Right in the middle of a panic attack

[currentlyoverseas]

Hi,

New member - in a hotel room, on a work trip overseas, in the middle of a panic attack I've been trying to 'come down' from for the last couple of hours...

Just wanted to find someone to talk to and is there anyone who has any tips? Minibar is looking increasingly attractive...!

Charlie

[Raindog]

Hi Charlie,
Welcome to NMP, best not touch the minibar as it will only make your anxiety worse so just forget its there. Panic attacks can't hurt you they just make you feel like hell and you'll eventually come down so just try and talk yourself through it and see if you can concentrate on your breathing to keep it nice and regular, that might help you come down some.

One thing I found helps me to relax is a trick I learned from a friend who does transcendental meditation. He told me to think of a word, any short word that only I knew, it's best if it means nothing, it's just a random word. As you control your breathing, say the word to yourself when you breathe in, then say it again when you breathe out again.

As you say it to yourself with each in and out breath, just visualise the word in your head with your thoughts floating around it, you don't have to try and clear your head or change your thoughts, just let them float around your word as you imagine it hanging in the middle of your mind.

Not sure if you can manage that right now, it may not be that much help but you never know, it's worth a try and won't make you feel any worse like the minibar probably would in the morning.

Hope you're feeling better soon Charlie
Shaun

[currentlyoverseas]

Thanks Shaun, good idea. Just trying to think of a word is usefully distracting!

I find that, like a lot of people, this comes on without any specific warning, but I can tell when my attacks are 'in season' - multiple nights of poor sleep, overloaded with work with a couple of missed deadlines, eating irregularly and eating rubbish etc. etc. So over the last couple of weeks I've been averaging about one every other day.

Most recently though they've been longer - coming in waves over 2-3hrs but never settling in that time - exhaustion and sleep (my panic attacks are more common afternoon / evening - rarely have them in the morning) usually marks the end, but I also do that thing where I fall asleep and then within 5mins - 1hr I wake up gasping for breath...not every night but at least 2-3 times per week in the worst periods.

Thanks again, good to exchange a message with another human being - just typing this is helping.

Charlie

[Raindog]

My advice would be to get yourself some camomile tea, that should be something you can carry with you or get where you are, a cup of that can help you relax and helps with the anxiety. I find one before bed can help me sleep and one when I get up in the morning.

You might ask the hotel staff if you can get a cup of camomile tea, they might have some available if you aren't able to buy any right now.

Shaun

[currentlyoverseas]

Thanks, beginning to feel a bit better - no camomile tea, but found hot chocolate amongst the tea and coffee, so that will probably too (not too much caffeine I guess). Able to sit and type now!

Charlie

[Raindog]

That might do the trick for now. you'll get yourself through it ok, then maybe you can settle down. Here are a couple of vids I find cheer me up when I felt a bit down.

Fyfe Dangerfield - She Needs Me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBPt2kfqi90)

Beatles vs LCD Soundsystem vs The Kinks - Get Back remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPtWh5XjiH0)

Music to soothe the savage soul, if these don't lift your mood even a little then I'm Simon Cowell :D

Shaun

[nomorepanic]

We have some games you can play on here if that helps.

You need to have done 5 posts but I am sure that won't take long to achieve

[Raindog]

Fight the anxiety monkey Charlie :D

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/spankthemonkey

[louise29]

i find that rating my panic attack on a scale of one to ten gives me something else to focus on and i just constantly rate it til its gone it usually passes within minutes of doing this. also tell myself over and over that im in no danger ive had these before and survived and just try to go with it. i had a bad do tonight after a few days without any and it knocked my confidence again but i did manage to bring myself down fairly quick

comedy and singing to myself quite loudly helps :) as does talking on here!!

[currentlyoverseas]

Thanks Louise, I find that when I watch TV I pretty much only watch comedy these days - it's the only thing that allows me to switch off brain...

Raindog - excellent! Can I also recommend this little Irish left-handed bundle of crazy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfO5KrAkOjA

Thanks all - coming down...