I do

Www.psychologytoday.com

I can’t recommend a therapist but a quick temporary fix is an ice pack to the forehead. That’s where the thinking part of the brain is and the cold slows it down. Good luck

Look in your local phone book. I recommend a therapist trained in Cognitive Behavorial Therapy or Anxiety Disorder. I’ve had panic attacks too, but everything kind of morphed into GAD, debilitating, like being in a panic attack continuously. Therapists are still doing therapy over the phone or on line, so if need be....

I'll have to come back here later. Right now I've been anxious for so long it's gone into panicking. My hands are shaking and I can't think. I've been in the house for so long I feel like I'm losing it

Hello Tiko Bird. Welcome to DS. Sorry for what brings you here, but glad you are here.

My panic attacks have eased considerable since I learned how to recognize and ply therapy tools to my anxiety before it escalates to panic attack.

Finding a good therapy match is usually a hit and miss affair and can be a tedious process. For the interim, peer support can be an excellent source of relief. Try getting your anxieties of the day into words and posting them here. The load is easier when shared.

Gentle support while you find what works for you. Welcome aboard. You are not alone.

Welcome to the anxiety board at DS.

You've taken the important first step in writing it out.

With panic attacks, learning to get hydrated and stay hydrated will help minimize the sensations. Practice even breathing to find the calm and gentle motion movements to help release the tensions felt all over.

The biggest gain from panic attacks is that writing out what happens will help you sort out the pattern that happens with the panic attack and once you find the 'niggle' or 'nudge', you'll be better prepared to wind down your balance fast naturally to break the usual panic attack.

You are not alone in this!

Thank you to all who responded to my panic post. I do look online for therapy for anxiety/panic therapists. For some reason, I'm always worse on Sundays. To Mid, you're right. The breathing does work but last night it stopped and a bit later I had another one. A therapist explained the deep breathing works directly on the sympathetic nervous system to calm it. It's an ongoing process. I think fearing the next one causes it. Daily meditation would be beneficial.

Anticipation anxiety is a distinct and consistent phase in my own anxiety cycles. It is a bear to catch, much less prevent, but working with the cycle instead of fighting it helps manage the symptoms until they pass.

I am finding my peace with the never-ending nature of those breathing exercises. I gotta breathe every minute of every day anyway. Might as well breathe mindfully.

Thank you for the response. The other night I tried just breathing deeply and out through my nose. The perspiration just stopped and I felt a release. I'll try to put some of these tools to use. A therapist suggested a few minutes of mindful meditation while I'm not anxious as it quiets the thinking. I have the habit of procrastinating but that's not an option anymore.

Don't be shy about experimenting with and customizing those breathing techniques. When I am in the grips of panic attack, the Lamaze breathing techniques I learned in child birthing classes serve me well for getting through the contractions of a panic attack.

Hee hee hoooooooooo...
Hee hee hoooooooooo...

Just breathe. . .
Breathing with you. . .
As during childbirth, it helps to have someone breathing with you.

I solidly agree with your therapist about doing the mindfulness meditations while you are not anxious. Meditating while I am in crisis is as useful as waiting until I am drowning to take swimming lessons. My most stabilizing meditations begin and end with a calm state of mind. It's easier said than done, but it works when I work it.

I'm quite familiar with what you're suggesting. It worked well breathing more deeply the other night. Prior to that, I've only tried meditation. It's totally useless trying to meditate when you can't calm down first.

Gentle empathy on that score, Tiko. While my anxiety is in the drivers seat, I can no more meditate than I can fly into the sun and back. Inside my own skin, meditation is a far better maintenance tool than crisis intervention tool. Channeling the emotions attached to the anxiety episode works better for crisis intervention. Once I have purged the anxiety hormones, validated and channeled those emotions, meditation becomes possible.