Reading or mispronouncing words bring on my panic attacks!?

[bherm324]

My panic attacks normally just happen for no reason but sometimes I can be thinking about stuff that I guess you could say stresses me out and they start that way too. My first panic attack happened in November of 2013, when I was laying in bed about to go to sleep. Since then I have had over 60 panic attacks. In the last few months I noticed that when I am reading something or when I am thinking of a word in my head and I do not pronounce the word correctly (even though I know what the word is & should be saying it right) is when I start to have a panic attack. Does this happen to anyone else? Why would mispronouncing words trigger a panic attack? My panic attacks are normally always the same. I get an anxious feeling in my chest then I get racing thoughts that I can barely understand, a fast heartbeat & I can't speak, even if I try is sounds like jumbled up words. My attacks last for about 1-2 minutes then its over and I'm back to normal. Sometimes I might get shaky or sweaty afterwards. Recently I had an attack just a few days ago where it started with the anxious feeling in my chest, my heart and mind started racing, but all of a sudden both my ears started ringing and I got super dizzy and almost fell over. Scariest one I've had yet. Please, someone tell me they've had attacks like this!?

[Ankhsious]

The theory is that you have deep within you an entire 'stack' of frustrations from previous unprocessed emotional pain and that you are fighting to keep it down which takes energy.

Perhaps on some subconscious level any frustration big or small is triggering this pain that wants to bubble to the surface.

You either have to find a way to bottle it back up or let the flood gates open and deal with the pain. The latter is not easy but probably longer lasting. That said, I don't wish that journey on anyone, it's very tough!

[Ankhsious]

But the good news is that the entire stack can be released at once. ie. if you have an 'anger' stack, dealing with one experience and properly processing that old anger can release the ENTIRE anger stack.

[willheal]

Yeah, I've felt that way before. My first panic attacks that I can really remember happening made me get up and run. I felt like everything was tilting sideways when I ran down the hall and into my dad's room. I tried to tell him that I was dying but I kept tripping over my words. Panic just strikes down the ability to communicate. And balance, too!

[snowberry]

I think because tripping over words/not being able to talk coherently is one of the many symptoms of panic, it triggers a panic response in you. When I feel light headed or get a 'head swimming' sensation, my panic comes automatically because I get those sorts of problems when in panic mode, so my body reacts to it.

Some therapists suggest consistently exposing yourself to your panic symptoms will help you not to fear them, because it's the fear that pulls us down to panic. This should only ever happen when you're in a safe space, and don't have any obligations you need to meet in the near future that might be impaired should you trigger panic. So maybe practising tongue twisters or something would help you get used to the sensation of tripping over words, and help to reduce the fear it inspires? BUT this is only a suggestion, you don't have to do it and any self-exposure to panic symptoms is always done at your own risk. You will know if and when you're ready to try something like that.

[Perses]

I get stressed when I can't remember the right word -- I know it's there but I can't get it to my mouth. Since I'm a professor of English, it's even more embarrassing when I forget something, or when I mispronounce words. I've gotten old enough now to simply say to my students or colleagues -- Oh, ugh, I'm blanking on this, or yes, I have trouble pronouncing words. I guess I'm confident enough in my general abilities as to be able to tell myself -- don't bother panicking too much over this.

I'm wondering why this particular trigger sets you off. 60 panic attacks is quite a bit. What makes you scared about mispronouncing a word? Do you feel stupid? Could you have some form of dyslexia? Does this happen while you are reading out loud, or only in your mind? Is it easier if you read something out loud? Are there particular kinds of words? What are you reading? Shakespeare? People magazine? Could it be the subject matter?

Definitely, mispronouncing a word can be humiliating and scary, but we all do it.

[Anne1221]

Another thing is that you are anxious and what you notice is that you can't think of a word. But what triggered the anxiety is not the word problem, but the anxiety preceeded that and what you focus on is the lack of remembering a correct word. My friend has an illness called ME and she is constantly forgetting words.

[randabritto]

This is very normal for me as well. I read signs and pronounce everything to myself..just to make sure I am forming sentences correctly. It feels good to know im not alone.