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...
Hey there. I just joined because I'm scared and I don't know what is going on with me. Within the last year I started to experience panic episodes. I came off Celexa for depression about a year and a half ago. Not sure if this could be related.
The first time was sitting in bed watching something funny on YouTube. I felt like I could not get a deep breath in and I had this overwhelming sense of panic. I immediately blurted out, "Omg I need to go outside". My then boyfriend now husband and I walked outside and kicked a soccer ball and I was fine.
The next time, we were in a friend's two door car. I'm claustrophobic. We were in the backseat and I was smushed in the middle. I had this overwhelming feeling come over me. I got hot, my heart stared racing and I screamed for them to stop the car. When they stopped, I got out. I had my husband feel my heart racing. He calmed me down, I got back in (but on the side not middle) and rolled the window down. Luckily it was a short drive and I was ok once we arrived.
The next time we were in our friends car going to get food with them. Our friend accelerated and all of a sudden it felt like we were doing at least 100 mph. We weren't though. This was a four door with a good bit of space. I was able to pull out my phone and look through pictures to distract myself. It didn't get to the point where I felt like screaming (thank God).
We were on a bus at the airport in Iceland going to our plane. The bus had arrived in front of our plane.. but it wasn't opening its doors to let us off. I began to panic. I had to start playing a video on my phone so I wouldn't freak out more. Luckily, about 30 seconds after I started playing my video, they opened the doors.
Recently when I fly ( I used to get so excited to fly) I have this pit in my stomach. I was actually prescribed Xanax .25 because I am so scared I will have a panic attack on a plane and I won't be able to control it.
Two days ago we were in another friend's two door car (this one had more room than the first one and I was not smushed in the back). I had an overwhelming feeling on panic like the first time in the car. We pulled over and I got out. My husband and I walked back up the hill to our house (we didn't go very far) and we took his car.
Today I broke down crying because I feel helpless with these crazy thoughts that run through my head. I'm freaking out about flying in a few weeks. I feel so stupid that I can't seem to get myself together to ride in the back of a two door car. I don't know what to do. I don't want to have to take the Xanax to be able to do these things. I'm also not sure if it's because I came off Celexa. Before that I hadn't experienced anything like this. Any advice is appreciated.
