PANIC! PANIC! PANIC!

[microgravity]

I had a panic attack around 10pm last night - I was feeling a little down beforehand but nothing really bad or unusal, and I putting sheets on the bed, then suddenly PANIC! HYPERVENTILATION! UNCONTROLLABLE CRYING! FALLING DOWN! TINGLING! WORLD CRUMBLING! I have no idea what caused it - I know what *triggered* it but I don't consider that the cause

Comments

[mooflyfoof]

Interesting stuff! I'm sorry to hear you had a panic attack last night -- that sounds really scary. *HUGS!*

[microgravity]

Thanks for the sweet thoughts. This wasn't the first panic attack I've ever had so I knew exactly what was happening when it happened, so it wasn't scary exactly; 'disconcerting' would be a better word.

It is indeed interesting stuff (I keeping using that word!) I'm fascinated with why my body/brain keeps doing this in a detached sort of way.

[mooflyfoof]

I detach with medical things too. Learning the science behind them makes them less emotionally loaded. I did this with the cancer and I continue to do it with my ongoing crotch problems. Also, science is awesome! :)

[microgravity]

haha yes, science IS awesome!

[vechan]

i have a really hard time remembering specifics of my panic attacks. i just remember feeling massively overwhelmed and generally like i am in a huge amount of physical danger. i have actually run away from where i was because of a panic attack. mentally i can be anywhere from fragile to shattered the next days depending on the intensity of the attack.

the past several panic attacks, instead of getting lost in the emotions, i have been visualizing myself doing my best to resist things to represent the attack itself like pounding surf or intense winds. i have found it helpful and it has helped me to weather some very bad experiences and come out the other side in a much better head space.

[microgravity]

your attacks sound different than mine in how they present (because we're different people! go figure :) but it sounds just the same in that it's PANIC! FIGHT OR FLIGHT! rational brain be damned, body's gonna go nuts.

the visualisation is good advice, i'll try it next time. because I tend to hyperventilate really hard, my first priority is to gain control of my breathing and slow it down (to prevent passing out and control the numbness). step 2 will now be visualization: calm the body a little first, then work on brain. thanks!

the not-so-good headspace after the attack is definitely tough. i was so shaky last night and this morning, super emotionally fragile; and this afternoon i feel able to take on almost anything. go figure. do you do anything special in the few days after to help yourself get back on solid footing (aside from avoiding harsh emotional stimulus)?

[vechan]

good luck. i hate them, but i am also kind of intrigued at trying to figure out more about them: the what, when, why and other curios aspects of them. the human body is such an amazingly complex organism.

[microgravity]

yep they suck, but our bodies are indeed intriguing. good luck to you too, lady; I'll share more info with you if I find anything good.

[veryscary]

yuck, sounds scary

[microgravity]

thanks Ms. veryscary, this is all great information, I was super-glad to read you longest comment ever. I'll look up that workbook today and though I know that I, too, will be flaky about deep breathing/meditation/mental relaxation exercises, I'll give it a go. The shower exercise you describe (where do my thoughts keep going? uncovering what's secretly stressing me out) is a very good idea; I bet I'll also be surprised at what's swirling around in my subconscious if I take the time to peek around in there.

[flipzagging]

Sorry to hear you're going through this. I've never had a panic attack myself. Do you find you're panicking, in part, because you're panicking? Like, one thing raises your anxiety, and then you are so disturbed by the inexplicable anxiety it just builds on itself?