Have you ever had a panic attack?

Aphex

I'm interested to read other boards users experiences of this messed up mind game.

My first one was the absolute worst ever

I was out shopping one morning in Palmerstown when this weird feeling flooded my body. I felt like I was gonna go crazy. Basically, I had to get out of that place as soon as possible! I really thought I was gonna die! When I got back to "a safe place" I was pacing up and down wondering what was going on with me, until I eventually calmed down.

This then went on for a while because I anticipated it where ever I went.

I have since gotten over them over time, but I'll never forget the "power" of anxiety! I feel for the people who suffer anxiety right now.

alleystar

Yup, thought I was going to die, couldn't breathe at all and panicked even more.

Feel terrible for people who get them regularly, awful experience.

beano345

Used to get them on a daily basis sometimes 20+ times a day.it was no way to be living no quality of life what so ever,changes in your lifestyle can reduce them.I just learnt to say fcuk it take me if yous want....yas bstards!

antodeco

Have about 3 - 4 per day on a normal day. 10+ on a bad. I now have panic attacks about panic attacks.

jamo2oo9

I was gonna look up some funny stories about panic attacks and c&p into here but they were all shíte

Yes, have had them occasionally over the years but had them especially bad on three occasions late last year. Back on 19th September I had one and ended up in A&E because I genuinely thought it was my heart.

lukesmom

Yes I had my first panic attack 6 years ago. It developed into generalised anxiety disorder (anxious all the time for no reason) I was hospitalised for it last year for six weeks. I have been medicated along with psychology sessions since then. I'm actually in the middle of an anxiety flare up at the moment and it's bloody hell.

For Forks Sake

Suffered from severe ones for a few years. Absolute cvnts of yokes, especially for someone who travels a lot for their job. First one scared the daylights out of me, I genuinely thought I was going to die.

Managed to learn some fairly decent coping mechanisms. Rarely suffer from them these days, and know how to recognise their onset and deal with it.

scwazrh

The first serious attack I had I passed out and split my head open.Scared the life out of my wife but i only remember the build up and not the part after the attack.Thankfully through learning about anxiety and other help I can now recognise when its getting passed my normal level of anxiety and am able to get help or help myself before the pass out stage.

Wacker The Attacker

I had a panic ****

antodeco

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Suffered from severe ones for a few years. Absolute cvnts of yokes, especially for someone who travels a lot for their job. First one scared the daylights out of me, I genuinely thought I was going to die.

That's when I get them. Had to leave a previous job due to fear of staying anywhere on my own from travelling.

Ace Attorney

Yeah, had one bad one last year genuinely thought i was losing my mind, never experienced one before it was scary as fcuk!

Aphex

lukesmom wrote: »

Yes I had my first panic attack 6 years ago. It developed into generalised anxiety disorder (anxious all the time for no reason) I was hospitalised for it last year for six weeks. I have been medicated along with psychology sessions since then. I'm actually in the middle of an anxiety flare up at the moment and it's bloody hell.

I hope it picks up for you lukesmom sincerely

Maphisto

Yes I used to and I sympathise with anyone suffering from then.

Like someone else said above I thought it was a heart attack. Had one driving down the motorway, which was fvcking frightening.

Anyway, two things helped. It helped knowing what it was. Also went to the Doc, who was from around here. Funnily enough for all you here about the UK NHS she had time to just sit and chat. She signed me off work for a couple of months, and through our chats we explored ways of changing the job snd where that wasn't possible could I change.

The long and the short was that I never went back to that job. Sold the house, moved back here where we have chickens and ducks and dogs - but no money, but also no panic attacks.

