I have panic attacks.. and I'll get shakey and my heart will pound. The best thing to do is to sit down and try to calm down. If you can't.. always scope out a focus point... it can be a plant... street sign, anything that you can focus your attention on for a few moments.
If you're really worried maybe speak with a counsilor or something. and if you can, carry a small brown paper sack. Use it to breathe into when you're feeling panicked.
I had them super frequently last year when I was really stressed, and what you're experiencing does sound like panic attacks... one thing that differs from my own experience, though, is that my panic attacks usually have a trigger, like being forced to deal with strangers or being shoved around repeatedly on a crowded train (my stress was so bad at that time that it was kinda magnifiying my social anxiety ><;). In case you get something that lasts longer than just half a minute or so, though, try the methods suggested by the other people who commented before me↑ It's always good to check with a doctor if you're really unsure about it and the problem persists.
It could be anxiety attacks, or it could be a side effect of caffeine or something else interacting with your meds and triggering anxiety- try adjusting various things in your diet first and see if that helps. I get quite severe panic attacks, and those usually last 15-20 minutes from start to recovery, and even they don't have a trigger at all, so it's not necessarily that stressful things trigger panic attacks, more like a general level of anxiety spills over at inopportune times. Exercising, getting out in the sun as much as possible, and eating lots of fruits and veggies really does help a lot too.
For what it's worth, I agree with the other posters, and have experience many bouts with severe anxiety/panic attacks. I discovered, for myself, that limiting caffeine and exercising everyday, keeps them at bay and minimizes their impact when they do happen.
Also, something not mentioned here, but that you alluded to: stress. For me, I have discovered the more I take on, the more I find myself multi-tasking, and the more fragmented my thinking becomes. This usually is the onset to an attack eventually if I don't refocus my thinking and start doing things again in a more linear fashion. So, you may be onto something with the stress angle. And if that is contributing, figuring out a way to de-stress or better cope with the stress you have may go a long way.
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If you're really worried maybe speak with a counsilor or something. and if you can, carry a small brown paper sack. Use it to breathe into when you're feeling panicked.
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In case you get something that lasts longer than just half a minute or so, though, try the methods suggested by the other people who commented before me↑ It's always good to check with a doctor if you're really unsure about it and the problem persists.
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Also, something not mentioned here, but that you alluded to: stress. For me, I have discovered the more I take on, the more I find myself multi-tasking, and the more fragmented my thinking becomes. This usually is the onset to an attack eventually if I don't refocus my thinking and start doing things again in a more linear fashion. So, you may be onto something with the stress angle. And if that is contributing, figuring out a way to de-stress or better cope with the stress you have may go a long way.
Good luck! :-)
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