I can't always tell where my panic attacks are coming from, either. In recent weeks I have been drowning in a generalized anxiety that has my nerves frayed enough to make me extra prone to them. Yes, I have extra stresses in my life, but I'm not sure its enough to rate this.

I am trying to let the mystery be. I get more than a little OCD when I am like this and tend to make mountains out of molehills. Keeping my coping toolbox handy.

Hang in there, Jessica. You are not alone.

Fear of the unknown is the biggest fear of all, so your not knowing where theses flashbacks are coming from is scary in a way I know all too well.

One thing I learned in therapy was to learn to trust myself through them even if I couldn't trace them to a source and understand them rationally. I think the worst thing PTSD did to me was take away my trust for people, especially for myself.

In recovery I've begun to learn that, despite feelings to the contrary, I really don't want to hurt myself, and that flashbacks are information thrown up from my unconscious mind for healing purposes somehow. Like physical pain is meant to show you where you're bleeding from when you get cut.

You wouldn't punish someone just for bleeding from a cut. You'd put some ointment and a band aid on it.

Same for when our minds leak from a past wound and we get flashbacks, I suppose. It's an approach I'm trying to take more often than just freaking out, the only approach I used to have.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. It all helps.
51percent, you hit it right on the point. It was one of my little ones fearful knowing that the person she fears will be around for Christmas. The sad thing is...it's my son who she is afraid of. He's very manipulative and disrespectful and does not take my illness seriously. After a few hours passed, I found myself on the floor in the corner of my room with my bunny hysterical. I lost a lot of time.

I have panic/anxiety attacks and have no idea what triggers it? I was trying and trying to recognize what might be trigger and I didn't find it nor I know. I can have attack at any time anywhere.

I stopped with seeking for triggers and started to learn how to stop attacks when they start. for a long time I don't know how long I didn't have full attack, usually I can stop attack from getting into full since I know my symptoms and body reactions

this is very easy to say, but possible I hope you will find answers you need or get less panic attacks

keep on it will be better

I don't mean to sound glib, but isn't that what's at the heart of a panic attack? You don't know why your are flipping out???

I mean, a few years ago, I know WHY I felt that way- I was in a packed metro and was claustrophobic. When I was pregnant, I felt like I couldn't breathe b/c my son's foot was under my rib in the care and I couldn't move to adujst.

But when you have NO reason you feel that way, it's very disarming.

Sometimes at night, I feel like my body will forget how to breathe and I can't get enough oxygen. I don't think I'm hyperventilating- I'm just being weird...

So when you don't know the cause, that's the definition of a panic attack.

You're amongst good company!

Good point, Deli, about how that's the definition of a panic attack.