panic attack/anxiety help!?

Question

hi im 16 years old and ive been having what i believe are panic or anxiety attacks for about the past two weeks my symptoms are i feel dizzy and it gets hard for me to breath i get shaky my palms sweat and my legs get kind of cold sweats sometimes i get headaches and i start getting bad thoughts and i have a fear of death and i get really TERRIFIED i am going to the doctor on monday 12-24-07and today is 12-17-07 what can i do in the meantime to calm myself when i or make my attack go away when i have one i have school tomarrow and i get them at school to what can i do to calm myself? but my most problem is i cant breath thats the worst part of it but i dont have any lung problems cause the doctors took x-rays of my lungs got a blood sample and i dont have neumonia or any lung infections i mostly get attacks when im in i big place with alot of people i went to the mall yesterday and it was packed and i got really bad i feelt like i was gonna stop breathing and pass please help me!

Answer 1

The best thing you can do is try to relax all the muscles in your body while taking very slow, deep, gentle breaths.

At home, visualize the next panic attack you are now starting to worry about, and walk yourself through the events that lead up to the problem. If the panic feeling starts to develop while thinking about it, practice the breathing. and run through the visualization again until you are able to do it calmly.

The next most important thing is to recognize that panic attacks are just the body's normal response to adrenalin. Adrenalin makes you feel nauseous, shaky, and it causes you pulse rate and breathing rate to increase. This isn't actually a big deal, even though it feels like it is. The only real risk is passing out from hyperventilating, which is why controlled, slow, breathing is the key to controlling an attack..

With most people, anxiety causes adrenalin to build up, which causes hyperventilation, which then scares the person, and releases more adrenalin, and the cycle escalates. To stop this cycle, you need to quit scaring yourself when you hyperventilate. Don't try to stop the panic feelings - just let the whole event run its course without fighting it, but continue to concentrate on relaxed breathing. Tell yourself this is what adrenalin does - it will cause you to feel like you are going to either pass out or explode - no big deal - effects of adrenalin can't hurt you - and it will take a few minutes for the effects to wear off.

Answer 2

alright try controlled breathing,if you control ur breathing, it heips ur heart 2 slow down, when ur at home try breathing in2 a paper bag try this i found it online

Part I: Identifying the Problem

1. Introduction: The Panic Attack

2. Physical Causes of Panic-like Symptoms (revised)

Rapid or Irregular Heart Rate - Difficulty Breathing--Dizziness and Vertigo--Multiple Symptoms--Side Effects of Medications

3. Panic Within Psychological Disorders

Panic Disorder - Agoraphobia - Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Social Phobia - Specific Phobias - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

4. Agoraphobia and the Panic-Prone Personality

The Power of Beliefs Learned in the Past - Coping in the Present

5. Four Complicating Problems

Premenstrual Syndrome - Hypoglycemia - Depression - Alcoholism

6. Panic in the Context of Heart and Lung Disorders

Mitral Valve Prolapse - Recovery from Myocardial Infarction - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Part II: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks

7. The Anatomy of Panic

Winning Through Intimidation - The Surprise Attack - Controlling the Mind - Forecasting the Future - The Planned Retreat - Why Me?

8. Who's in Control?

Distrusting the Unconscious - The Emergency Response - Tricking the Brain

9. Why the Body Reacts

Well-Worn Paths - Images and Interpretations - Taking Away Choice

10. The Calming Response

Memories and Images - Focusing the Mind - Taking Conscious Control

11. The Breath of Life

Signals of Change - Two Types of Breathing - The Hyperventilation Syndrome - The Foundation Skills

12. Releasing Tensions (revised)

Cue-Controlled Deep Muscle Relaxation - Generalized Relaxation and Imagery - Meditation - Which Method is Best for You?

13. How to Inoculate Yourself Against Panic: The Eight Attitudes of Recovery (new)

14. Your Mind's Observer

Negative Observers - The Independent Observer

15. Finding Your Observer (revised)

The First Important Steps - Your Observer and the Calming Response - Your Observer and Physical Tension

16. Taking a New Stance: The Supportive Observer (revised)

Filtering the Facts - The Supportive Observer - "I Can . . . It's OK . . ." - Disrupting the Pattern

17. Paradox in Action (revised)

The Balance of Power - How to Invite Panic - Giving up the Struggle - Inviting the Symptoms

18. Experience: The Greatest Teacher (new)

Guidelines for Controlling Anxiety Attacks - A Final Note

Part III: Special Issues

19. The Use of Medication (new)

Common Medications for Anxiety Disorders - Guidelines for Medication Use - Medication Profiles

20. The Fear of Being Seen: How to Face Social Anxieties (new)

Biology and Experience: The Possible Contributions to Social Fears - The Complex Nature of Social Anxieties and Phobias - How to Get Comfortable

21. Achieving Comfortable Flight (new)

How Did Your Discomfort with Flying Begin? - Why Does Fear Of Flying Take More Effort To Overcome? - Learning How To Fly Comfortably - Use Visualizations for Rehearsal

Answer 3

You poor thing. I totally know how you feel. I get panic attacks ALL the time.
I still haven't quite figured out how to manage mine, but I do notice that when driving if I crank up the A/C as soon as one hits I can sort of make it go away.

Do you smoke or drink coffee? Nicotine and caffeine are "triggers". Cutting back can help. Usually my panic attacks are pretty random, but I also get them during certain predictable situations. For instance, for a while I was getting them in my math class every single fricken day. That is considered a "conditioned response"....meaning I had one panic attack during math class, and I freaked myself out thinking that I was going to have another one that I triggered it to happen again...and again...and again. I stopped drinking coffee in the mornings I had math class and it helped a lot.

I started getting them when I was 16 as well. My doctor put me on paxil back then, but it didn't really seem to help. Nothing has really helped me, to be honest. I hear that half the battle is just being able to remind yourself that it is JUST a panic attack. A lot of people are able to manage their attacks that way. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.

I feel for you...I really do! I HATE getting them.

Answer 4

I have alot of panic attacks. and I feel that if I answer this I'm gonna get one.

so if you really want then mail me or something.. im sorry im not helpful and probably just wasting your time. but if you do decide to mail me then make it brief and to the point... or else ill get stressed.

all i know is that when I have them. people don't give a **** so I just wait it out. most of them are really serious though but no one cares... so I don't realy know what else you'd do.

Answer 5

i fully empathize with you, bec. i have been suffering anxiety and panic attacks recently too. sometimes it helps to force yourself to take deep breaths and think about a peaceful scene. remember a place where you felt good, and happy and think of it- the sights, sounds, smells, etc. practice doing this when you are calm, so that when you get panicky you';re already used to doing this.
ask your dr. about kava supplements, b vitamins or prescription meds. the prob. w/ prescriptions is it sometimes can backfire and make you more panicky so you need to be monitored carefully.
good luck!

Answer 6

This may sound stupid but it worked for me. I used to have pain attacks/anxiety attacks in traffic while I was driving. A friend of mine works in a psychologists office and she told me to sing "Row, Row, Row your boat..." I would sing it in my head or out loud, depending on where you are. It worked everytime for me until my doctor put me on Zoloft. The Zoloft worked wonders. Surprisingly enough, it worked on PMS too! Hang in there it will get better. They are very scary, but concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds and slowly let out for 4 seconds. That helps a great deal too. Good luck and hopefully you feel better real soon. Happy Holidays!

Answer 7

The most important thing is don't care what others around you think about you or it will make it worse. Tell yourself you will stand up to your fears and go out in pubic no matter what happens to you or who sees. You just have to realize you aren't going to die.