Hi. Yes this has happened to me numerous times. Mine were all caused by trauma from when I was a child (sexual abuse). It happened either because of the healing process or because I had nightmares. Most of the time I didn't remember the nightmares but I knew they were there.

Sometimes this forum can be slow. You may want to also check out the Anxiety attacks forum at http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Anxiety/support-group because it tends to have more traffic.

This has happened to me in the past usually associated with nightmares. Some people get triggered if they go to bed anxious or use a stimulant like cigarettes or caffeine right before bed. Try practicing your relaxation techniques before bed as well as when you have an attack.

they are called nocturnal panic attacks, perhaps caused by a dream and quite common
panic attacks, also 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

i cant take medication because being high is a trigger for me, sometimes it helps me to count backwards by threes or fours, something to distract myself ex; 101, 98. 95......