Curing Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder + Social Phob

Curing a panic attack is possible. Curing recurring panic attacks is even more possible. In fact, it's so simple you might kick yourself.

I suffered from panic attacks for only about 8 months, although it seemed like the longest 8 months of my entire life.

My panic disorder left me a nervous, shivering wreck. I was too scared to take tubes, trains, buses, cars. I was too scared to stay in London where I loved. I was frightened of walking down the road. I was scared I was losing my mind, + on a large number of different moments, even decided I had.

Agoraphobic, claustrophobic, de-realized, de-sensitized. Physically unwell. I could not run 100 yards without feeling like I was going to die or pass out or both.

Undoubtedly, the worst bit was the de-realization. The distinct sense of detatchment from the self. This is one of the most un-nerving things I've ever experienced. Ever.

If you've had a panic attack, or suffer from them repeatedly, don't worry. You'll break this thing now.

My panic attacks began when I was on the tube one afternoon. A couple of weeks after the terrorist attacks in London last July. I'd ridden the tubes all day, every day for years prior to all this. I'd used the tube on the day the terrorists struck, + I'd continued to use it immediately afterwards.

One Tuesday evening in July, I'd taken the Tube back to my flat. The train stopped in the tunnel. Unfortunately, it was a hot day, + I'd happened to get on in the middle of the rush hour.

We spent an eternity down there, + I was growing more + more tense as time progressed. I tried to calm down by playing my iPod really loud. I tried to fan myself with the newspaper. I was hot + bothered + trapped. I looked out of the window of the train at the tunnel walls + became claustrophobic. This had never happened before + I grew edgier.

The driver came on the intercom + informed us that the train was to be delayed for much longer.

I don't know what happened next, but I found myself clinging to the nearest commuter, scared senseless. My body leapt again + again. I could no longer see properly. I thought we were going to die down there.

I'd already decided at this point that if the train were to ever get out, I was going to take a bus home.

We finally got out of the tube + I fell onto the platform + hugged the bench in the station before shaking all the way up the escalator.

There was a security alert when I got to the top of the station. I slowly made my way to the gates to a guard who noticed I was looking totally wrecked out + then saw I'd had panic attacks. He took me aside to the control room + gave me a glass of water.

Within a while, the security alert petered out + I was led to the platform by the guard who said he'd escort me to Tottenham, a few stops from the flat.

I grudgingly accepted but knew I couldn't do it.

Those 15 minutes from the station I was at to the end of that line were the longest 15 minutes of my life. Undoubtedly. I knew at that point I'd never take a tube again.

As time progressed, I became increasingly edgy on all forms of transport, before becoming panicky about work + finally about the flat + the road I'd lived on. I became totally agoraphobic + claustrophobic at the same time. My stomach felt constantly nervous.

I left London in January, convinced I'd die if I stayed in London + that I'd be fine in the countryside.

I'd spent a few months in the countryside, I realised the answer to killing panic attacks.

The answer is indeed so simple. I cried for hours when I realized the answer. I suppose the only way to describe it was an epiphany.

So here you go.

How do you stop panic attacks?

First.

Understand it. Your panic attack is essentially a response to a threat. An invisible threat at that. Your panic is a mechanism designed to protect you. Unfortunately, you can get into a situation where that mechanism is triggered too easily.

Your panic attack may make you feel shaky, sweaty, hot, cold, claustrophobic, agoraphobic, depressed. Your heart rate may increase. It ma

one great post! that should be stuck to the top of this thread all the time! thanks for that.
Becci x

thanks :)

i'm not doing this for personal gain, by the way, but if anyone feels good enough to buy me the new muse lp, i'm not complaining :)

no. in honesty. panic is ****. no-one should live with it.

keep me updated on how it goes.

jamieo

wow - what a post - you certainly understand what a lot of us are going through - everything you say is soooo true but at the time - being on a crowdedbus or stuck in along queue in a hot department store - you find it difficult to remember what you said - how did you actually cope and finally get over this - what situation were you in when you finally cracked it??

Thanks
Love wenjoy x

Hi, thankyou for your comments. The truth is, I do understand what you're all going thru; I've been there too. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but it was an experience, nonetheless, + afterall, life is a collection of experiences - both positive + negative.

OK, so, how do you remember this when you're out of your comfort zone? Well, firstly you must learn the truth that you cause panic. If you have a walkman or whatever, it may be of help to record yourself explaining it. If I had a nice enough voice I'd record what I've learnt so that you could all just listen to it whenever you needed to. Unfortunately, I'm not the cockney Richard Burton-a-like I'd like to be.

