Full blown panic attacks!!!

[laurentellez]

Today my chest got tight, felt like I was breathing really shallow.. I have only felt this twice before..I was drinking some water.. well it's only 102° in Texas and drinking fast.. I had tightness in chest, almost positive it is air from drinking so fast but I had stuck in my mind I wasn't breathing right.. so I was fixed on my breathing for about 15min.. non stop until I convinced myself I was not breathing right.. I was in the car, not driving with no control just letting the panic build up.. I didn't get lightheaded just felt like I couldn't breath.. shallow breathing, hands and legs felt numb or as if I had no arms, scared and crying, as soon as my friend got to the first store, I jumped out and started walking quickly to alleviate the feeling.. it soon went away.. but this has only happened to me 3 other occasions.. the other times I was able to get out or walk it off quickly.. my question is, could this b a panic attack?? Is the reasons why my symptoms were so bad because I let it build up instead of walking it off?? Or do u think this is even a panic attack..????

[andy2013]

This doesn't sound like the panic attacks that I have had in the past. I'm sure it's a little different for everyone. Maybe you felt this way from breathing too much? That tends to happen when you think you aren't breathing properly. I'm sure driving just made it all worse too. Pull over if you need it, if it happens again.

[laurentellez]

So what do u think it was? ?? Hyperventilating? ? Idk

[ADD]

I don't think it was a panic attack, trust me you will have no do about a panic attack if you get one which I hope you don't. I believe the heat triggered it for you initially and from then on you kept feeding it by concentrating on your breathing.
The best way to fight something like that when you think it's about to happen, move in front of an AC for a minute and try to ignore and you'll see that you will feel better right away. I live in NY do when it gets hot here we have humidity that makes matters far worse, I hope you guys have dry heat in Texas :).

[laurentellez]

No it's humid as hell.. so what else can trigger because I'm confused? ? I felt very spacey and body was numb. Before I even got really bad I was drenched in sweat..ugh

[laurentellez]

I felt it coming like a wave.. ready to hit me.. my heart was racing too.. my friend was talking to me but I could hear her but not hear her.. idk if that makes sense..

[leighlee]

It sounds like a panic attack to me. Thou had a few symptoms of a panic attack. And this Texas heat is crazy!

[leighlee]

Thou...meant you! This phone :)

[laurentellez]

I never let my panic go that far.. I stop it before I let it get that bad.. walking always does the trick for me.. that panic feeling don't stick around long when I walk. This time I let it linger until I almost jumped out of the car. I don't know who can sit through one like that.. I wonder why walking makes it go away? ?

[laurentellez]

And omg I live close to Galveston island so humidity is about 80%

[Cobra]

You need to move because fight or flight chemicals are rushing through your body. I would recommend to anyone to get up, walk around, shake your arms and legs, burn off those anxiety chemicals, or they are going to linger and build up. When you have burnt them off you will break into a light sweat and feel relieved.

[laurentellez]

You need to move because fight or flight chemicals are rushing through your body. I would recommend to anyone to get up, walk around, shake your arms and legs, burn off those anxiety chemicals, or they are going to linger and build up. When you have burnt them off you will break into a light sweat and feel relieved.

That's how I felt. Almost immediately relieved when I started walking..

[Cobra]

Whenever animals in the wild are frightened, they freeze and search their surroundings for danger. If there is no danger, they shiver all over, then return to what they are doing. They are usually more active after, too. Look at a dog. Scare one, and it will tense, then hop all around happily when it realizes its safe. It is burning off the danger chemicals. Activity and relief. We get in trouble because we repress those natural actions. We need to get more in touch with our feelings, and learn how to release those repressed nerves.

[MrsJ88]

Today my chest got tight, felt like I was breathing really shallow.. I have only felt this twice before..I was drinking some water.. well it's only 102° in Texas and drinking fast.. I had tightness in chest, almost positive it is air from drinking so fast but I had stuck in my mind I wasn't breathing right.. so I was fixed on my breathing for about 15min.. non stop until I convinced myself I was not breathing right.. I was in the car, not driving with no control just letting the panic build up.. I didn't get lightheaded just felt like I couldn't breath.. shallow breathing, hands and legs felt numb or as if I had no arms, scared and crying, as soon as my friend got to the first store, I jumped out and started walking quickly to alleviate the feeling.. it soon went away.. but this has only happened to me 3 other occasions.. the other times I was able to get out or walk it off quickly.. my question is, could this b a panic attack?? Is the reasons why my symptoms were so bad because I let it build up instead of walking it off?? Or do u think this is even a panic attack..????

Was the water pretty cold? I have always been told to not drink really cold water fast cause us will make your chest hurt (kinda like a brain freeze in your chest) and I always thought YEAH right ... Then I experienced it one day while drinking really cold water fast, it then scared me and I panicked.

[MrsJ88]

And what you're described is EXACTLY what happens when I panic.. The fixated breathing and then arms and legs go so numb that the muscles are sore the next day and I cry and feel shaky

[laurentellez]

And what you're described is EXACTLY what happens when I panic.. The fixated breathing and then arms and legs go so numb that the muscles are sore the next day and I cry and feel shaky

I thought so. Maybe I didn't add all I should have in the description. It also felt like I was about to lose it.

[MrsJ88]

I thought so. Maybe I didn't add all I should have in the description. It also felt like I was about to lose it.

Me too, that's normal... I feel so weird while panicky and I feel like I just gotta get up and move

[Cobra]

Another thing you can do is move your eyes rapidly back and forth while you think about what is disturbing you. After that, think a positive thought, like, I am breathing fine. This is only anxiety. Again, think it while moving your eyes back and forth. This will help your brain process the thought, and replace the negative thought with a positive thought.

[laurentellez]

I was beyond thoughts today.. if I wouldn't have gotten up first and walked, idk how I would have felt.. this wasn't just a anxious feeling.. I either got up and walked or it was getting worse..no doubt..