panic attacks!!!!?

Question

this is terrible, i've been told when i experience a bit of a panic attack to embrace it and go with the panic but also make myself comfortable with it i.e deep breathing, but NOT to fight it as that just makes panic worse, the thing is when i get a panic attack i ALWAYS fight it, my body and mind just wants to stop the feelings and it usually works so how do i just let it happen and stop myself fighting panic?

Answer 1

It is difficult hun but I used to have panic attacks and I learned to ACCEPT them rather than go with them, - FACE them. Once you've done that it takes the fear out of it and before you know it, its died away. Talk to it - i know it sounds weird but say to it 'come on then - bring it on, do your worst!' And because you've taken the fear out of it, (faced it) it no longer has a hold on you. Give it a try hun - you'll get better i promise.All the best to you. xx

Answer 2

You cannot EMBRACE a panic attack! A panic attack is like a ghost - would you want to embrace a ghost! Whoever told you that was not a genuine adviser of this subect. How stupid is that! You can however confront it. I wonder how long you have been having these panic attacks. Is it because of a situation you have been in, or is it non-specific? Have you recently been put on medicaton that might have caused it? I do suffer myself from panic attacks. The thing to remember is that a panic attack is usually a fear of something. With me usually it is fear of not getting to sleep. Or fear of meeting someone. A fear of doing something. OK
You may need specialist help, but if you are already receiving specialist help, from what you have told me, I would ask for a second opinion as the information they have given you is not helpful. I am not an expert, but I have experienced this myself, and worked in that field as a secretary, so I have picked up some useful tips. Stay well and God bless you.. Please email me, I would be glad to hear from you and talk with you. Bye for now.

Answer 3

I have suffered with panic attacks for the past 12 years and no-one has ever told me to go with it. Quite the opposite, you have to slow your breathing down( paper bag is great) then you gain back some control. A counsellor told me how to use the paper bag, just scrunch the top ,like a bag of sweets, then inhale and exhale into the bag, this prevents you from hyperventilating. When your breathing is controlled you will feel much better. Panic attacks are just what they say, a state of panic, they do pass, and you do learn how to control them. Good luck and try not to worry, lots of people young and old suffer too.

Answer 4

Hey. Listen to music, write, jog as hard as you can. Seriously, when Im going manic this stuff can totally help. I think I know how you feel.... its just irritable and you want to fight it away...but in the end it can just make it all the worse and more stressfull. Panic attacks really suck, especially having them during school. If your in a public place try putting your head down or going to the bathroom and close your eyes and in your head count backwards from 20. I know, this really sounds nuts but I think it might help you out alot. Also, do you have any medication or tranquilizers that you take when you have panic attacks? If not maybe look into it...they'll probably be expensive, but its worth it if you dont freak out and feel like a time bomb. I really hope this helps, and if you want you can email me. Take care and good luck! :)

Answer 5

A lot of years ago I used to have very bad panic attacks that would occur any time. If I was in the supermarket doing my shopping, I would have to abandon the trolley and run out of the shop. I used to feel like I was going to die, but, of course, I never did. I learned to use a 'trigger release'. When I felt the panic rising, I would stop what I was doing and find a mark on a wall, on my handbag, on my desk, or whatever was near, and press my forefinger very firmly on the mark or spot and focus the panic into the spot - really imagine it going into the spot, that it was being drawn there. A friend's husband, who was a psychotherapist, told me that, and do you know, after a few times of persevering with it, it did work. It is very rare that I have panic attacks now because they occurred at a very depressing stage in my life, but, if I feel panic rising for whatever reason, daft though it sounds, I find myself a mark on a wall somewhere near and put my forefinger firmly on it and focus the rising panic out of my body into the mark on the wall. I don't particularly care what people think these days, perhaps I would if I was younger. I usually just pretend that I'm thinking about something. Some people use the tip of their nose and press their forefinger firmly onto the end. This 'trigger release' also helps with the rising nausea. I used to think I was going to make a mess by being sick everywhere, but - it never happened! A paper bag can be brilliant too. Keep one in your pocket or bag and when you start to feel the panic rising, put the bag over your nose and mouth and breath into and breathe it back, it helps to reduce the huge amount of oxygen going to your brain and calms you when you are hyperventilating. Trust me, you will get better. Panic attacks don't last forever. You will learn to deal with them. Please also look at your life. Is there something that you are doing that you wish you didn't have to? Are you not happy where you are at the moment? Someone mentioned food allergies - possibility, but think about how your life is going at the moment and where you'd really like to be. Perhaps you need to change something?

Answer 6

Hey I know exactly how you feel and am having cognitive behavioural therapy to control my attacks, this is actually working :o).

Going with the anxiety does help to reduce the impact, I can never "deep breathe" when am in an attack and this upsets me but I have been practising when not anxious and have found that this does ease things.

I would advise that you ask for a therapist who deals with CBT, my therapist gets me to answer a series of questions when I suffer an attack, these are, what is the situation, who am I with, how do I feel, what was I thinking. The thinking part allows me to recognise the trigger thought or" hot thought" , wrong thought.
Then I have to write what actually happens.
For example I think "I can't breathe", that is my hot thought, but actually I am breathing so I have to write that down and acknowledge it and although I may feel awful, there is nothing physically wrong with my breathing so I tell myself this in repace of the "hot thought" .
Meditation, using essential oils to encourage deep breathing helps as well. As does trying to distract yourself from the panic ie by paying more attention to the situation around you or getting up and doing something physical.
I wish you luck as I know how unpleasant it can be.

Answer 7

"Going with" the panic sounds pretty scarey :o). Try telling yourself "This is just another panic attack. It's going to pass and I'll be ok." Remember that you were strong enough to get through all the other ones and you'll get through this one too. You know that panic attacks won't hurt you. They feel a lot worse then they actually are. Try not to make a big deal of them when they come on (I know this will take practice.) Maybe even come up with a funny nickname for them so that you can tell yourself "Oh, here comes so and so again. I can deal with him!"

Answer 8

I get these really bad in supermarkets once I had to just run out -! Let yourself breathe in to a paper bag and go somewhere safe a bedroom in your house a friends house a bath room be calm if you can be with a very caring friend too and tell people you have this get advice and help look up help for panic attacks online see a counsellor only if you want to and let all your emotions out on paper after you have calmed down

Answer 9

I have had panic atacks since 2005. I relied on diazepam on and off for a while but then my gp referred me to groups where we discussed and compared symptoms.Suddenly i realised i wasnt alone. Don't go with it thogh, you have to catch it at the start. When you get the first symptom, mine is palpitations or dizzyness, you have to tell yourself, this is my bodys reaction, it is not important. ITs really hard but its starting to work for me. Don't body check either, that is once you get the palpitaions you might check for the pins and needles or the numbness...its all a case of being strong minded. One symptom will lead to another so do not let it.
Its very very hard though. My top tips are alwys carry a [paper bag which helps alot and a bottle of water.

I hope you can get through it.

Answer 10

i cant understand how anyone can say try to control it by going with it
they obviously had never had a panic attack before
it is impossible to focus on anything else because all their is is the panic attack i can not see anything else so take my mind off it
i know exactly what you mean
i just end up running around screaming
with people who say just calm down it is only a panic attack
i just want to say you try livung with one then

i can not fight it as it takes over

hope you get better soon i found that diazepam usally helps because if i get one panic attack i get them for the whole day so i need something to calm me down for a few hours not just a few seconds

best wishes

vici

xxx