what the hell is going on?? - Understanding my physical symptoms when having a panic attack

rachlowndess · ‎20-03-2019

hey im new and i really need anyone and everyone's advice. so i have this thing where if i hear any loud noises then (and this is the part im unsure of) i think i have a mini panic attack? i have had a panic attack before, and that lasted about 20 minutes and i felt like i was gonna die and it took me ages to recover from. this type of so called 'panic attack' is more short (5-10mins max) and its more that in that situation i want to die than i feel like i am gonna die. my breathing speeds up, heart beats fast, and my mind just kinda shuts down. i can't hear, see, or feel anything except for hearing that particular noise, and feeling numb and uptight. can you guys help me out? my psych has not been helpful in this whatsoever

smallwolf · ‎21-03-2019

Hi rachlowndess,

welcome to beyond blue.

I guess I can relate to some of what you are saying. I have depression and anxiety, and these days I am very easily startled, which results in a faster heart rate, breathing speeding up, etc. And it does take a short while to calm down again. It can something like my son walks in behind me, when I thought the house was empty.

I think that it a feeling of being scared. I believe this is also part of, or associated with anxiety based on chats with my own psychologist. But my anxiety is related to other things that going on in my life and I take ADs that also targets anxiety.

But when my anxiety does hit, I also have my tools on my phone, apps that were recommended to me by my psych, and have and use these when I need them. If you are interested I can let you know of their names.

Recognising the problem is the first step and you have done that. Working your way forward is the hard part. Take it slowly and am hopeful that in time you will find a way to cope or manage that situation. I hope you come back and tell a little about this. And if from my own story, you are not alone.

Peace,

Tim

romantic_thi3f · ‎21-03-2019

Hi rachlowndess,

Welcome to the forums and thanks for being here.

Panic attacks can vary widely and look different in everyone, but the experience is much the same. I don't think we know why we all experience it so differently - yours might look different to mine, or you might have a different one one day to the next. From an internal view though, it's much the same. Our body is going into flight/fight mode.

The reasons you might not be able to hear/see/feel anything is because your lizard brain (fight/flight part) is trying to block all of that out to focus on this 'danger' of that loud noise. Another way that our bodies cope is by moving blood away to what it feels is more important, which can of course - lead to that feeling of numbness. It's trying to be clever and keep you safe through this danger, and even though it's weird, it's not abnormal at all.

Can I ask what your psych has said?

Quercus · ‎21-03-2019

Hi Rachlowndess,

RT and Tim have given you lots to consider. I'm curious too about what your psych has said.

All my life I used to experience something that sounds similar.

It was specifically tied to sound and I've never figured out exactly what it was. Even my psychiatrist wasn't sure.

Sometimes an external sound would set it off. In my head the sound would repeat and get louder until my heart was racing and I was sure it was about to explode. Like you said generally 10 or so minutes.

I used to find doing anything was impossible. Too numb and dizzy. I would breathe and wait it out.

It has been years since I have experienced it and hadn't thought about it.

But strangely enough it stopped when I began taking an antidepressant for my depression.

So I suspect it is anxiety related too. I had never realised how anxious I was until the meds began to help. RT mentioned how our bodies do what they must to protect us and I have to agree.

For me this was not something I could manage without medication. The only thing that did help sometimes was getting an icepack for the back of my neck or over my eyes. I wonder if it was simply a way of distracting myself. But you may find a technique that works for you without medication.

Nat