from the above symptom as it is affecting me to exercise (which is supposed to help panic disorder)
The very strange thing is I don't really feel panic anymore (ie I can't really feel surge of adrenaline etc) but I still feel dizzy and have these feelings of walking on moving ground, so I just don't know what to do.
I get that feeling of the ground moving under my feet too. I've no idea what causes it and why it happens.
However by focusing on it and worrying about it, youre just making it happen more.
My advice is to just accept its happening. As soon as you stop thinking about it, it'll probably disapear as soon as it appeared.
I often feel like I'm going to fall over since my panic attack but I don't think you need to worry about it being from permanant damage. Vixxy has good advice about accepting it and not focusing on it.
If anyone has found they have this symptom and have found a cure e.g. by chaning the way they breathe, or anything that helps please let me know :D
Apparently this could either be 1) blood-sugar imbalance or 2) breathing improperly 3) something to do with my ears
Concentrating on breathing slowly in and out and making sure youre keeping your body relaxed helps.
Remember that panic and anxiety cannot damage you... It's a natural human response to stress. The "disorder" part about it is you're having a panic/anxious response when you shouldn't... I feel dizzy every morning and sometimes for days!
Hi Wolf
I think you'll find this symptom is from low grade hyperventilation, ie: over breathing. Probably before and since your panic attack you have been a little anxious and do this without even realising it. You don't have to be actually panting to overbreath, just breathing in a little more often than is necessary will cause this. Try to slow your breathing a little and in time it will fade. I hope this helps.
Fran
x
Hi, panic attacks etc do not cause damage to your body, they simply create bad memories and negative associations. That's all. Panic attacks can be beaten but I will warn you now that they are semi-intelligent and once you start beating them, they may change and come back differently, so don't be scared if your panic attacks happen differently in future. It is possible to recover from them for all time.
Also, the breathless feeling will probably start to go away once you get used to the whole thing. Anxiety is a strange and alien thing to go through until you're used to it, then you will be fine, you'll be able to cope. In fact in time you will probably find exercise really helps.
Veronica H
11-05-10, 17:56
This is common when recovering from sensitised nerves. This will get better wolf as your nerves recover. Try not to be too impressed by it and believe it will pass. Acceptance is the key with anxiety....but of course this isn't always easy.:hugs:
Veronicax
Ok I have accepted the dizziness and imbalance and I have found it easier to walk around outside for an hour.
But honestly I don't think it's because I am hyperventilating. Even though I have accepted it it's definitely not nice to feeling dizzy/imbalance all the time since it rules me out of doing things like playing squash.
I am a bit surprised actually that so many people suffer these symptoms for so long without any answers. I will go to the GP on monday to find out more about it.
From my research there are really the following reasons for dizziness/imbalance:
1) hyperventilating
2) eye/ear problem
3) nervous system sensitivity leading to imbalance (somehow?)
4) medicine (unlikely as only taking 3 x 10mg propanolol)
I'm sure that doctors would know the cause of the dizziness feeling. I mean it isn't like that complicated, surely they can just do some balance test with my eyes closed (which will rule out eye problem)...etc
guitarpants
14-05-10, 20:31
I've had all kinds of neurological tests, imaging, EEG, ENG (balance and vestibular tests). And nothing was able to explain my dizziness, disequilibrium, etc. There are just some things that can't be explained and they end up going away on their own.
I'm sure anxiety/panic/stress causes your brain to not function correctly for a while. However, it's not "damage" since it's not permanent and reversible. It seems like it will never go away, but it will.
I've heard people having these problems for such a long time. How long does it take people have these 'unbalanced feelings' cured? Is it months or years? It looks like some people have had these problems for absolutely ages...
guitarpants
14-05-10, 21:23
I've heard people having these problems for such a long time. How long does it take people have these 'unbalanced feelings' cured? Is it months or years? It looks like some people have had these problems for absolutely ages...
For me it was like 8 months. I'm not sure when it started to get better. Might have been when I was on prednisone for a week, or antibiotics, since I have a sinus issue occurring alongside this. There's no way to tell if the sinus issues caused the anxiety and symptoms or the other way around, etc. There generally is no way to tell. Muscle tension alone can cause balance problems. Anxiety can make you more prone to infection. There are just so many variables. The only real answer is to get healthy physically and mentally. Eat right, get exercise, be nice to yourself. Usually that in itself will cure most things. If it doesn't, it will at least make it easier to pinpoint the source of the problem.
That's good. Im glad you are feeling better :D Any others?
