Fear of fainting

[irish-chic]

i have this massive fear of fainting. I dont know why im just so scared to faint. Last night i woke up at 1am feeling weak and faint i paniced! i ran down the stairs i was swearing at my mum.I sat outside for a while to try to calm down then i shouted at my dog and pushed it away i tryed to snap my glasses i threw food out my back. I went crazy it was really scarey i had to take a tablet called dispan or something cant spell it. it calmed me down straight away but i cant take them again im not allowed by my doctor. Im scared if i feel like this again because it was really scary for me how can i calm myself down quickly in situtions like that.

[shoe]

wow, usuallly if I feel weak I just stay in bed :? Sounds like you got a burst of energy!

Actually, it was probably the fight-or-flight response taking effect. Your body goes into a hyper aroused state when you feel intense fear and it mobilizes you to either escape the situation or to stay and put up a fight. Sounds like you had a little of both! hehe

Seriously though, the best thing to do is just ride it out. Let the intense feelings wash over you and remember that if you *dont* fight it, it will go away. If you do fight the feelings, it gets a little stubborn. ;)

You can try to relax yourself.. there are breathing exercises you can do.. or you can take your mind off your body and onto something else.. you could listen to music or watch tv.. anything to preoccupy your mind. And do it somewhere you feel safe.

thats all I would do anyway.. Im sure others have some suggestions :)

[randyttp]

sounds like a pretty good panic attack you had... I often had to jump up out of a house and going walking around the neighborhood or go for a long drive when I would feel the impeding doom of a panic attack...

My panic attacks would hit so intensly that I would feel like im fainting.. like my life was slipping out from myself... I had no other choice but to just run from it.. physically run away.. like i was trying to escape my own doom...

I've done that alot.. pretty embarrasing when your with people and then you start freaking out and take off.. lol.


your not alone.. TRUST ME! Its by far the most scary feeling in the worl being in a panic attack.. But it will go away.. cherish those peaceful moments you have. And have courage that your peaceful moments will start getting longer and longer, and your panic attacks will grow shorter and shorter... takes time.

[randyttp]

ohh yes and I whole heartedly agree with shoe.. fighting it is a bad choice.. even running from it like I used to is a bad choice.. it took me a good year before I could really maintain control of my panics..

when I felt them come on I could instantly identify it, and just let it pass me by. after awhile no one around me even knew I had anxiety, even though its cold shadow would try and creep up on me all the time.

thats why i said though. it takes time.. you gotta learn how to deal.. then maybe you can master yourself again. control your feelings.