"It will peak within 10 - 20 minutes"

[Tommyyy]

Hey everyone,

I have read a few articles and almost all the articles argue that a panic attack peaks within 10-20mins.

This isn't really true for me. I can be having high anxiety for days, building up and building up until I have absolutely no control and have a 'panic attack'. Yes the panic get worse then eases a bit (your body overcomes the flood of adrenaline) but the build-up has been over days and not 20 minutes or so. I wonder if people who haven't experienced panic disorder believe that the majority of sufferers feel fine, have a half hour panic episode and feel fine afterwards.

From my experience, the panic attack DOES have a peak but even the after effects feel prolonged and much worse. I understand that many people (like myself) have a panic attack and then have an extreme low period afterwards. This depression zone can last for a week or, occasionally, right up until the next panic attack. During this time I feel insane, I want (and do) stay in my room and cry for 6 hours straight. My mind is dark and full of thoughts that the real me doesn't think of. I just wish the symptoms that follow a panic attack peak within 20 minutes!!

What is the peak? Is it the highest point of your anxiety or the point where you feel at your worse?

Do many of you have an extreme low period following a panic attack? Sometimes I'm convinced that I have bipolar disorder. My manic period builds up until I completely lose control and have a panic attack whilst my depression period fills in the time before my anxiety starts building up again. It's comforting to read posts from other people who believe they are loosing the plot! Glad I'm not the only one!

Take care
x

[PanchoGoz]

I known what you mean. They treat panic atacks like sex! There's no saying how long it will take...to...ok sorry for being gross. But you know what I mean. You can't really say when a panic attack starts either. I wish these researchers would stop putting statistics on everything.

[Tommyyy]

I've never heard any compare panic attacks to sex!!! Haha! I had a really awful temporary doctor who said a panic attack was "like a pot bubbling over". What is our obsession with having to quantify everything?? Having panic attacks makes you feel abnormal and having events that last longer than the majority of people makes you feel even worse! [/rant]

[robinhall]

Hi Tommy

Words can be a bit limiting at times

'Panic Attack' is usually the term used to describe the moment of intense anxiety when you feel totally 'freaked out' and in panic that you believe you are in extreme danger either physically or mentally - hence in a state of 'panic'

This extreme - overwhelming state of anxiety is fuelled by a massive surge of adrenaline which does eventually have to die down (the body can only produce this level of adrenaline in bursts)

The in-between anxiety you are describing is given the name (in CBT lingo) 'Anticipatory Anxiety'

And yes this can be just as distressing but in a slightly less intense but more drawn out way.

because I had panic disorder myself many years ago I know exactly what you mean about how irritating it is when 'experts' say that panic attacks peak within 10-20 minutes then pass - sometimes it just doesn't feel that way at all.

The Anticipatory Anxiety initially arises because we are afraid of having another extreme panic attack - but then eventually we also become afraid of the 'in-between' anticipatory anxiety as well - the cycles just grow.

You need to learn more about the cycles of fear - the panic cycle - the anticipatory anxiety cycle and how avoidance and safety seeking behaviour keeps you caught in these cycles

then you need to learn skills to enable you to deal with the anxiety and break the cycles of fear

You CAN be free of panic attacks and the anxiety you are describing - but you need to follow a correct treatment plan - and CBT is the best there is.

Robin