Experienced Panic Attacks? What do you do?

[Parapluie]

Thank you to everyone who has posted here; I don't have many coping techniques on hand. Laughter, though, has definitely helped during some hard times.

in response to the OP:
the worst panic attack that I've had wasn't necessarily the most intense, though it was intense, but the circumstances that followed it make it one of my one or two worst experiences with anxiety overall. At that time leaving the house would bring on panic unless I was already feeling more or less even, or close to it, in a car, and then only in the company of a certain few people, but on one particular day, after a week not going any further than the porch, (" when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom," so to speak) I decided to force myself out to a place I was very familiar with, figuring that if I could get through the wort part of it myself,I'd be making headway. This had been a huge help once before, and i hoped it would do something like that again.

Once I was about three streets and four (?) blocks from home, however, I would turn around almost every half block, turn back, turn around, and keep going. When I was almost in sight of the place I was overwhelmed. i couldn't take another step and found myself lying down on a median. The combination of being exposed, agoraphobic, in the middle of a panic attack, and now humiliated in realizing that the whole city could come and watch me lie there was (to say the least) mutually reinforcing.There wasn't much to really do there: I'd been hyperventilating long enough i was dizzy sitting upright. it'd probably be true to say that I didn't do anything other than try to consider how to remove myself from that spot and get back to the house. I wasn't actually helpless but it definitely felt that way. Occasionally someone would drive by and flail around. I tried to flag down one person, who shook his/her head and sort of "shoo"ed me with his/her hand.  I'm not sure how long I stayed on the median and don't trust my sense of time (between the situation and how much time has passed since), but still, twenty minutes would not be an exaggeration.  Eventually someone pulled to the curb and asked me if I needed help. I told her that I did, and what my plan had been; she ended up taking me home.  She responded calmly and with understanding when I told her what was happening, then and generally.

I'm still grateful to her. And still embarrassed.

[quickfix]

Thank you to everyone who has posted here; I don't have many coping techniques on hand. Laughter, though, has definitely helped during some hard times.

in response to the OP:
the worst panic attack that I've had wasn't necessarily the most intense, though it was intense, but the circumstances that followed it make it one of my one or two worst experiences with anxiety overall. At that time leaving the house would bring on panic unless I was already feeling more or less even, or close to it, in a car, and then only in the company of a certain few people, but on one particular day, after a week not going any further than the porch, (" when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom," so to speak) I decided to force myself out to a place I was very familiar with, figuring that if I could get through the wort part of it myself,I'd be making headway. This had been a huge help once before, and i hoped it would do something like that again.

Once I was about three streets and four (?) blocks from home, however, I would turn around almost every half block, turn back, turn around, and keep going. When I was almost in sight of the place I was overwhelmed. i couldn't take another step and found myself lying down on a median. The combination of being exposed, agoraphobic, in the middle of a panic attack, and now humiliated in realizing that the whole city could come and watch me lie there was (to say the least) mutually reinforcing.There wasn't much to really do there: I'd been hyperventilating long enough i was dizzy sitting upright. it'd probably be true to say that I didn't do anything other than try to consider how to remove myself from that spot and get back to the house. I wasn't actually helpless but it definitely felt that way. Occasionally someone would drive by and flail around. I tried to flag down one person, who shook his/her head and sort of "shoo"ed me with his/her hand.  I'm not sure how long I stayed on the median and don't trust my sense of time (between the situation and how much time has passed since), but still, twenty minutes would not be an exaggeration.  Eventually someone pulled to the curb and asked me if I needed help. I told her that I did, and what my plan had been; she ended up taking me home.  She responded calmly and with understanding when I told her what was happening, then and generally.

I'm still grateful to her. And still embarrassed.

Thank you for sharing your panic attack Parapluie, it sounds horrible, actually you remember it quite well in what you described other than the length of it, sometimes panic attacks can bring on a sense or such psychosis like symptoms that we loose touch with reality and once it ends you can't seem to remember what had happened very well.

Good thing you asked for help! I would challenge your feeling of embarrassment, no to suffer in silence being able to ask a total stranger for help whilst going through a horrible experience a sure sign of strength especially when you had the added pressure of agoraphobia!

All the best
QF

[coffeedude22]

I find a high fiber diet helps a lot. A lot of legumes, beans. Garbanzo beans especially work for me when i'm having a panic attack. Fiber seems to calm the heart down

---

Also, in terms of supplements, the vitamin L-theanine (derived from the calming part of green tea) is a game changer. It can lower your blood pressure which is usually high during a panic attack and it calms you down in general. Also , if you're a big coffee drinker, it smooths out the crash you sometimes get from too much caffeine.

I've been using L-theanine for panic attacks and sleep for six years now.

