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...

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/ Panic Attacks Support Group

How do you cope?

waddlesworth06
waddlesworth06
Since the death of my daughter in May of this year my panic attacks have gotten progressively worse. Before I was able to cope and tolerate them well. If I had a stronger one then I had medication, non-habit forming, to take.

Now they're so bad that not only do I shake with them but I constantly cry and I feel like ripping my flesh off my bones just to get out of myself.

I'm desperate to find relief. I'm afraid that I will end up going inpatient from them. Or doing something worse.

I currently do not take any medication for panic attacks

So, I'm asking how do you cope?
1Gr8Biller
1Gr8Biller
I find something, anything that distracts my mind. Believe me, I know how hard that is when you are in a fetal position on floor with panic, praying to God for help and no one in the universe seems to understand. I force myself to find something that makes me think about anything but myself and the dread I feel. I start off small, like playing cards on my computer and progress to harder tasks, if need be, like going out for a walk or driving into town, etc until I find something that gets my mind to focus on anything else. The longer I can focus, the better I feel. There are some days my family thinks I am suddenly ADHD because of all the stuff I do just to keep my mind distracted. Our minds are incapable of having two thoughts at the very same time so basically what I am doing is flooding my mind with other thoughts. It doesn't matter that it is what my next move is on a card game or that I need to take a right at the next set of lights or that its freakishly cold outside and I should have wore a hat. The point is, I can't think about the shit thats driving my panic when I am forced to think about other stuff.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Waddlesworth - first my sympathy for the loss of your daughter. I cannot imagine the pain that has caused you.

I went through a difficult time when my mother and sister died 3 months apart. My sister was a drug overdose.

Mixing the grieving process with a history of panic is tough. I received some great advice from a therapist. I'll share that, but I also recommend you see a therapist to help with your grieving. The grieving is natural and needs to occur, the panic attacks are coming from it and that's where a therapist can help.

The advice I was given was pretty easy to start. First, I had to take at least a 30 minute walk each day. In my case with music so my mind would be taken away from everything and I would get exercise.

Second I started to journal each day. My raw feelings went into that journal, like self-therapy. The journal was to help the grieving, anger, frustration, etc.

Finally, one way to "cope" is through self compassion. Tell yourself that the panic is from the grieving and stress you have been through. Your reaction is normal for anyone who has gone through what you have.

Hope some of this helps. I feel for you.
harry3333
harry3333
it always helps to breathe deep and slow and to relax and to not tense up
valium as needed helps a lot, carry some pills when working and dissolve 1 under tongue