Panic attack

[Lady]

Today, has not been a good day for me. I had to go to school this morning and i wasn't feeling like myself. After about an hour of being there i had a panic attack at school. It was completely horrible. I felt light headed, dizzy, and like i was going to pass out . It felt like a dream. I was just completely freaking out for no reason. I had to leave. I had to go home. I couldn't calm down for the life of me. I hate anxiety. I wish i didn't have it :l i have had panic attacks everyday for the past 3 days now. I feel like they are just going to keep happening, and i don't know how to handle them, especially when I'm at school. Its scary for me.

[onebreathatatime]

You are not alone in this. I struggle myself to go to work. I take the city bus and I catch myself not breathing properly as I'm so anxious which then causes palps and then it starts I freak me right out. I always want to get off before my stop but I know I cannot do that as I would be giving into the fear and feeding it. When it starts happening at work I have to remove myself and get fresh air. It's really difficult and the fear is so intense but logically I know I cannot give into it. Have you tried removing yourself and doing deep breathing and then return to the situation? It will get better!

[DorsetGirl]

Today, has not been a good day for me. I had to go to school this morning and i wasn't feeling like myself. After about an hour of being there i had a panic attack at school. It was completely horrible. I felt light headed, dizzy, and like i was going to pass out . It felt like a dream. I was just completely freaking out for no reason. I had to leave. I had to go home. I couldn't calm down for the life of me. I hate anxiety. I wish i didn't have it :l i have had panic attacks everyday for the past 3 days now. I feel like they are just going to keep happening, and i don't know how to handle them, especially when I'm at school. Its scary for me.

Do you have a close friend at school who you could ask for help?

I have shared the things that happen to me when I have panic attacks, with a close colleague at work and when she recognises the signs, she steps in and takes me away from the office and stays with me and helps calm me down. I don't think I could cope with the panic attacks by myself.

When I first starting having them they were happening two or three times a day, but with the help of my friends and the coping strategies I learnt like deep breathing and focussing on something other than the way that I was feeling, it brought my panic and anxiety down quicker.

Telling myself that panic attacks are a natural body response to a perceived danger ( as in fight or flight response) and in themselves they are not dangerous and are not harming me also helped a lot too.

[Lady]

Yes, as soon as it happened i left class, and went to the nurse. I did deep breathing excersizes and it wasn't calming me down. It can be so hard and i felt so embarrassed in front of the nurse. I feel like I'm not normal at times. if breathing deeply doesn't work for you when your anxiety kicks in , what do you do for a back up plan ?

[Lady]

I called my mom at school to talk to her about it, to see if she could calm me down, and my body wasn't having it. This has been one of the worst attacks i have had.

[onebreathatatime]

I use a few different things to calm me down, sometimes just drinking water helps, walking around, I sit in the shower if I'm at home, I really try to focus on slow deep breathing and telling myself over and over "I'm okay and nothing is wrong" it's a struggle though no matter what. I had a panic attack last Thursday while I was home alone and it was not fun at all. I ended up calling in sick for work the next day.

[Lady]

I will try all of those strategies if this occurs again. I am just already worried about tomorrow. I don't want another attack, but i know that i cannot help it. I just need to control it. Thank you for you guys for the advice.

[Moonstone]

Hi there,
I can so relate to what you are going thru!!! The deep belly expanding breathing, if done right is one of the best things anyone can do for anxiety.
It was adviced to me to practise the deep breathing through out the day....it is also a preventative strategy as well. My anxiety has gotten a lot better when I do the breathing for a couple of minutes here and there thru out the day.

How do you do the breathing exersices btw?

[Lady]

I usually breathe in through my nose and out of
my nose

[NixonRulz]

Shallow chest breaths are the biggest reason why we get the physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, tight chest, tingling limbs, pains in the chest.

All due to the blood vessels and muscles tightening. Understand this to be the truth when you are calm, that will it will be more easily believed when you are highly stressed. This is a fact, just not my opinion.

Over breathing can make you feel like hell too. Fast shallow breaths is taking in too much oxygen and you hyperventilate.

Just breathe like a normal person does. Slowly and where your belly moves up and down. That way that old heart and lungs will be happy campers

People call it calming breathing sometimes. It's just normal breathing and not shallow chest breaths. That's it. The big secret.

Oh, and by the way, if you actually ever do faint from a panic attack, please post about it since you will be the first person in history to ever do so.

[suzie f]

I see a lot of good suggestions here. I drink super ice cold water and I think that helps me, but the breathing is really good too. I think breathing in thru the nose to the count of 7 and holding to the count of 8 and exhale thru the mouth to the count of 4 is a very specific way to breath for relaxation. So, the trick is to practice that throughout the day to keep you relaxed before the panic hits. I think having my focus on the breathing rather than the fear is what it's about for me but, it doesn't mean it always stops the anxiety or panic attacks. Just another coping skill.
Also yoga and regular exercise helps me but often that is a near impossible feat. However, when I can, I do and it gets those "feel good" neurotransmitters firing!
In another thread I'd mentioned I started on an "emotional balance kit" and it has actually changed my life!! You can just google it but I really checked it out before I started on it and I'm so glad I did! It is called "Equilib emotional balance kit".
It also helps me to remember that I know, I am not really going to die (it just feels like it) and how I made it through this before. One minute or second at a time and knowing it will pass...it just stinks when it totally interferes with your life and living!

[Lin]

I did an NHS mindfulness course which was really good. Taught you meditation and other ways to get through when have depression etc. I go to a Buddha meditation group which follows same way of meditating as the NHS course and meditation, even only three minutes at work concentrating on your breath, really helps and can slow your breathing and stop a full blown panic attack.

[warumtera]

u will be oki soon and all problem will dissapear by fighting this problems