You may wish to try a sanitized experiment. Only you know what causes your panic. Perhaps it's a train. I decided to take a train on a Sunday morning. I went from one stop to the other. As the doors closed, I did what I've said. I tried to make the panic attack worse. I tried to make it the worst it would ever be. This bit will be different for everyone, so I won't explain what happened when I did this, but needless to say, I don't have panic attacks now.

The following day, I found myself in London. On a tube. Yes, it was frightening. Undoubtedly. But there was no panic. There was no tension or tightness of the chest. The panic had abated. Within a few minutes, I'd re-learnt the joy of riding the Underground (because it can be a joy - except in rush hour or summer, when they wouldn't even transport animals like that).

Panic attacks are at street level, a very bad habit. They're much worse than smoking.

Panic is an obsessive topic. When I first experienced it, I was obsessed that something was wrong. Then, I overcame panic, + now I'm obsessed by how they occur, + all the scientific stuff around it. I'm actually a journalist (although, sometimes my writing skills would suggest otherwise!) when I'm not writing stuff on the internet, and I find that this is probably the most interesting thing I've ever studied.

I'm now going to share some things that I've learnt about panic, OCD, PTSD + social phobia:

1. The physical effects of a panic attack are identical to that of an extremely large orgasm. The only difference is that you choose to believe that it's all bad because that's what you've come to believe.

2. Your average Joe in the street has no idea what's happening to you when you're having a panic attack. Panic attacks are not as visible as they may seem.

3. Panic attacks are harmless.

4. You're not going mad. How can you reassure yourself of this? Simply by asking yourself if you're going mad proves you're not. If you were going mad, you'd have no idea of it.

5. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia + Panic Disorder are all the same thing. The difference is in the initial trigger, + therefore, the diagnosis has a different name.

6. You weren't born with panic attacks. You probably remember what it was like not to have them.

7. It's only when you finally reach the utter pit of despair that you want to change.

8. You created your panic as an excuse for not dealing with something.

9. You're not alone. Around 17 million people in the UK have panic attacks in one form or another.

10. Doctors cannot cure panic attacks. As cynical as it sounds, doctors are employed to dole out anti-depressants. Anti-depressents suppress your thoughts. If you do not think you will have a panic attack, you won't. Isn't that the same as what I've already said? I think so. Prozac, citalopram, seroxat + all the other colorfully named pills you're offered make you worse. Honestly. There is nothing physically wrong with a panic attack sufferer. It's all based on negative thought, habit + boredom.

11. Panic attack suffererers are generally more creative than people who don't suffer from panic. It's just that the really creative ones are too scared of themselves to display their work, or play gigs or whatever.

12. Comfort Zones. You've created this. You may know that you don't have panic attacks at home.

Furthermore, if there's anything else about panic you need to know, my MSN is: bigredcontrolmachine@hotmail.com

I'll be happy to answer any questions I can.

J

hey jamie,
thanx for the input- glad to hear ur doin good!!
Just wonderin how old u was? have u moved back to london now??
Ammeg

hi

i was 22. it was only a year ago it all kicked off, + while i haven't yet moved back to london (due to the whole let's get a job up here + try to meet someone nice thing going on) it's something i intend to do in january.

the most liberating thing is realising the cause. when that happens, you just don't need to panic anymore

This is a fab post and I beleive every single thing you say, it is the only way to get rid of attacks, there is also a website which tells exactly same thing.
I have been trying to put it into practice for some time now by letting it be as worse as possible ect, but unfortunatley it is just not working for me the attacks still continue and I know that it must be because I still fear them.
I have a read at lot and totally understand what must be done to stop them but like I say they still continue, what am i doing wrong?
I guess my real question is how can I stop fearing them?

Thanks
Worrywot

hi,

you've realised why your panic is perpetuated. this is undoubtledy the beginning of the end.

the thing is, you know exactly what your panic attacks do to you. you've had one before? you've probably had hundreds before, so what is the fear for? do you fear that the next one will kill you?

it is hard. i'm not doubting that at all. determination. get angry, get fired up. say it very loud, say it very proud, 'i no longer suffer from panic attacks.'

think of all the great times you've avoided, all the fun you could've had. get really, really determined + jump into that situation. when the panic comes, close your eyes, think of the utterly worst thing that will happen to you, + say '**** it. this won't hurt me. this ends here.' keep thinking that thought. make this panic attack incredibly bad. it's important that you realise right in the middle that it's not hurting you. it can actually be quite a nice experience in the right frame of mind.

it's worth it though. but you gotta keep trying. just dive in. it's easy to swim thru.