Panic attacks

[deleted user] · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:21 am Post subject: Panic attacks

A few weeks ago, out of nowhere, out of normal daily worries, I had a panic attack for the first time.

It was frightening as hell.

I had another one about one week from then.

I've been fighting off having a third panic attack. About an hour ago, I felt one coming on. I stepped outside and I started hyperventilating, and it subsided...but, especially tonight, I've come very close, quite a few times, to having one.

Any idea about how to fight panic attacks? Anyone had any experiences with them? Having a panic attack is an unbelievably unpleasant experience...I just need some good advice on how to stop them.

All help is appreciated

Snall · Wal-Mart Hijacker! Joined: Jan 12, 2008 Posts: 201

Tony Soprano saw a shrink...but in the end I think he just accepted his life as it is..
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Oberburgermeister · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:25 pm Post subject:

My dad started having them, and so he went to see a therapist. Now he's on Klonopin. But if meds aren't your thing, I'd say try to do stress-reducing things, like exercise or beating small children. Btu those are just guesses. I'd also look up panic attacks on wikipedia and see if they have any methods for avoiding them, and then see if they have links to sites for managing panic attacks.

easily-amused · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:59 am Post subject:

I know a few people who have them but I've never really seen one. The best thing I can tell you is know someone that you can get to or call quickly to try and calm you down, I've heard that friends are the best real.... natural (non-med) help for panic attacks.

Kimchia425 · Flaming Burner Of Wasps Joined: Apr 28, 2004 Posts: 5

I have had a few panic attacks in my day. It's the damndest thing because you'll be doing something completely trivial and you'll just get hit by this feeling of dread and doom. Your heart starts racing and the world seems to come down on you. By the time your throat closes and your mouth goes dry, you're in full on raging fight-or-flight mode. Best thing for me? I sit down, take large deep breaths and put my head between my knees. And as stupid as it sounds, think of something/someone that makes you happy, it helps the anxiety and slows your heart down a little.

Panic attacks are not in control of you, just remember that. You can control your mind, it just takes a little bit of serenity.

poisnedcoke · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:19 am Post subject:

I started excerising more and stopped doing a lot of shit that stressed me out when I started catching panic attacks reguarly.

Arquinsiel · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:

An ex girlfriend of mine used to have them pretty bad for the last while of the relationship. She went on medication for it but that didn't seem to help so the next logical step was self-medication.

It didn't help much either, but at least she could pass out pretty easy under stress.

I would suggest thinking about the situation logically but I know that these things rarely leave you much time to sit down and be objective. Apparently "retreating" to somewhere other than the location it starts in and just waiting it out helps though.
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GeneK · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:24 am Post subject:

Up until this year, I don't think I've ever had one.

All of a sudden though, they started at night, like 3 times a week. The first time I thought I was having a fucking heart attack. Always started around the time I was about to crash, and usually went on well into the next day. They seemed to have no rhyme or reason either, I wasn't under any abnormal stress or anything.

As soon as I quit my regular job they went away. Now I'm fully self-employed and probably under even more stress, but not one single anxiety attack since. Imagine that