PhilM Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Fight or flight kicked in earlier and I chose the former when I was out but I feel wretched now. I KNOW they are "harmless" but when they occur seemingly out of the blue I feel terrified. Link to comment
Skullpops Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Ach Phil, such a horrible thing to experience! How you doing now? Link to comment
PhilM Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) Jess and Skullpops - thanks so much for the responses. I'm ok - in a way after an "unexpected" panic attack and although calmed down I feel like I'm in a sort of state of "shock". I wanted to run home and take a pill but I can't do that as I've committed myself to a voluntary tranquilliser withdrawal program. I just feel drained, disorientated and scared. I've offered people advice about panic attacks and yet WHEN I have one I can't seem to follow the advice I've given to others. Thank you again. Phil. Edited February 28, 2018 by PhilM Link to comment
Isthisreality Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Panicattack are brutal. BE proud of yourself for not taking (benzo?). I also find it extremly hard not to. Link to comment
PhilM Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 Unfortunately as I've discovered on this great forum some people unfortunately became dependent on benzos. On the positive side there are people who were on them for years managed to get off them and have the kindness to offer wise and compassionate advice. Link to comment
Skullpops Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 No problem @PhilM Sorry to read that you're still feeling lousy, but very well done on how well you're coping. Oh I can relate to what you mean about giving advice to others but struggling to apply the same advice to your own wellbeing! Link to comment
Wonderer Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Hey, don’t feel bad for giving into it, they’re so incredibly scary and even worse when they’re out of the blue. Be kind to yourself and be proud that u didn’t go and take that pill, that’s a triumph in itself. Feel better soon! Link to comment
lostinme Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Oh bless you Phil, hope your feeling better now, feel proud of yourself for sitting with it and seeing it through, that’s a huge achievement You did great! Link to comment
taurean Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Panic attacks won't be solved by pills. I believe they get resolved in the longer term by a combination of CBT and relaxation methods. Anxiety is brought on by the sufferer's protection systems seeing a threat, comparing it against previous alerts, finding a match then pressing the panic button. But if we can rewrite the script for that previous attack, so that it would no longer deem the issue a threat, then the anxiety won't kick in. What is a panic attack? Probably an intense response to an anxiety-producing issue. If, when we start to feel an attack coming on, we can "spoke" the anxiety wheel that threatens to mushroom, then we can limit the attack. Switching focus to calm deep breathing, and/or refocus away to a relaxing scene or getting very distracted into something beneficial will aid this process. Link to comment
PhilM Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 Some very thoughtful posts when I logged on just now. Thank you friends. Link to comment
taurean Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Hope you are having a better day Phil. You will get such attacks and will gradually now with our help hopefully puck up ways to not connect with the source thinking and ease away and use relaxation techniques. As our wonderful joint friend lostinme says "you can do this Phil " Link to comment
PhilM Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 To be honest Roy I feel somewhat demoralised by yesterday's PA. Link to comment
Wonderer Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Sometimes panic attacks can just occur for no reason, like I remember my very worst one that I’d had a pretty good day in comparison to others, I got up to use the bathroom and I suddenly didn’t feel right, then I had the worst panic attack I’ve ever experienced. It’s a tricky beast sometimes! Nothing to feel demoralised about though Phil, I know plenty of people who I don’t think would cope if they ever experienced one. We are brave people because we carry on despite them! X Link to comment
taurean Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 (edited) 51 minutes ago, PhilM said: To be honest Roy I feel somewhat demoralised by yesterday's PA. Phil I used to get them, now it's very very rarely. Maybe take that as encouragement Edited March 1, 2018 by taurean Link to comment
PhilM Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 Thanks friends. It just feels a bit disorientating to be honest. Link to comment
Skullpops Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 9 minutes ago, PhilM said: Thanks friends. It just feels a bit disorientating to be honest. Yet here you are still showing it who's boss! Go Phil! Link to comment
PhilM Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 Thank you Skull - it feels to (just me) that the aftermath of a panic attack can cause a lot of mixed feelings. e.g. Am I going mad? How did I deal with it? Was it noticeable to other people that I was distressed? I've always found a lot of embarrassment around PA's but why? Link to comment
taurean Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Because you are giving them emphasis, power and meaning and ruminating as to why you are having them, what the threat was etc. They are an anxiety reaction to what your brain perceives as a negative fear or threat - and you will only beat them by changing your perceptions. Link to comment
PhilM Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 I know Roy and thank you as always. I think I'm putting too much emphasis on the tranquilliser issue instead of realising the panic attacks can be part and parcel of the life of an anxiety sufferer? I don't know. I have no answers other than that I'm shocked when they happen intermitantally (excuse grammar as always). Link to comment
taurean Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 1 hour ago, PhilM said: I know Roy and thank you as always. I think I'm putting too much emphasis on the tranquilliser issue instead of realising the panic attacks can be part and parcel of the life of an anxiety sufferer? I don't know. I have no answers other than that I'm shocked when they happen intermitantally (excuse grammar as always). I think you are possibly right though may be part and parcel of the overall problem. Eliminating in due course the tranquilliser issue will no doubt help though. Link to comment
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