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 had a panic attack at work yesterday. A mix of breakup anxiety and not eating and general upset has had me really out of it recently, and suddenly I was overwhelmed and crying and gasping for air, and had to get out. I made it to the hallway, which is outside of the main office but right outside of our bathrooms. I got my mom on the phone (she's the best at talking me through panic attacks), crouched on the ground against the wall and cried and gasped. I could hear plenty of people walking past me, either on their way into the office or in/out of the bathrooms... I couldn't spare the energy at the time to think of what I looked like, or who saw me. But now that it's over and the next day, it's hard not to be embarrassed that a bunch of my coworkers saw me completely lose it.
I know there's nothing I could have done differently... but it sucks.
I know there's nothing I could have done differently... but it sucks.
Yeah, that is tough. I don't like people seeing me when I'm having one either. Fortunately I work in a big building so there is always some place where there is no one there that I can go to, but I know it may not be the case in your building. If you can find a place ahead of time, like maybe an empty work area, then so if this happens again, you know where to go.
That's good though that you have a person you can call that you can depend on to talk you through attacks. I'm glad you have your mom. My parents do not understand this illness at all, (they think I'm crazy). Hopefully I can find someone like your mom who understands this illness.