Massive anxiety attack at Drs

[rhar]

I just had huge anxiety/panic attack whilst waiting at the Drs.. Why is it that you tell yourself it's anxiety and not to fear it but it doesn't work!!

It's sooooo frustrating!! :(

[MsMichie]

I think it's because our self talk ( from the rational mind) is competing with our emotions and bodily reactions. And our bodily reactions are most real to us, even when we tell our bodies not to over react.

Unfortunately this never makes it any easier on us! Maybe that's why CBT is not an immediate quick fix. It sucks when you want to keep your emotions in check- you know you have no real reason to start panicking and yet your body just does.

When there's nothing I can do, sometimes I let the panic take over and sit with it until I can leave the situation. Other times I leave the area right away and distract myself with tv.

[Chiliphil1]

Good point, really the best thing to do is to allow the panic attacks yo happen, do this enough and you learn that they are not going to hurt you no matter what, once you learn that fact you begin to fear them less and once you do eventually they have no fear to feed on and they don't come back.

[rhar]

I was trying so hard to let it happen and not fear it but I couldn't!! It was horrible.

I kept saying "it's ok you will just feel uncomfortable but you will be ok" but next thing I knew I was frantically racing for the toilet to get away!!! :( I never used to be like this and it sucks!

[injj18]

Ya I can feel all the signs of an attack coming and no matter what I do it comes. I heard that it takes 3 minutes for adrenaline from our adrenal glands to release when we start feeling an attack coming on and once that happens it can take no less than 3 minutes for it to subside. Like y'all have said its better to just accept what the attack brings on than try to fight it.

[rhar]

I always tell myself to let it happen but I always end up making the panic worse!! Arrggghhhh

[injj18]

Isn't that a trip. Its the same for me. Ill feel it coming and tell myself ok just take some deep breaths, focus on my breathing and when I do that what happens is that I then notice all of my symptoms, not just my breathing, and it just gets worse and that impending doom feeling starts to take over.

[Chiliphil1]

Next time try this.

When you feel the attack coming, yell (even if it's in your own mind) stop, as loud as you can, then think of something that makes you happy.

The sudden out burst distracts your mind and stops the rush of anxiety, use that time to redirect yourself to something that doesn't give you anxiety.

This will generally work, it's a simple matter of your body going into panic mode then the stop interrupts that process, it takes about a minute for your glands to stop with all the adrenaline but as long as you redirect your thoughts they will and the attack will be much shorter and may not peak at all.

[timothy19]

Chiliphil I agree with u I was just telling someone to try to accept the anxiety become buddies and tell it to come, I feel fighting it just makes it worse

[Chiliphil1]

Yeah, that seems to be the case almost like when you fight it and it doesn't go away it makes you panic more because you think something really is wrong and the symptoms will not stop. I still have to convince myself I'm fine when I do have a full on attack even after the hundreds I've had, though it is alot easier to do now.