Panic attacks?

Question

I experience panic attacks has anyone advice on how they got over them?

Answer 1

I can help... I get a ton of emails through my website http://www.attackanxiety.com about this topic.

A panic attack is a sudden bout of intense fear or anxiety that causes frightening but not life-threatening symptoms such as a pounding heart, shortness of breath, and the feeling of losing control or dying. Usually from 5 to 20 minutes long, a panic attack may be triggered by stressful circumstances or it may occur unexpectedly.

The body has an automatic fear response that prepares you to either cope with or run away from danger. A panic attack results when this "fight or flight" response either overreacts or becomes activated when it is not needed at all. During a panic attack, your nervous system reacts as if you are facing a life-threatening situation, even though you may not be in danger. This response causes alarming physical symptoms and feelings.

Panic disorder is diagnosed when you have repeated panic attacks, you worry about having another attack, and you avoid places that you think may cause one. It is possible to have panic attacks without developing panic disorder, and panic attacks may occur with other anxiety disorders.

The good news is that it can be easily treated. I have helped thousands completely stop their panic attacks forever. Check out my website. I hope this information helps.

Answer 2

I've only had one that I can remember, and I almost had to kind of mentally move myself away from the situation and tell myself that I was someone else and to calmly finish what I was doing (I was driving down the highway).

I know that panic attacks can get more and more severe, depending upon the stimuli and the emotional state of the person. When the first panic attack occurs, the nerves in the brain build a pathway just for that specific panic. If the same conditions reappear, then the pathway gets larger and quicker and more severe. And as time goes by, the person having the panic attacks becomes very very suceptable to any light situations that are similar and things start to go out of control.

What you need to do is to take a step back and almost shout to yourself to STOP IT, and force yourself to think of something pleasant or calming (like a childhood memory), or a scent may help (like lavendar or rosemary). It takes a lot of discipline and being pro-active about your mental health. You need to nip these attacks in the bud as soon as they occur, so that the neurons in your brain don't start building "super highways" along the same path so that the next panic attack is more severe and they begin feeding upon each other until you become a prisoner of your own brain.

Depression can also be a factor that can assist the panic attacks as well as vice versa. See if there are natural foods or supplements you can take to help your body maintain some level of normal reactions to over stimulation or situations. I've used (for depression) Saw Palmetto (herb for men's prostrate health, but a side-effect is that it helps with depression), Omega 3 Oils (I use the flaxseed, not fish oils). Both help, are not perfect, but do help just keeping a level amount of emotional control.

Be sure to see a doctor if your panic attacks begin to control your life. This is a serious condition. Be careful!

Answer 3

Well ! st thing is u need to go to the doctor. There is great medicine out there that help panic attacks. You might also have anxiety disorder. I have anxiety disorder myself. I take medicine everyday and also do deep breathing techniques. Panic attacks could last 2 months or 20 years no one knows how long they will have them because everyone is different. One thing I do know is that once u go to the doctor and figure out exactly what u have the more u can learn how to control them. When I first had an anxiety attack I felt like I was Dying now (BEEN 6 yrs or so) I have control of them , and u can too.

Answer 4

I have had panic attacks for over 20 yrs! Cognitive behavioural therapy was brilliant and it has made a huge difference - have never ever had another panic attack that has been really scary. Also breathing exercises and learning how to prevent and calm yourself down. Email me if you fancy a chat. Whatever you do, do not start avoiding the situations or you risk ending up not being able to do a lot of stuff.

Answer 5

So do I and anything can trigger mine. I'm on medication- which if yours are severe, you will want to see a doctor and get medication.

Other than medication- breathing techniques help- when you "feel" it coming on, and after a few you will notice the feeling immediately, at that point you have to clear your mind of whatever is causing the panic--be it an enclosed space you are in (elevator) or crowds or severe tension from business or money issues-- if you can, lie down in a dark room (unless dark triggers them) and breath slowly and deeply counting as you do so-- the counting will keep your mind focused on your breathing instead of what trigger your panic attack. You will feel yourself "slip away" from the problem and the dizziness, the heart pounding and all the other symptoms should start to dissipate. Good luck to you-- you should see your doc because if you should start experiencing them often, they could put your life at risk (having had them while driving).

Answer 6

I suffered from panic attacks when I was in grad school ten years ago. Medications didn't really work for me and I wasn't "cured" in the ten therapy sessions per school year each student was alotted at the student health center. My therapist at school recommended the following book (which had just come out back then):

Overcoming Panic, Anxiety, & Phobias: New Strategies to Free Yourself from Worry and Fear (Paperback) by Carol Goldman (Editor), Shirley Babior

I won't say that the book by itself cured me, but it gave me some tips for coping. Like how to recognize the panic attack for what it is and to recognize that as scary and physically awful as you feel during the attack, you aren't going to die or have to go to the hospital. When you are having the attack, it's really helpful to hold onto a physical object, like the arm of your chair, and to really focus on it, how it's solid, how it's cold, how it's hard, how it's made of metal (or whatever). Putting this kind of focus on something outside of yourself can help ground you and calm you until the attack passes.

Good luck and good health!

Answer 7

You need to find out what's giving you the most stress. Panic attacks are the result of built up stress... it's youmind and bodies way of alleviating some of the pressure. If a your job or relationship is causing you a lot of stress that could be the reason for them or if you recently went through a traumatic event that could be the reason. If it's your job or relationship try making a change like a new career or partner and getting more exercise (it's a natural reliever of stress). If it is a traumatic event see a therapist and possibly request some sort of medication to assist you in recovering. Take care of yourself

Answer 8

Try any book by Claire Weekes. They are anxiety self-help books and very helpful. Seeing a therapist is also a popular method of dealing with panic attacks, as many therapists offer CBT - cognitive behaviour therapy - to help you change your thoughts and attitude about panic. Good luck!

Answer 9

The best thing to do is visit your doctor and you will be able to discuss your options/treatment with him/her. A combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy will work wonders.

For the attack itself, in the meantime, try to keep your body relaxed to prevent the attacks from coming on. If it happens anyway, try to breathe slowly. All you can really do is wait for the feelings to pass. Knowing that they will pass helps.

Answer 10

you can try that whole breathing crap but ive had severe panic attacks and it doesnt really work if you have them severely what i would suggest is going to a psychiatrist and ask them to put you on Zoloft ive been on it for almost a year and havent had a panic attack since.