Symptoms of anxiety/panic

[Autumn]

Hi
I am having a lot of problems with anxiety just lately and my heart goes out to all those suffering.

I wanted to ask a question about your experience with anxiety and panic- how does your anxiety/panic start?

Mine starts with a feeling of uneasiness - then i get a heaviness on my chest followed by a feeling of wanting to pass out (One of my biggest fears is passing out)- I find it hard to take a deep breath and sigh a lot. I then get a few missed heart beats. The whole episode sends my head spinning with thoughts of panic and I can't stop fidgiting. After it's over i feel cold and i tremble. I also feel very depressed about what's just happened and worry about the next attack. It's so exhausting. :(

[kim22]

Morning. Sorry to hear this is happing to you,
I am exactly the same, in fact I can feel it coming on right now, I start to feel scared breathless and really heavy chested, my heart is racing I sweat, get pins and needles, often can't focus and feel like loosing control! I normally keep yawning to try and get a deep breath :-/! I always fear passing out! I Will tell you something, if your hearts beating fast you will never pass out cos it causes high blood pressure! It is horrible but is all normal and is only panic! Feel free to private message me anytime xxx

[Autumn]

Thanks, Kim - It really is horrible isn't it. I try to yawn to try and take a deep breath - sometimes it helps and some times it doesn't. Do you ever feel like you;re going to pass out? That feeling comes on for me quite quickly and although my heart starts to beat faster I still feel that horrible sinking feeling. Hope that panic feeling has gone and you;re feeling better!

PM me anytime too - I am always here for anyone who is going through this!

[WhyWhyWhy]

Mine starts off feeling uneasy then it progresses to a pressure in my chest then I become aware of my breathing, I get tingly feelings down my arms and in the tops of my legs and a nauseaus feelin in the pit of my tummy. The feeling you get when you're wracked with nerves.

For me, the mental side of it cripples me more than the physical. If I could calm the racing instructive thoughts and the catastrophe thinking I'd be able to cope with these sensations. x

[kim22]

I always feel I'm going to pass out, so I often curl up on the settee or if I'm out I have to find somewhere to sit! I feel sick also and feel like I'm choking :-(! Bloody awful! The mental side of it is bad for me too, I have thoughts of loosing control, always think I'm gunna start running round screaming like a mad women, I am convinced that I'm not going to be able to breath and that I'm going to need ambulance! I also have a major fear of ending up being taken away into a mental hospital, that haunts me! Xx

[Speranza]

Similar to you. I guess you know that the deep breathing is what later leads to the numb extremities and 'heart attack' symptoms?

For me, the most helpful thing is a mantra like, "It's only worry. It can't kill me."

Say it long enough and you suddenly start to believe it!

Hugs. x

[WhyWhyWhy]

I always feel I'm going to pass out, so I often curl up on the settee or if I'm out I have to find somewhere to sit! I feel sick also and feel like I'm choking :-(! Bloody awful! The mental side of it is bad for me too, I have thoughts of loosing control, always think I'm gunna start running round screaming like a mad women, I am convinced that I'm not going to be able to breath and that I'm going to need ambulance! I also have a major fear of ending up being taken away into a mental hospital, that haunts me! Xx

That haunts me too. Last sept for the second time I found the courage to tell the doctor I was suffering. I was referred to the mental health team. I had an initial assessment where I burst into tears and told her everything, from the anxiety, to the health anxiety to the intrusive thoughts and the OCD. I really opened up About it and the whole time she just looked at me and took notes. She didn't assure me I'd be ok or that I wasn't going to lose it, she gave me a number and told me to refer myself for cbt. I left there thinking I was in fact mental and was worried I'd get a visit from a mental health team ready to section me. The thought of being admitted to a mental hospital makes me want to cry xx

[Speranza]

Hey chin up, there isn't enough in the budget for us all to be admitted!

Whywhywhy, you will find an incredible level of support here. Glad you found us. I shall try to be around more again.

[Autumn]

Mine starts off feeling uneasy then it progresses to a pressure in my chest then I become aware of my breathing, I get tingly feelings down my arms and in the tops of my legs and a nauseaus feelin in the pit of my tummy. The feeling you get when you're wracked with nerves.

For me, the mental side of it cripples me more than the physical. If I could calm the racing instructive thoughts and the catastrophe thinking I'd be able to cope with these sensations. x

I hate the pressure feeling in the chest. I was walking around tidying up this morning and then it started. I had to lie down - I find it so difficult to walk around with these horrible feelings...

I do a lot of catastrophising - always thinking the worst.

Thank you for sharing with me


---------- Post added at 10:01 ---------- Previous post was at 09:59 ----------

I always feel I'm going to pass out, so I often curl up on the settee or if I'm out I have to find somewhere to sit! I feel sick also and feel like I'm choking :-(! Bloody awful! The mental side of it is bad for me too, I have thoughts of loosing control, always think I'm gunna start running round screaming like a mad women, I am convinced that I'm not going to be able to breath and that I'm going to need ambulance! I also have a major fear of ending up being taken away into a mental hospital, that haunts me! Xx

Awe. Lots of hugs, Kim xx

---------- Post added at 10:03 ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 ----------

Similar to you. I guess you know that the deep breathing is what later leads to the numb extremities and 'heart attack' symptoms?

For me, the most helpful thing is a mantra like, "It's only worry. It can't kill me."

Say it long enough and you suddenly start to believe it!

Hugs. x

I'll try the mantra thing - it might help. I sometimes imagine a STOP sign in my head. I try to visualise big capital letters in red. Sometimes it actually stops an anxiety attack in its tracks.



---------- Post added at 10:05 ---------- Previous post was at 10:03 ----------

Sending love to all of you struggling with anxiety. At least we're not alone. xx

[Antonio2301]

Hi Autumn, I've had panic attacks since the age of 19 , now 41 .I must have had 1000's..!! There's no way you will pass out ! As Kim mention your blood pressure rises not drops with a panic attack, so trust me you WON`T faint/ pass out .I'm much more in control of panic attacks nowadays . The thing to remember is never fight it or try run from it , OK easy to say when I`m not in that situation right now but around a month or so I was

I was going through the entrance of the supermarket, I suddenly started to feel very anxious and could feel that full blown panic attack coming on , I felt pins and needles all over my body , I felt as though I couldn`t breath , my heart was pounding ..I wanted to turn round and run , but I didn`t and within minutes I was fine , had I have tried fighting it I know it would of resulted in a full blown panic attack from previous experiences I have had . I have gone from having several of these a day to maybe one or 2 every month so I`m in control of them now not them controlling me

If I have one now, I just say c`mon on then get on with it , I`m busy I've got things to do !! and let it do it`s thing ..


Have you tried any relaxation techniques or breathing excersise`s ? Maybe try Claire Weeks books , Maybe these can help ?

Remember over time the more you learn about panic attacks and how to control them , the less you will have them like myself

Anyway hope you're feeling OK

Ant