[Atlantan07]

My wife had too close a call to death when she was in the back seat of a car and it hit another car head on. She flew from the back seat and first impacted her head on the rear view mirror and proceeded to have her head placed half way through the windshield. Everyone thought she was dead but by some miracle thank God she made it out alive. After that horrific experience the level of trauma, anxiety, depression she went through could only be cured by a loved one and never a doctor. It took sleepless nights for me to helo her relax her legs that would kick in the middle of the night which she never did before, similarly her fear during the night and letting go to fall asleep. It took 6 plus years and continues today for me to drive extremely carefully in order for her to even enter a car. She would pass out if she heard a loud noise. She would pass out if she smelled gasoline. All of these things and more she experienced but again only with someone's love did this reduce to the level for her which is now bareable.

[Charon]

I am glad you are there for her ATlantan. What a horrifying and traumatizing experience for your wife. Your are a good man.

May the Lord bless both you and your wife, and allow her to finally achieve, with your love and His Grace and Love, the peace that surpasses understanding.

Lord, I ask you to grant her Your comfort and peace tonight and her husband I pray.

[Atlantan07]

I am glad you are there for her ATlantan.  What a horrifying and traumatizing experience for your wife. Your are a good man.

May the Lord bless both you and your wife, and allow her to finally achieve, with your love and His Grace and Love, the peace that surpasses understanding.

Lord, I ask you to grant her Your comfort and peace tonight and her husband I pray.

Thank you Charon for the prayers May GOD accept them and may the angels reciprocate them on your behalf... It feels better to get it off my chest ....i hardly get a chance to talk about it.. The level of trauma it created for me is even too muchx till this day when I am remember it I get emotional but it's a blessing and I am thankful that she is a strong person. What's even stranger to me is that now her trauma has sort of wore off on me... I'm more careful a driver on the road because of it..I wouldn't necessarily call it a bad thing... It has prevented me from getting into a few accidents I am sure of it... I have had my share of accidents that left me in pain till this day as well. But I couldn't have even imagine that she would heal to this level so it's a blessing in disguise.

[Hotrod77]

first off i feel for all of you that have experienced theses horrible feelings, i had my first one in a long drive going with friends was riding in the back just talking laughing listening to radio etc...about 2 hours in out of nowhere i began to feel like i dont know how to explain (felt like i wasnt here?) kind of vertigo and then i felt like i couldnt swallow and heart pounding and hands sweating and i had to get them to turn around and go back and the closer we got back to my place i started to feel instantly better, ever since 20 years ago i cant travel very far like 1000 miles unless im driving its like if im driving i know im in control to get back to my safe zone? idk got diagonsed with gad and get the same way when going to out to dinner i have to sit by the exit or if to busy i will have to leave and i feel like i cant swallow or breathe in those situations, get outside im fine, thanks for life saving meds that most of us TRUELY need and working out and music and talking with people like me on here makes all the difference, i know people have it worse than me, my dad was a vietnam vet and had ptsd maybe genetic although i never noticed him complaning of anything just tough, but i was young when he passed (25) so maybe plays a role idk, i feel for all that suffers with these they can be horrible..peace be with us all, take care all ...HR

[happyvibe]

hi Hottod77

I’ve experienced panic attacks like you and they often start out of the blue and it’s something fearful that crosses my mind and then I go from 0 to 60 in seconds. I always have to sit on the aisle in theaters or restaurants because I don’t want to feel boxed in. Ive been on meds off and on for years and now just knowing I have them in my purse is enough to give me peace.

Of course I still always worry about the next big one but I try to live one moment at a time.
My dad is not a vet but def suffers from panic attacks something he did not share with me till older. I do think there is a genetic component.

Thanks for sharing you story. It reminded me of my own!

Stay well all!

[Atlantan07]

My main anxiety attacks started when I a nurse tried to take blood and she ruptured one of my viens... She kept digging to try and pull blood and it seems she just couldn't get it to function. During the experience I started feeling dizzy and I passed out. Not because I was scared but it was a voluntary reaction from my body. Ever since then everytime I went to the doctor and had to get any sort of blood drawn or injection I would feel like I'm about to pass out. One of the stranger ones I have ever experienced. I have more so gotten over it now, I learned to start breathing and look away and after many attempts I can control it now without passing out. People still make fun of me about it and no matter how much I explain its not a logical fear but a body reaction they don't understand.

[Furyan66]

Greetings All,

I have been dealing with Anxiety and stress for the better part of 20 years. Back in 2009 I had what the doctors called a "neurological event". They suspected a mild stroke or nervous breakdown. I have no memory of 3 months of my life after and fragmented memory for a year. Since that time my Anxiety has escalated to full blown panic attacks. I am now claustrophobic and never was before plus a few other issues.

The first time I had a panic attack, I was in a Costco shopping and for no reason I broke out into a cold sweat and had to get out of the store as fast as I could. I could not breath and felt as though I was having a heart attack. I felt trapped and needed to run but there was no place to run to to get away from that feeling.

While medication does help, I have found the best way for me to cope if I feel a panic attack coming on is to put on some music when I can (Yes I carry ear buds everywhere) and take deep breaths through the nose and out through the mouth and focus on the music and breathing. Mental discipline as much as I can.

I know everyone is different but if you are a music lover like I am there is a lot of medicine in music if you can feel the music and not just hear it...

Peace All

Fury