Help! Panic Attack while Excercising

[Sentinelle]

I am trying to get back on track by going to the gym this week but yesterday I had a panic attack while I was on the treadmill at home! It was really scary I was sweating and nearly fainted. I had panick attacks before but not while working out. It took me 2 hours to get my heart rate down and I haven't slept. I also fell from the treadmill cause I panicked and couldn't stop it thank god I wasn't at the gym!! I'm so scared of working out again

[jessed03]

It sounds like you have to start a lot, lot slower! The body will often confuse exercise effects, for the effects of a panic attack.

When I started off, I start at just 1 minute!! It was so boring, but when you find a baseline level that you can work at without problem, you can increase it in increments usually without problem.

Be gentle on your nervous system, I hope you can get over this really soon!

[Sentinelle]

I don't think I can get over this I used to work out every day. Now I'm getting panick attacks while jogging too! and I'm only doing half an hour a day. I think this is the end. Thanks for reply though I appreciate.

[jessed03]

It's not the end.

Go down to 5 minutes. See how you feel after that. Just 5 minutes. Build confidence again. Send your body the message that this is ok. Let it get used to it.

With panic attacks, blood sugars can become imbalanced, adrenaline is released WAY too easily etc. Help your body understand exercise again.

[anxiousmal]

Dont let the fear beat you and dont give up. If you love working out and are scared you may have a panic attack, you have a choice. You can either do nothing and be scared of working out or you can face the fear and exercise anyway.

Look at it this way, whats the worst that can happen? You exercise and work out and have a panic attack. Your not going to have a heart attack from a panic attack, your only going to have a panic attack. If you realise this is the case before you start working out, ;you have a better chance of calming yourself if you do start to panic.

And lets remember, thats IF you have a panic attack. You may not.

I would face the fear and work out, throw caution into the wind and just do it. I know it's hard, people dont fear things for no reason. But if you let the fear win this time, what is going to set the fear off next time?

You can try to mitigate the fear by reading or watching something on tv whilst you work out (you can't think about 2 things at once so if you keep your mind busy whilst doing it, you can't panic)

I hope this helps.

[jamus75]

I can totally relate. Scared to exercise for same reason.

[Sentinelle]

Totally scary I just walked half an hour but that's it cause I got lightheaded and I think panic's on the way. I have to try everyday hopefully it will pass. This really sucks!

[PanicCured]

You probably are getting freaked out when your heart beats fast, and it is reminding you of when you had panic attacks triggering them. But this is heart beating fast due to exercise not from panic. Then you panic and you're back. One of the reasons we do exercise is to increase the heart rate which strengthens your heart muscle. You have to get used to having your heart beat fast again. Remember, it is because of exercise which naturally makes your heart beat fast and is healthy. Also, when you are out of shape, you feel your heart more. You can walk up a hill and you're heart is like pounding out of your chest. Then after you get back into shape, you can walk up that hill and you don't really feel your heart so much. Keep exercising.