Birthday celebration ruined by my own head

I was doing great challenging my thoughts from CBT went to town with my oldest bestest friend, kept having niggling thoughts, thought I was fine and bish bosh bang in the middle of the restaurant I had just sat down and I went from 0-1000 in panic attack. I had started to feel dizzy and suddenly I really could not breath, I really thought that was it and I was a gonner when my heart shot through the roof. We had ordered food but I had to get outside, my friend came with me the minute I was in the street I bawled my eyes out. And I couldn’t stop physically shaking from the adrenaline. We came back in and told the waiter to take the food home. I was devastated I felt horrible. We came home I cried all evening had my normal panics four or five times before I made it to sleep lots of little things kept triggering me after but I was able to ignore those. No idea what caused the restaurant one though. Starting to feel like I’m epileptic now. My family have ordered I take sertraline but I’m too scared!! If that was bad enough and they say Ssri’s can make it worse at first this is what scares me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear about your experience.

However, I think it's important to try and understand what actually happened here and not place more meaning on it than is necessary.

I think the reality is that you had a panic attack in an environment that you weren't 100% comfortable with. Maybe you weren't in your safe place, you couldn't catch it quickly enough with your CBT, but it was just a panic attack.

I think it's also important not to use phrases like 'I thought I was a gonner', we've all had panic attacks and we all know what they do. Don't use words like 'ruined' or 'devastated'. It happened, panic attacks commonly happen out of the blue. Just learn from the experience and maybe plan to do it again. You've already learned that the absolute worst thing that can happen in that you come home, but there's no real harm in trying again?

Remember, you cannot stop the anxiety trigger, it's too fast. What you can control is the reaction you have in the first 5-10 seconds after the panic attack starts. That will dictate how the next few hours pan out.

I've had times like this- it's so horrible. I'm sending you lots of positive thoughts and hugs xxx

Thanks guys I’m not great I’ve cried most of today the come down from this has been horrific only this evening I feel a bit more human


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was gonna say something but Joe already said far better than I ever can.

Claire Weekes mentions eating out in restaurants in her audio stuff. Extremely common anxiety situation.

You'll have another birthday like you'll have another chow out. It ain't a test. It's all practise.


l

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lebonvin

I was gonna say something but Joe already said far better than I ever can.

Claire Weekes mentions eating out in restaurants in her audio stuff. Extremely common anxiety situation.

You'll have another birthday like you'll have another chow out. It ain't a test. It's all practise.


l

---

Except that last bit which you said. That's a simple but profound little statement there. And true.

I have been on sertraline for years, it helps and can note the word can, but rarely causes worsening symptoms the only way it will is if you are BIpolar. It will make you very sleepy the first few weeks of taking it and cause stomach upset.