Panic Attacks

[Jamie.]

How many of you have had one?

Tonight was my first one and all I had to help me was my little brother (thank God he was there) but afterwards, I searched the NHS website to find out what could have caused it, what may happen during a panic attack (mine ticked them all) and what to do afterwards.

I'm just curious about how other people felt during and after their first or recent panic attack.

One thing that was right on the NHS site, it really does make you feel like you've been ripped away from the world. I'm not posting this for sympathy, it may sound stupid, but I'm posting it because it's late and there is no one else for me to chat to so I thought I'd join you guys here for a bit :)

[Z]

I had one a few years ago, it was a few months after I'd been assaulted and I had been on a night out with some friends, went back to their flat and then walked home at about 4.30am. It was frosty outside and there was nobody about apart from a guy across the road who was standing beside a lamp post - for some reason that set me off into a panic and I rushed home as fast as I could, I couldn't breathe properly and I spent about half an hour sitting in my living room in the dark at about 5am trying to take deep breaths to calm down.

Surprisingly that was a bit of a turning point for me, I'd been a bit afraid of going outside at night time ever since being assaulted and having the panic attack seemed to be the climax of all of that, I stopped feeling scared after that night which was a really great thing for me... I think the main thing is to just try and calm yourself down by focusing on breathing and know that whatever has caused you to feel that way can be fixed over time. Perhaps you need to look into some kind of counselling if that's at all possible for you Jamie.

[Jamie.]

I had one a few years ago, it was a few months after I'd been assaulted and I had been on a night out with some friends, went back to their flat and then walked home at about 4.30am. It was frosty outside and there was nobody about apart from a guy across the road who was standing beside a lamp post - for some reason that set me off into a panic and I rushed home as fast as I could, I couldn't breathe properly and I spent about half an hour sitting in my living room in the dark at about 5am trying to take deep breaths to calm down.

Surprisingly that was a bit of a turning point for me, I'd been a bit afraid of going outside at night time ever since being assaulted and having the panic attack seemed to be the climax of all of that, I stopped feeling scared after that night which was a really great thing for me... I think the main thing is to just try and calm yourself down by focusing on breathing and know that whatever has caused you to feel that way can be fixed over time. Perhaps you need to look into some kind of counselling if that's at all possible for you Jamie.

Thanks for the suggestion, Zee :) It honestly was a stupid thing that set it off. I don't even know if this can trigger it but I got so angry and upset at the same time and the next minute I was sat up in bed with my brother stood there with my inhaler in his hand offering it to me.

At first I thought it was an asthma attack but it wasn't because the inhaler didn't really work too well.

I don't even remember how long it lasted. Even now when I think about it, it causes me to lose my breath

[Mrluvaluva]

I had one once. I was in a lot of pain and people were fussing round me. They flustered me and my pain seemed to get worse. I became very agitated and started to panic. Somebody drove me to hospital and on the way things got worse. My speech deteriorated and I thought I was having a stroke. Parts of me felt paralysed. When I got to the hospital they were not in a rush to see me at all. I couldn't believe it. Some guy in the waiting room took me outside, explained what was happening to me, gave me a paper bag and told me to breathe into it slowly. It worked and I felt such a fool but that person really helped me and I was very grateful to him. It's mind over matter. Hope you are ok now.

[Smithy]

I get them quite often so im kinda used to them now ;/

[Kizzy]

I've had a few this year, it is frightening when you get that weird fluttering in your chest, next thing you can't breath and your heart starts to speed up as you start to panic.
Something must be triggering them, as I think it's more of a subconscious response to something you're trying to cope with.
Have a think, is there any changes, pressures, responsibilities that could be affecting you?
Once you identify what it is you will be able to hopefully find a solution and they will lessen/ stop.
In the meantime if they are a proplem a doc could prescribe you a betablocker to help, hope you feel better soon :hug:

[Ninastar]

i had 4 all in the same week and never had one since

[Ammi]

How many of you have had one?

Tonight was my first one and all I had to help me was my little brother (thank God he was there) but afterwards, I searched the NHS website to find out what could have caused it, what may happen during a panic attack (mine ticked them all) and what to do afterwards.

I'm just curious about how other people felt during and after their first or recent panic attack.

One thing that was right on the NHS site, it really does make you feel like you've been ripped away from the world. I'm not posting this for sympathy, it may sound stupid, but I'm posting it because it's late and there is no one else for me to chat to so I thought I'd join you guys here for a bit :)

..I'm sorry to hear that Jamie and so glad that your brother was there, it's the most horrible feeling I know..you said when you looked at the NHS site that you 'ticked them all'..?..so maybe you are aware already of any contributing factors, although I know that being aware of them doesn't always mean that you can control them or a panic attack happening...but if it's something that became repetitive or a problem, you could try looking into cognitive behaviour therapy as it can for some people be extremely 'preventative' for things like this and also help make you a more confident person in general....

[AnnieK]

I used to have them a lot and Honestly thought I would die. I took beta blockers for a while for them but I also learned to control them. I still have them now but not very often and know when one is coming on and quite often can stop them. The worse ones I used to get were night times ones. They were horrific. Hopefully you won't have any more but if you do my doctor told me to think "ok bring it on" as fear of the attacks make them worse so if you realise what it is when it starts and know that a panic attack won't kill you it lessens the severity.

[Jake.]

Used to suffer with them all of the time, pretty much everyday, gone now thankfully

[Lee.]

I've not had one for a while, but I do sometimes feel I'm on the brink of one. I find sitting thinking about your breathing can make you panic more.. I downloaded an app that distracts you during an attack just by asking simple questions and making your brain think of other things over the feeling you're about to die. :)

[Verbal]

When I started full time work quite a few years ago now, I would in certain situations like when having a meeting with a superior or an authority figure be completely unable to get words out because I would be having what I now know to be a panic attack. This went on for years as I just thought its the way I am. A few years later I had built up quite a phobia of answering phones because the same thing would happen, I had changed jobs and it just so happened that my new job required me to be answering phones multiple times a day, so I went to the Doctors. He gave me medication and it literally stopped happening from that day onwards.

The first thing he put me on were beta blockers which I guess I built up a tolerance to and they werent really effective. I've since learned I have social anxiety and I now take Paroxetine on a daily basis and these issues have completely disappeared. To quote Stuart from The Big Bang Theory - my therapist changed my anxiety medication and I stopped caring about the blood in my stool.

[Jamie.]

Thanks so much everyone :)
I've had a good nights sleep (didn't wake up until 11!!) and I feel a lot better. Just a little shaky and I still lose my breath when thinking about it but I just distract myself... by singing...

But I have a doctors appointment for my asthma tomorrow so I'm going to mention it to my nurse :)

Thanks again guys :)

[Kizzy]

You must have been exausted after that jamie, might want to see doc too at same time if you can.
Have a chat with a parent or mates too, a problem shared and all that :)