Panic Attack?

[peachy51]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone can help me figure out what went on today....you see i was all dressed for going to work.. but as i got on the bus, i started to feel all hot and bothered like short of breath,.... also felt like everyone was looking at me(which they werent)!!! i work with the public,,, but called in to say that i wouldnt be in,,, walked around for a bit then went to work to ask if it ok i go home which they said yes as by this time i was in floods of tears!!!!!! im 35 nearly.. having never had this before its worrying me please help!!!

[little coojy]

poor you, ive had panic attacks for years and untill you have one you can never understand how awfull they are,
go to your docs for a check up but it sounds like one to me, your doc can help you either tablet or counciling,
avoid caffine and alcohol as this agrivates panic attacks, carry a brown paper bag with you and if you start to feel one sit quietly and breath into bag for a while, i no it's hard but try to stay calm, bach rescue remedy is also good its available at most chemists and health shops,
lots of things can trigger them off, things that we don't even think would at first, there more common than people think, i find i'm more prone to one around my period and if i'm tired or havn't eaten properly, take time out for youself, a nice long soak in the bath then lay down for a while in the qiuet or with soft music.
anyone can get them at any time in there life just keep remembering it will pass and nothing bad will happen to you.
thinking of you x

[seekeerz]

after years of anxiety attacks I can only echo little coojy's advice, but don't let anyone tell you they're all in your head etc, etc. mine started in my teens and I've only recently got onto medication for them and I'm now 61. If my partner hadn't been supportive and patient I've no idea how I'd have finished up.
One Dr used me as a guinea pig for years with homeopathic drops needless to say without any positive results for me. Try to relax and not stress and tell yourself nothing bad will happen though it can feel like the world's going to end sometimes

This does all sound pretty negative but there's lots of help out there and you aren't alone - will be thinking of you S

[crisgal]

i too have suffered for years with these dreadful things, and would repeat the above advice.
trouble is , of course, keeping calm and not getting stressed is the hardest thing to do during an attack.
I've been on medication for about ten years (apart from my 3 pregnancies) and although now on a very low dose, wouldn't be without it.
It helped me to know that any physical symptoms I felt were real and not in my head - ie, there was a reason for them(fight or flight), and also that no-one has ever died from a panic attack. Sadly it just feels that way at the time!
If it happens when your out again, i think it's ok to just say to someone nearby, "Could you sit with me, I don't feel too well" I'm sure you'll be surprised how kind people can be.
xxx

[beejaybee]

As someone who`s had panic attacks, I can sympathise. I use Bach`s Rescue Remedy.

[Pisceangirl]

This site has some good information on panic attacks;
www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/panic.html

I've had them in the past but since studying pychology at university I learnt that the 'safety behaviours' of montioring your breathing and avoiding places that may trigger attacks can be counter productive and exacerbate the problem. Psychologists frequently encourage 'systematic desensitisation' or 'exposure therapy' for phobias and this can also help with panic attacks. This involves repeated exposure to (in this case) the situation to desensitise the person. The idea is that the person will eventually become so used to being in that situation and nothing bad ever happening that the fears dissipate in time and with them the physical symptoms go also. I suppose things work differently for different people but since learning how to laugh at myself, just throwing myself into situations that I KNOW may trigger an attack (sort of like saying 'come one then...bring it on!') and purposefully doing things that may embarass me sometimes (wearing outrageous clothing, dancing my butt off at a club on the STAGE!) has liberated me and I've not had a panic attack in years. I decided to not give it the time of day and not think 'I have a problem' because acknowledging it made me more aware that I could have one at any given time. Anyway, different things work for different people! Hope you find a way that suits you. :)

[GypsyGSD]

I didnt leave the house for 5 yrs unless someone was with me, not even the local shop for a paper, it was a nightmare so as with other abers i understand what you are going through a panic attack only lasts for seconds but it feeds of your fear of another and seems worse ,try to relax your way through them count cars of the same colour anything to take your mind of the panic , paper bags to breath helps you have to learn to relax through them most importantly they can be brought under control, i now love being on my own out shopping , walking dogs and really enjoy my own company never thought id have a life again the only thing im not happy to do is drive but im sure this will come ,i feel a much better person now i always make time for me as in my case to much stress related to work and no play was im convinced the main cause of my attacks

[peachy51]

thanks for all the advice and support guys.... im worried incase it happens again , i felt soooo like a fool....today as soon as my alarm went off this morning my guts started to turn but i was actually ok today .. although at work it did get a bit busy and froze for a wee while but at least i didnt cry!!!!
thanks again :)