Is this a panic attack?

[Dodifordays]

Hi I was wondering if what I am describing is a panic attack, when I'm in class and the teacher calls on me to answer a question or my opinion my heart starts to race, I get sweaty, I can feel my face turn red, and my voice gets shaky, I feel dazed and out of it, and I just think to myself like what's wrong with me. This happens in other situations like when I'm talking to someone i don't know well.

[alankay]

No. Sounds more like Performance Anxiety or perhaps Social Anxiety(which are kind of related and common). I have that. It is a type of anxiety though. Alankay.

[Dodifordays]

No. Sounds more like Performance Anxiety or perhaps Social Anxiety(which are kind of related and common). I have that. It is a type of anxiety though. Alankay.

Thanks but what are you doing to cope with it. It's so bad that I don't want to go to school.

[Dodifordays]

No. Sounds more like Performance Anxiety or perhaps Social Anxiety(which are kind of related and common). I have that. It is a type of anxiety though. Alankay.

Thanks but what are you doing to cope with it. It's so bad that I don't want to go to school.

[alankay]

Dodi, this is what I did to get through speech class, etc, for college. At the time I was under a psychiatrists care for anxiety so told him my issue. He prescribed a beta blocker for me. I then looked up my local chapter of Toast Masters(people who find it very hard to speak in front of a group so often go there to practice so they understand, etc). I took the med and went to a meeting. I spoke with the chapter coordinator and told him my fear and I was wanting to watch a meeting before saying anything which I did. Then I made a practice speech and rehearsed it a whole lot. All the folks there were older but great. Very supportive. I took a big leap of faith and gave my speech and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Both because of the beta blocker and because I'd rehearsed it so many times. This allowed me to enroll and complete speech class and graduate. Keep in mind it didn't forever "fix" my issue but I learned I could do it and even took another speech class after college to further desensitize myself. I helped allot. I still use a beta blocker and even some valium for speeches/presentations but can do it.
To get the med you need to make an appt. with either a GP or psychiatrist. I'd go with a GP and tell them how bad you feel and that it is interrupting your school/social life. Tell them it's bad otherwise they will just encourage you to "suck it up"(which is usually good advise for most people). Tell them about the bad racing heart, flushing, shakes, sweating and that you've heard that some folks(many actors/musicians/businessman use them) use beta blockers CAUTIOUSLY and it really helps them. I like propranolol(20-40mg) as it will helps allot with shakes/sweating/blushing better than atenolol 50mg(which the doc might prefer) which will work too.
Tell them you understand you need to take only as directed and be sure follow through with any little precautions he advised(watching for lightheadedness, etc). If you have a normal heart(I bet you do) and no asthma, I bet it will be safe for you as directed. Like any med just pay attention to how it effects you and use as little as really needed.
In time you will get better(desensitized) more so than you are now to all this. You might even become a heck of a good speaker.:)
The biggest concern is lowering your pulse and/or BP too much and getting dizzy while driving. BUT if you pay attention and take it seriously you should have no problems. Believe me they have other patients that use a beta blocker for pretty much the same reason. PM me any time. Alankay.