Need help

[Navy]

I am a 25 year old female and i need help coping with panic attacks. I have become scared of the panic attacks. Im not working atm..im scared to be alone, i rely a lot on my mum and boyfriend to always be with me, im scared to drive all in which i have had a panic attack and now avoiding these situations because im scared it will happen again.

I am seeing a psychologist and i am on natural herb tablets and vitamins but i need strategies on how to overcome it all. Or how to cope.

Anyone in a similar situation?

[Hope_for_the_best]

I got very mild panic attacks when I was very stressed out last year. It did not get me to a point to be scared of being alone, but I can still relate to the "frightening" symptoms. To me, feelings of a lump in throat, gagging and a knot in stomach are the most bothersome. I talked to a counselor the other day. She suggests that I try not to focus too much on how I feel. I know it is hard, but when you are overly sensitive to your body sensations, you start to obsess about them and get yourself panic. For example, you are most bothered by a fast heart rate. If you always care about your heart, you start to panic when your heart beats faster.

Breathing techniques are helpful to calm you down. They are readily available on youtube or apps.

One good thing to remember, panic attacks are uncomfortable, but not dangerous!

[CMF]

Hi Navy,

Have you tried yoga or meditation? There is an app called 'smiling mind' which is for relaxation. Exercise is also very good. Have you thought about writing down your feelings? I have found that writing things down transfers the thoughts from your mind to the paper which can help clear the mind.

Hope this helps

cmf

[Navy]

Yes the symptoms are the worst and yes i do focus to much on how my body feels. The mornings are probably the worst. Today was the first day i tried to stay on my own with no one. I was alittle anxious but i just focused on doing things around the house. Is this a good thing or bad?

[Navy]

Yes i have tried yoga just once but had no idea what i was doing ut was all very quick and the instructor was full if herself, so it out me off it alittle but i hace been thinkibg to try again somewhere else. I play meditation music before be and i usually let it play as i sleep.

I did start to write things down and i find it does help alittle but its still hard when i have to start doing things on my own.

I do have the smiling mind app but i kinda got bored from it.

As for exercising i worry when my heart rate starts to go up because thats abit if a trigger with my oanic attacks.

[Mr_Walker]

It's a vicious cycle isn't it? Being afraid of having panic attacks - I stayed at home for a long time too! One thing to remember is it can take quite a while for therapy or medication to start working (which can make you anxious as well). A lot of people give up when they feel like it's not going anywhere when often it just takes a bit more time...

Often, before or during a panic attack you're worried about what MIGHT happen in the future so mindfulness exercises and apps (like cmf suggested - "Stop Breathe and Think" is another one) can help to bring you back to the present.

I found the fear of panic attacks became, for me, worse than the attacks themselves. I really recommend mindfulness, breathing exercises and keep seeing your psychologist as often as possible!

And talking to people here who understand the feeling!

[Croix]

Dear Navy~

Thanks very much for following my suggestion and posting here, I'm sure you are going to find people here that relate to you. You might also continue looking at other people's threads too, there are many here with similar situations.

Thanks

Croix

[Navy]

Thanks heaps i will look into that app and see how i go. Im not on any medication i am quite against it..im trying my hardest to get through this without. But yes i will continue seeing my psychologist.

[Hope_for_the_best]

It is definitely a good thing to distract yourself with housework. Did you find that you focused less on your anxiety? If so, then whenever you are anxious about having panic attacks, try to distract yourself with something. If you are able to distract yourself, you are actually in control of yourself. I am also quite against medication, but to my knowledge, some medication is taken as needed to calm you down when you feel a panic attack is coming. Check with your GP and perhaps get a prescription for a peace of mind.

[Navy]

Yes i did not notice the anxiety at all, which was great. I did go to my gp and he prescribed me some meds for when the panic attack was happening but i havnt had to take them for a month now. So im happy im in control with that. Only because i felt i was becoming dependent on them and rather than half a tablet it was becoming more which was scaring me. Now im on natural herbal tablets.