Martin Burridge
14-05-10, 21:44
Panic attacks are not damaging to the nervous system. In fact your parasypmathetic nervous system is working extremely well. The parasypmathetic nervous system is what creates the fight or flight response to protect us. e.g. if we were attacked by a sabre tooth tiger (extinct now thankfully) you would need to fight it or flee and your body needs adrenaline, faster breathing and a racing mind to do this. What happens with a panic attack is that our thoughts create a level of anxiety that is high enough to trigger the fight or flight response. There are many treatments available for this and this website has some excellent information on this. Have a look on the left of this page. As for the dizziness discuss this with your GP. If your GP diagnoses Panic Disorder then look into the available treatments. Good luck and hope this helps
If it's not damage to the nervous system, I don't understand why someone will feel dizzy/out of balance for such a long period of time. I think oversensitivity is a problem with the nervous system. I think I read an article comparing it to hiting your toe with a nail, and it takes time for the nervous system to heal, and so you should eat protein etc.
Martin Burridge
14-05-10, 23:53
You need to get your GP to rule out any physical causes of the dizziness. Generally speaking though anxiety disorders can have lots of varied symptoms. Fast heart rate and /or quick shallow breathing can cause dizziness.
Whatever the cause of your symptoms please rest assured if it is panic attacks, there is no evidence that they damage the nervous system.
i've had the dizzy/loss of reality feeling for 9 weeks, it's absolute hell for the first 8 i found but now i'm learning to live with it. i've accepted that it's not something physical and assuming it's going to be with me for a while so just trying to cope with it
loveletter
22-05-10, 18:14
I have had dizziness and off balance problems for 23 years now.
Some days are better then others but the dizziness is always there.
I told my cognitive behaviour therapist last week if I could get rid of this dizziness and off balance then I would once again go out of the house on my own.
For the last 23 years I have been unable to go out of the house alone and even have the dizziness and off balance in the house
cymraig_chris
25-05-10, 16:07
Post removed by author
I agree with CC,
Saying that panic attacks are semi intelligent is giving them a power they do not possess.
The experience of one apparently forms a "memory" in the hippocampus, which is why you might start to associate certain places with panic attacks, but that's not quite the same thing.
I agree with CC,
Saying that panic attacks are semi intelligent is giving them a power they do not possess.
The experience of one apparently forms a "memory" in the hippocampus, which is why you might start to associate certain places with panic attacks, but that's not quite the same thing.
One month on... still having balancing problems. It could be due to muscle tension, but not sure... It feels like my left step is 2 or 3 cm lower than my right step... which could be an inner ear problem?
for us agoraphobics its probably because we dont go out as much as normal people
Concentrating on breathing slowly in and out and making sure youre keeping your body relaxed helps.
I have found breathing into paper bag helps
I have found breathing into paper bag helps
Depends if you over or under breath. This works well if you take small shallow breathes. I tend to just hold my breath lol
I was prescribed Propanolol but had to come off it very quickly because it made me dizzy so it could well be the cause of your problems. Have you looked at the side effects? Might be worth speaking to your doctor about it.
3 months on still having balancing problems. What can I do?
Hi, I get this too, not all the time but I do get it a lot and have never had any answers either Ive had it for over 25 years.
MidnightCalm
04-08-10, 23:24
I've been having dizziness for about a month, well it's been more like off balance and feeling unsteady etc:
I'm gonna go see my doc soon,.
I have like 100 other symptoms aswel :(
x
Hi, I get this too, not all the time but I do get it a lot and have never had any answers either Ive had it for over 25 years.
Crazy....for 25 years. It's only been 3 months, and I don't really know how I can survive one year let alone 25!
Any advices on how I should deal with this except cbt which I am seeing right now. Do you find anything that helps this dizziness/imbalance?
loveletter
05-08-10, 00:19
Have had this for over 20 years.
Am so upset at the moment because I went to the supermarket the other day with my friend and a elderly man with his wife stopped to ask me if I had been in a car accident.
I said no and did not understand what they meant and they said you are hanging your neck to the side.
A delivery driver also said this to me some months ago and some one else said it to me last year.
So people are noticing that I am not walking properly because I fell so dizzy and off balance all the time.
Hi, I had CBT and I found it was a waste of time. I don't know how to cure it but its sometimes better, sometimes worse and sometimes practically unbearable, so I have it in all these degrees, but it does seem to be a problem that once you have it you always have it, Im afraid.
bucketofsnakes
05-08-10, 01:06
Hello
please dont think you have this for 25 years, panic can stop as suddenly as it started.
Ask your therapist about mindfullness, it can help you to start breathing properly again, if you learn to get control of your breathing its much easier to regain your composure during an attack. Are you eating well? anxiety wipes out my appetite and I often feel dizzy through lack of food. The little things can make a big difference.
I hope this helps
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