'Relief' causing panic attacks.

[Arya]

I wasn't sure how to word the title.

But does anyone else get panic attacks when something is over? Rather than at the thought of doing something, or during?

I've been keeping a panic diary, just to try and pin point triggers as a lot of my attacks and general anxiety seems to happen for no reason. I've noticed that if something stressful is happening, I do stress about it and worry but I can cope and get on and push through it.

Then, when the event is over I just break down and have a huge panic attack.

The other day at work, there were crowds (it was the christmas light switch on) and I'm part of the medic crew, so I was kept pretty busy. The crowds are a known trigger, as are bright disorientating lights and sounds (fairground type things). Non of these bothered me at the time. I walked around, did my job... got in the car, felt fine. Tried to do some food at home and I noticed I was shaking. And then it just happened. Like I'd somehow bottled it up and it had exploded. But I felt fine at work, no niggling feeling, nothing. It was like I was relieved it was over, and it was such an overwhelming feeling, so many feelings I can't even describe them. And it ended up as a panic attack...

[H.Daniel]

Are you sure that the panic attacks came for that situation? Maybe something happened between you came home and work place. Sometimes it is difficult to identify the real cause of panic attacks but finding the cause can help you overcome the panic.

Maybe you suppressed your emotion at work so badly that they burst out at home.

[xvolatileheart]

I get the same thing. I always make it through scary situations fine, I think because my anxiety in that context feels normal. But as soon as it's over, I have all this adrenaline and it inevitably causes a panic attack.

[kristaok]

Do you think its where you're so busy that your mind isn't as focused on panicking? When I'm cleaning I'm fine, only once I'm done cleaning do I get all panicky.