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...
Hi, I'm new here. I have dealt with anxiety since childhood, and have recently begun to suffer from panic attacks.
I recently began taking Welbutrin, my general practitioner prescribed it. I am searching for a therapist who is covered by my insurance and taking patients.
Earlier today I had an episode. While I was at the store with my husband and kids, I built up to this surety I was having a heart attack. I had shortness of breath, chest pains, sweating. I kept telling my husband I couldn't make it through the store. I felt like the people walking behind me and my small kids were being really impatient with us, and, I don't know the best way to describe it. My chest/throat felt dry. The store was just too big. I kept trying to picture what would happen if I dropped dead right then in the middle of the store. What would my kids be thinking? Who would help me? I just wanted to go home. My husband was able to calm me down and I made it through the store. When we got home, I was relieved to be here, still having some pain/discomfort, and so tired. Just exhausted.
I am afraid I am going to lose my ability to leave the house. A couple of weeks ago I had to go downtown (about 30 minutes away from home) for a class. On my way back, it took EVERYTHING I had in me not to pull over and ask someone to come and get me. I had to call my mom to keep talking to me on the way home. Sometimes (my husband works 2nd shift) my mom has to come sit with me if I become overly concerned an attack is coming.
I also develop odd little obsessions. Like I have a wrist blood pressure cuff, and on really bad days, I will use it upwards of 15 times a day. I also am overly concerned with my heart rate.
I feel like such a failure. My 6 year old daughter was trying to comfort me through the store. It's not supposed to be like that.
I guess I just want to know that I am not alone.
I recently began taking Welbutrin, my general practitioner prescribed it. I am searching for a therapist who is covered by my insurance and taking patients.
Earlier today I had an episode. While I was at the store with my husband and kids, I built up to this surety I was having a heart attack. I had shortness of breath, chest pains, sweating. I kept telling my husband I couldn't make it through the store. I felt like the people walking behind me and my small kids were being really impatient with us, and, I don't know the best way to describe it. My chest/throat felt dry. The store was just too big. I kept trying to picture what would happen if I dropped dead right then in the middle of the store. What would my kids be thinking? Who would help me? I just wanted to go home. My husband was able to calm me down and I made it through the store. When we got home, I was relieved to be here, still having some pain/discomfort, and so tired. Just exhausted.
I am afraid I am going to lose my ability to leave the house. A couple of weeks ago I had to go downtown (about 30 minutes away from home) for a class. On my way back, it took EVERYTHING I had in me not to pull over and ask someone to come and get me. I had to call my mom to keep talking to me on the way home. Sometimes (my husband works 2nd shift) my mom has to come sit with me if I become overly concerned an attack is coming.
I also develop odd little obsessions. Like I have a wrist blood pressure cuff, and on really bad days, I will use it upwards of 15 times a day. I also am overly concerned with my heart rate.
I feel like such a failure. My 6 year old daughter was trying to comfort me through the store. It's not supposed to be like that.
I guess I just want to know that I am not alone.
Feeling like you are having a heart attack is a very common symptom to anxiety and panic. Breathing does also change considerably when we have anxiety/panic. We generally breath very shallow and we don't take full deep cleansing breaths. The way to combat this is to practice belly breathing. Practice this when you are not anxious so you know what to do when you do become anxious.
The exhausted feeling after an anxious episode is also very common. When we get anxious the adrenalin starts to flow so we can run or fight. But, since we don't do either, all that adrenalin doesn't get used and it makes us extremely exhausted. Sometimes I will pace when anxious because it does help use up some of the adrenalin. Then, after, rest is needed. Take it easy and don't try to do much. If you have to do something do it gently.
The only way to keep yourself from being housebound is to keep going out. The anxiety trap is that it keeps making your world smaller and smaller so we need to force ourselves to keep going out. The more you go out to place the less anxious you will be. It sounds hard because it is hard. But if you keep doing it it will get easier.
I also have some odd obsessions. For me, it's taking my temperature. I would take my temperature several times a day to see if I was actually sick. I have worked through this issue and I don't need to do this any more.
Have you thought about seeing a therapist for help? They can be very helpful in dealing with anxiety and panic. I couldn't have healed as much as I have without mine.
I hope you feel better soon.
Take care
called anxiety attacks are a false triggering of the fight or flight response,
google fight or flight response for all the possible effects of it. panic
attacks often are inherited. they cant harm anyone so should not be feared. when
feeling stressed or panicky simply relax and breathe deep and slow. dont tense
up or fight back against it. do disolve any mid range valium type pill under
tongue for fastest help, google sublingually. agoraphobia is avoiding or
fearing places or situations likely to cause a panic attack. Ive found that the
best advice in overcoming both is in cheap self help books from internet
bookstores, order a few to be delivered to you by mail. therapists, especially
psychiatrists often give little advice and consider the panic attacks as
unimportant. they waste time and are often expensive, also their advice is hard
to remember as most patients are very nervous. valium type meds are still
the best for reducing or stopping a panic attack, if taken to hospital, the
usual treatment is an injection of valium. antidepressant meds help some a lot
but sufferers can have severe early side effects so start at much less than the
min dose range and slowly work dose up, google the antidepressant dose range for
guidance. valium reduces early side effects. antidepressants take from 2 to 6
weeks to start working and occasionally never help. the prozac or SSRI type are
popular but other types also help and so can be tried. older sedating
antihistamines calm some. valium type must be used sensibly but its been my long
experience that few sufferers have addictive type personalitys,t he main problem
being to get them to take a large enough dose rather than stopping them from
taking too high a dose the fight or flight response can become a strong
addiction, people activate it with dangerous sports, downhill skiing, bungee
jumping, parachute jumping, etc so some panic attack sufferers refuse to make
any attempt to recover or to take helpful meds. panic attack and agoraphobia
sufferers dont usually lead very stressfull lives. they become expert at seeming
calm and relaxed whan actually panicky I had panic attacks and severe
agoraphobia for 20 years before diagnosing myself and am now completely
recovered