Panic Attacks Support Group
A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than thirty minutes. Symptoms include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, and sensations of choking or smothering. Panic attacks can be very sudden, appear to be unprovoked, and are often...
I feel so overwhelmed with this anxiety and when panic starts to take over, I have no idea what to do.
I don't have trouble breathing so much as I feel that I'm going to pass out and embarrass myself. I know that I'm making it worse, but I don't know how to stop. Does anyone else feel this way? I feel so helpless.
I don't have trouble breathing so much as I feel that I'm going to pass out and embarrass myself. I know that I'm making it worse, but I don't know how to stop. Does anyone else feel this way? I feel so helpless.
so you need to pretend a panic attack has started and practise
firstly find something to sit on or lean against, or kneel down and pretend to fix your shoes,if you feel dizzy, it wont matter then look at everything around you and relax your muscles, then breathe out, out, out. then take a deep breath in and continue with the deep slow breathing
have a few valium tablets to disolve under your tongue if needed
You're definitely not on your own. Have you thought about what it is that's going through your head when the panic/anxiety sets in? Try and think about it next time. There's going to be some fears/worries in your life that are behind all of this. Think about embracing and tackling these rather than being afraid of them. If you can think of fear in a positive light that might help.
There are some great self-help programs available to help with that sort of process. You'll find some ideas on my blog at panicrelief.co.uk. I'm also preparing something on stopping panic attacks which will be up soon.
Take care
Tony
panicrelief.co.uk
If not, it is very unlikely that you ever will.
If so, then realise that many others also have this same problem and it is nothing to be embarassed about. If you were to faint, people would be concerned for you, but they certainly wouldn't find you to be awkward.