I'm having a panic attack now

[To_be_FREE]

So I'm coming to the end of a rather horrible panic attack. I was playing tag with the kids outside then, bam, just starts. I have no idea what started it off, why does it just happen, it just makes me feel so down, I do all the things, don't fight it, remind myself I won't die etc... Now I'm sitting here, nauseous, dizzy, tired and so over it. I just want to stop the panic and anxiety 😰😰😰

[MarkJT]

To Be FREE, yes having anxiety attacks is crap, no doubt about that.

Do you practice mindfulness? It looks like that you are going about things the right way but when you say, "don't fight it", i get what you are saying but i reckon you can fight it in a different way.

When i feel an attack coming on, I stop what i am doing then concentrate on the moment, i.e. practice mindfulness. I will look for something to lock onto and concentrate on that. Stars and clouds are the easiest but also bright colors and just stare at them.

Exercise is a another good way to ground yourself. Having the kids there makes it a bit more difficult but can also be done.

Have you seen a GP and/or psych for your anxiety? If you have not as yet, it would be well worth the effort to see them and have a chat.

I notice to that you have another thread going that you just posted. Do you think we could concentrate on this one so that we are not jumping between threads? Makes it easier.

Mark.

[MarkJT]

Ok so in regards to the naturapathic treatments, I personally have not done it but what i can say is that by improving my diet, cutting out a whole lot of sugar, drinking green tea instead of coke and drinking more water it made me feel a whole lot better.

I ran heaps in my recovery, three marathons and didn't have any injuries. Had a couple of niggles but they repaired quickly and I put a lot of that down to diet. It also helped me recover from PTSD and made handling my depression and anxiety easier.

Hope this helps a little.

Mark.

[Just Sara]

Hi Free;

Sometimes when we do strenuous activity, our adrenaline levels increase telling our damaged sympathetic nervous system, 'Alert! Run, hide, freeze or fight!' That's the size of it by the sound of your story.

Even too much coffee can stimulate us into an attack if we're sensitive enough. So don't forget you have a body as well as a mind that can unleash this unholy anxiety demon. Get to know what causes your adrenaline levels to rise ok.

It's taken me yrs of rest, therapy, research, courage and patience to recover from the worst of my (PTSD) symptoms. A lot of it came from trial and error. So I hope you'll benefit from my wisdom, learned the hard way!

The reason I mention 'rest', is because your body has been pushed to its limit by stress over time, and doesn't work the same anymore. As the body relies on hormone production to signal the brain that we're in trouble, that damage creates an overly sensitive system that can wreak havoc on your life.

So our recovery must include an holistic approach which incorporates sensing when our adrenal glands are being triggered. This can be mentally, emotionally or physically.

Working out your triggers is one of the most effective ways of predicting anxiety, and heading it off at the pass. It's not a cure, but will over time give you the break you need to heal your poor nervous system.

I've done wonders with adrenal predictors and now I'm going thru depression; but that's ok. My body's transitioning from living on adrenaline since I was a child, to normal levels. There's bound to be a backlash.

I wish you well Free...use our resources (below) and cruise the threads with abandon. You never know, you could end up like me and stay here to help others!

Cheers...Sara

[Gamermum13]

Hi To Be Free,

I've just started seeing a naturopath after years of being on different medications etc. I will try to give you feedback on here as to how I go. I do believe that the food we put in our body directly connects to how we think and feel. It makes sense that the more natural our food is, the better it makes us feel. But I will let you know.

One thing I do know, exercise makes me feel alot better. I'm quite overweight and have never liked going to a gym. But I have finally found a gym that doesn't make my social phobia flair up. I put on my headphones and walk on a treadmill for as long as I need to. Sometimes I up the pace to try to "out-run" my anxiety if I feel it creeping back..it seems to work. But we are all different, so what works for one may not work for someone else.

I'm by no means even remotely medically qualified but I think distracting yourself when you feel the panic approaching might be a good way to deal with it initially. Let it pass without being your sole focus, because we often over-react which exasperates the feelings.

Hopefully I've made some sense. Take care and stay strong and safe.

GM13

[LadyLazarus]

Hi TO BE FREE,

I'm terribly late in responding to this post and I'm sorry about that.

I think you've been offered some great advice, but sometimes it's good to know straight away how to calm yourself and get yourself out of that state of mind.

Using mindful, controlled breathing is very helpful. That's breathing slowly in through the nose and out through the mouth. Do this for a couple of minutes, it will restore oxygen where needed and slow the andrenaline rush and dizziness.

Once you are calm. Have a think about what might have caused it. Perhaps it was psychical exhaustion, perhaps it was a deep rooted fear of an accident happening to the children. It could also be something like the smell of grass. Scent is a powerful memory trigger and can bring back many unexpected emotions or thoughts that can lead to a panic attack.

I hope you're doing a little better.

xx