Panic Attack Stigma?

[crashintome91]

I shared with a friend of mine that I had panic attacks and he said to me "like you have mental breakdowns?!?" Maybe more of a lack of understanding I guess, but this kind of alarmed me. I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?

[em1]

Your not having a mental breakdown,I always say that people who have never had a panic attack really don't know what they are talking about,I've had friends say to me oh I think I've had one of those and I say if you ever have had one you will
Know about it,sounds to me like most of my friends that she's not very educated when it comes to anxitey

[JLBnole68]

See I would've rolled my eyes back in my head and acted like I was going after him. People who've never experienced anxiety attacks don't get it. Of course there's a stigma attached to almost anything that's brain and mental health related. I wouldn't be alarmed by your friend's choice of words. Just have a laugh and try to explain what you deal with. You'll both feel better.

[JLBnole68]

Your not having a mental breakdown,I always say that people who have never had a panic attack really don't know what they are talking about,I've had friends say to me oh I think I've had one of those and I say if you ever have had one you will
Know about it,sounds to me like most of my friends that she's not very educated when it comes to anxiteyFunny when people say "I think" or "I might" have had one of those. If you aren't sure, then you haven't had one. For sure.

[em1]

Funny when people say "I think" or "I might" have had one of those. If you aren't sure, then you haven't had one. For sure.

Exactly,some people do make me laugh,that cracked me up on your last comment about rolling your eyes and going after her friend lol to funny

[JLBnole68]

Well, if we can learn to stop taking ourselves so seriously all the time and have a good laugh, even laugh at ourselves, I think we bring ourselves closer to kicking this crap to the curb.

[em1]

Well, if we can learn to stop taking ourselves so seriously all the time and have a good laugh, even laugh at ourselves, I think we bring ourselves closer to kicking this crap to the curb.

Oh for sure,I laugh at myself a lot lol and I love this forum as for one your not alone in your fight to be anxitey etc free,but there's so many people that will
Make you laugh and I love that :)