Very worried over symptoms of emotional numbness

[Lee29]

Hello, I'm Lee and I'm 21 years old.
I decided to join the Anxiety forum because I am worried about the symptoms of anxiety that I am suffering from.

I've recently had a massive panic attack (burnout) from a school work I spent the night over until exhaustion.
I screamed at the computer and started feeling extremely anxious and dizzy, my heart was beating extremely fast and I was afraid to die from a heart failure.

I was extremely agitated and I couldn't calm myself no matter how hard I tried. I was on the brink of insanity and I begged my parents for sleeping pills.
I went to sleep to calm myself, it was really hard because I was so startled I couldn't soothe myself.
I was scared of becoming crazy because of all the irrational thoughts going on in my head.

I miraculously slept, but I woke up feeling terrible, the anxiety had ravaged my mind.
I felt like I was going to die for a whole month afterward, my respiration was heavy and my heart was beating extremely low.
So I went to the doctor and he gave me a EKG test, a blood test, some Ativan and told me it was just anxiety.

Ever since this panic attack, my brain doesn't register sleep patterns anymore and it is hard for me to find out when to go to sleep because I never get the signal to sleep.
My head feels numb to any emotions, it's been one month since the panic attack and it does not improve one bit.
I have massive brain fogs, usually really heavy when waking up in the morning.
I am not feeling any anxiety anymore, but I still have the symptoms of physical, emotional numbness and brain fog.

Music is a big part of my life and I can't enjoy it anymore.
I want to spend some time with my family for Christmas time.
I want to have a blast seeing the new Star Wars movie with my friends.
I don't want to be numb all the time, I'm feeling terrible.

Has anyone else been through this?
Is it normal to feel symptoms of a panic attack a month after the attack?

I am begging anyone for help, I'm scared to stay like this forever.

[Kixxi]

Hello, I'm Lee and I'm 21 years old.
I decided to join the Anxiety forum because I am worried about the symptoms of anxiety that I am suffering from.

I've recently had a massive panic attack (burnout) from a school work I spent the night over until exhaustion.
I screamed at the computer and started feeling extremely anxious and dizzy, my heart was beating extremely fast and I was afraid to die from a heart failure.

I was extremely agitated and I couldn't calm myself no matter how hard I tried. I was on the brink of insanity and I begged my parents for sleeping pills.
I went to sleep to calm myself, it was really hard because I was so startled I couldn't soothe myself.
I was scared of becoming crazy because of all the irrational thoughts going on in my head.

I miraculously slept, but I woke up feeling terrible, the anxiety had ravaged my mind.
I felt like I was going to die for a whole month afterward, my respiration was heavy and my heart was beating extremely low.
So I went to the doctor and he gave me a EKG test, a blood test, some Ativan and told me it was just anxiety.

Ever since this panic attack, my brain doesn't register sleep patterns anymore and it is hard for me to find out when to go to sleep because I never get the signal to sleep.
My head feels numb to any emotions, it's been one month since the panic attack and it does not improve one bit.
I have massive brain fogs, usually really heavy when waking up in the morning.
I am not feeling any anxiety anymore, but I still have the symptoms of physical, emotional numbness and brain fog.

Music is a big part of my life and I can't enjoy it anymore.
I want to spend some time with my family for Christmas time.
I want to have a blast seeing the new Star Wars movie with my friends.
I don't want to be numb all the time, I'm feeling terrible.

Has anyone else been through this?
Is it normal to feel symptoms of a panic attack a month after the attack?

I am begging anyone for help, I'm scared to stay like this forever.

Oh hell yes, more than once. A panic attack can be so draining, but also make you hyper-vigilant, which means you are going to pay even more attention to what is going on in your body. For someone with panic attacks, it is completely normal.

Also, do not be afraid to ask for help. It took me seven years and now I wish I did it sooner. There is no shame in panic attacks. You would be surprised just how many people have experienced panic or struggled with an anxiety disorder in their life. Even my therapist has! It is nothing to be ashamed off

[jessed03]

Hey Lee!

Emotional numbness - I remember that well. I remember buying my first ever smart phone several years ago, and being so uninspired I just left it in the draw for weeks.

Think of a panic attack as being an hormonal tornado. All of those vital chemicals needed to make you feel normal get gobbled up by the brain or mass produced. The result is you feel very off.

With time, everything will come back to you. It's just a case of keep going as normal. Of course, getting the anxiety/panic under control is important, as while you're suffering, those hormonal tornadoes just keep on happening.

[virtualhope]

I'm very sorry for all that you're going through with your emotional and physical health, including and your recent panic attacks. I am extremely glad to know you are under the care of a doctor and are taking your mental health as seriously as you are your studies.

College students can and often do experience anxiety from carrying school-related stress, which can be worrisome to parents as well as friends. I think this forum is a good place to garner support from peers, but you might also want to seek out a couple of in-person support groups in your town. Often, face-to-face contact can give provide greater hope and emotional support, and lead to increased confidence and strength during periods of illness and stress.

I hope that you will be able to enjoy some pleasurable moments with family and friends this Christmas. And, perhaps even experience once again the beauty and healing power of music.

Praying for your healing and wishing you all the best for the New Year. God bless!

[halmat]

Hello Lee - I'm glad you joined. The best advice I can give as one who suffered horribly from anxiety, panic attacks and racing thoughts is to not make your current condition overly complex. You probably know that we are all blessed with a protective system that can provide us with extra strength and endurance when a tiger suddenly leaps at us. In your case, tigers aren't involved; in fact there is no genuine threat, but your alarm system doesn't know that. The effects of a panic attack linger if you don't resolve the issue. For example, if you were startled to the point of panic by what you thought was a tiger but turned out to be a tumbleweed, you would soon calm down. If you are panicked by something unidentifiable, your amygdala driven nervous system stays on high alert. It thinks there is a threat somewhere, so stays revved up just in case. That ongoing hypersensitivity and tension can be very wearing and draining.

I was exhausted most of the time when I was experiencing high anxiety and had great difficulty sleeping which, as you know, makes the anxiety worse. Your fight or flight system can stay on high alert for a long time. You need to take steps to re-program your amygdala so that it no longer fears having a panic attack. It is a cruel irony that the very system designed to protect you from danger can keep you living in what seems like danger for months, for years. Don't make this out to be a deep and mysterious affliction. The whole thing is quite simple and you can overcome it with daily work designed to restore self confidence and self worth. Once you realize that you no longer need fear panic attacks, you'll never have another and you can return to music and all things that make life enjoyable. Peek in on my blog at unagoraphobic.com for tips and suggestions. Educate yourself about your affliction, and please don't worry about your physical symptoms; your body was designed to have "panic attacks" when adrenaline was needed for survival. They will go away as you come to a basic understanding of your fears. Get busy working on this - the sooner you start on a recovery plan the sooner you'll be free. Hal