Panic attack in a shop today

[Lissy43]

I used to suffer panic attacks a long long time ago but I rarely get them now but today whilst in Next I suddenly felt very spaced out, earlier that day I had been a tad anxious about my sinus pains again but nothing major. I usually find shopping a good therapy

I have in the past felt abit spaced out in shops but never had a panic attack but today I couldn't ignore the spaced out feeling, I suddenly felt very sick, felt like i needed the toilet and had stomach pains, felt light headed and then my heart started racing, I couldn't ignore it any long so walked very quickly out of the shop, head down because I couldn't look up for feeling so giddy. Luckily my dh was outside in the car so I jumped straight in it and was shaking like a leaf. I took some rescue remedy and was fine within minutes but I feel bloody awful because my 2 sons saw me like that My eldest who is 6 was so sweet, I just said I felt abit sick but he then said 'mummy dont be upset, why don't I go back into the shop with you and if you feel faint or sick I will run out to the car and tell daddy'. My heart melted, he is such a sweet boy, he really looks out for me. I never show my health anxiety to my kids, from CBT I have learnt to leave my worries until the kids are asleep at night then address them but to be honest I have always kept a brave face on if I am having a bad day so my children are unaware but my son is such a sweet boy he really today saw me like that and I can't help but feel so guilty.

I wanted to go home but my hubby wispered to me that I had to go back in or it would really knock my confidence and I would let it rule my life and maybe not go out alone again so my son came with me and I was fine, treated myself and felt ok but I am really worried about going out alone again now, shopping anyway not actually nipping out to the corner shop or to school, I am not afraid of going out or anything.

Tonight I still feel light headed and feel sick at times, I take it panic attacks can make you feel like this for a while after?its been a long long time.

I hope this doesn't happen to me again, its really scary. Its not agrophobia is it? I am not scared of going out but I do get panicky in the cinema, at concerts etc.... I am now very scared because I am going to see Lee evans in a few weeks and I just know I am going to bottle it

[debera]

hi libby
i have had the same things as you. and it does take a little while to get over a panic attack. after an attack im so shakey. it could be just a blip. tomorrow you will probably feel alot better. just keep going back into the shops no matter how you feel. hard i know but eventually the fear will go. aww what a sweet little boy you have. hope you feel better soon
love debera

[Andyroo]

ages ago i had a panic attack in a shopping center... i got all kinds of cool attention anyways after that i went home and i felt dizzy and off unbalanced all day and all night... panicing like that makes your body tired.. its normal to feel like weak and light headed for awhile

[Wenjoy]

I had a panc attack once in Next - why do the shops hve to be so stuffy?
Anyhow - we lived to tell thetale and I think you did really well just calmly walking out.Well done Love wenjoy x

[jue67]

Libby
just some reassurance for you, i havnt had a panic attack in a while, i had it all under control, just some anxiety. I went into greggs to get a sarnie, it was about 2pm, i hadnt eaten since about 9. I stood there, it wasnt particularly busy, and i felt it, shaking from head to toe, feeling the cold go all over my body and lightheaded.
A few years ago i would have ran, and i mean ran out of the shop, but i made myself stay there and buy the goods. i went back to work, i felt tearful and shaky but i still went back. Since then i havnt had it again.
like yourself i worried about going out again, there was a time i would not go to shops, or at least i would but come home with hardly anything i had needed. I still have really bad anxiety at some times, it catches me unawares usually after i have been busy and not looked after myself.

could you get a relaxation cd, the one where you tense your muscles and relax, i know that the get the benefit you need to do it every day, you could do that while your addressing your anxieties after the kids go to bed.

I just know that i will tell you, do not bottle of out the lee evans gig. why should you, you went back in the shop and managed to live! you may feel crap when you go, but you will get something out of it. it may be that you dont relax enough to actually enjoy it................but you went and stayed and lived...........thats what we both need to realise, were not gonna die of these feelings.

i hope you dont mind me saying these things to you, but i hate the thought of you not living your life.................it may take time but you will get there, it was probably the blip and the thought of going back to where you used to be that has put this in your mind. keep in mind though that you only had a bad day. which does not mean you will have a bad week.

jools

[bab]

Hi Libby
its horrendous isnt it and really knocks your confidence but you did so well - sound like you have a fab husband and kids too

be proud of yourself

lots of love

[Ddcoo]

Hi Libby, Well done you for dealing so well with the attack. I dont get panic attacks all the time, but I did have one in the Summer. I was travelling with my friend in my car on the way to our big shopping centre and started to shake, feel sick, lightheaded, dizzy etc. I decided to carry on with my journey and we went into Boots, but all the time I was in there I was so stressed, we abandoned the shopping trip and I drove home, still feeling very shaken, the feeling lasted all day, I was exhausted BUT... 2 days later I did the same journey and was fine, and apart from a few "spacey" feelings in shops, have not had another bad panic attack. So, just go to your gig, try not to get too stressed before you go, and say to yourself that you are really EXCITED about going, not dreading it.