Serious Health Anxiety right now

[Shadowcat]

So, since my anxiety started-- or rather, intensified-- I have felt much more comfortable sleeping in my own bed. Naturally. But I have spent the night at my sister's and my friend's house. But ever since I had a panic attack near when they first started at my neighbor's house, I have not been able to spend the night at her house. Which is a serious problem now because family is in town for the week so I have to. Lately, my anxiety has really calmed a lot, but this is my first night back over there, it's 12:30 at night, and I feel like my heart is going to stop at any second. I was fine until I laid down to sleep, and when I started to fall asleep, I had a freak out where I thought my heart was stopping. I tried-- very quickly-- to check the pulse in my neck, and when I couldn't find it, I got very dizzy. I know it was most likely as a result of the panic I was feeling, but now I am laying on the couch and I still can't escape the feeling that at any moment my heart is suddenly going to stop, especially if I try to sleep. Advice? Insights? Anything would be helpful right now. I'm very tired but I'm much too scared to go to sleep.

[aml0017]

Sorry you had a panic attack in the middle of the night when all of us were asleep. But it definitely sounds like a classic anxiety attack, I have experienced that exact feeling before, and thinking your heart is stopping just makes it 10 times worse. However, it is just a misfire of your body's fight and flight response, a surge of adrenaline and cortisol. I am guessing that you got through the night ok and your heart did not stop, right? Because you had the experience before at the same house, your brain was already anticipating the panic before you even lay down, so your mind had primed itself to have a panic attack way before it happened. It sucks, and it is scary, but anxiety will not kill you.

Remind yourself it is in your head, and though it has happened to you more than once you made it through and you survived. Next time, try to start relaxing your mind a couple hours before you go to sleep. Take a nice bath, have some hot cocoa, watch some tv (no horror or stressful stuff) or read a book. Don't try to lay down and fall asleep until you are very tired. No use lying there in the dark with your mind racing. When you lie down, focus on your breathing, taking deep slow breaths until you fall asleep. If you find yourself getting too anxious, sit up and distract yourself with a book or whatever until you relax again.

[Shadowcat]

Thanks. I feel like I should add though that I've been worried about it all day since then. Its the next night now, and I feel like I'm not going to get any sleep tonight either.

[aml0017]

Well see that's just the point, you are already anxious in anticipation that you won't be able to sleep. Remember it is really all in your mind, there is NO difference at all between sleeping in your own bed to sleeping on the couch at your neighbors. Lying down is lying down. You WILL be just fine. I know it's easier said than done, anxiety can't just be willed away. If it could this forum wouldn't exist. Accept and acknowledge that you are experiencing the anxiety but don't let it sweep you away. Tell yourself "stop, it is just anxiety, I'm going to be fine!", and don't forget to breathe. It sounds hokey but you have to keep the rational part of your brain in control.

Hope you can get some sleep tonight.