All the best to anyone still suffering - just remember that there are always choices.

hairyprincess

I've had three in the last 5 years or so. Each one has been progressively worse. I never felt any warning signs so they were totally out of the blue.
The first one I had felt like a tonne of bricks on my chest and I felt like I couldn't breath, but because I was outside I talked myself it if it by telling myself that of course I could breath, outside was full of air! And thankfully it worked.
The second one I don't remember and third happened two years ago the night before an exam. I was dishing the dinner out, and I can't remember how I felt, a headache maybe, so I went to my bedroom and got a paper bag and breathed into that for a few minutes. Afterwards I felt ok so went down and tried to eat my dinner but as soon as I got to the kitchen it started again. I rang a friends who is a reiki practitioner and was able to get some reiki done. That one was horrific, as it was much longer lasting, and as I had an exam the next day I was really worried when the horrible feelings weren't leaving me.
Thankfully I've not had another one since then.

SEPT 23 1989

Used to have the odd one after a night on the XTC's but that was an age ago

Aphex

Maphisto wrote: »

Yes I used to and I sympathise with anyone suffering from then.

Like someone else said above I thought it was a heart attack. Had one driving down the motorway, which was fvcking frightening.

Anyway, two things helped. It helped knowing what it was. Also went to the Doc, who was from around here. Funnily enough for all you here about the UK NHS she had time to just sit and chat. She signed me off work for a couple of months, and through our chats we explored ways of changing the job snd where that wasn't possible could I change.

The long and the short was that I never went back to that job. Sold the house, moved back here where we have chickens and ducks and dogs - but no money, but also no panic attacks.

All the best to anyone still suffering - just remember that there are always choices.

Same here It helped me knowing that it had a name

SimonLynch

I get them a bit when I'm stressed, mainly if I'm waiting in a queue that's not progressing right when I'm having a bad time at work. Luckily, I had a job in the 90s that stressed me to hell and a good GP who told me to get out of the job (I had chest pains driving into work and pulled in thinking I was having a heart attack in my mid 20s). I quit the job in a little recession with a house that was in negative equity and got sorted fairly quickly. Since then I can recognise stress usually but getting older I might miss the actual heart attack :-)

Teyla Emmagan

Yeah, the worst one I ended up in A&E with. Thought it was a heart attack too, and had this out of body thing going on. Was in work so was walked next door to the doc, doc said hospital. I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder as well. Have been on medication about 4 years maybe (this was before that). When my anxiety is bad it's horrific. No concentration, skin burning, heart pounding and pounding all day long every day, confusion. Pain in the h(le. Have tried CBT, what works best for me is exercise (along with the drugs). The drugs are great, when they work (tried a few ones that didn't suit first, the side effects were terrible). They're a crutch though, am afraid to let go of them.

SimonLynch

Thanks for this thread OP, if I'd seen it in my 20s life would have been easier. I'd hate to be the same age with the same liabilities here now. Interestingly, I more or less mirrored Maphisto's post and my GP was NHS as well.

antodeco

lukesmom wrote: »

Yes I had my first panic attack 6 years ago. It developed into generalised anxiety disorder (anxious all the time for no reason) I was hospitalised for it last year for six weeks. I have been medicated along with psychology sessions since then. I'm actually in the middle of an anxiety flare up at the moment and it's bloody hell.

If you ever need a chat, feel free to PM!

pharmaton

I'm wouldn't be a great talker, I lost the ability to verbalize shtuff years ago after a heap load of anxiety so occasionally I get moments of mutism. They can be quite funny to onlookers and when I eventually manage to get words out of my mouth, its like a mouth fart of stupidity. (I went for near on two years without really making an effort to talk) I'm not so bad these days, have spent a long time building my confidence back up.

SimonLynch

pharmaton wrote: »

I'm wouldn't be a great talker, I lost the ability to verbalize shtuff years ago after a heap load of anxiety so occasionally I get moments of mutism. They can be quite funny to onlookers and when I eventually manage to get words out of my mouth, its like a mouth fart of stupidity. (I went for near on two years without really making an effort to talk) I'm not so bad these days, have spent a long time building my confidence back up.

Don't worry about it, if the people around you want to know what you're saying they'll listen.

beano345

I think panic and anxiety disorders are far more common nowadays nearly everybody was at some point or is suffering from it maybe its the lifestyles we lead

pharmaton

SimonLynch wrote: »

Don't worry about it, if the people around you want to know what you're saying they'll listen.

Most of them do. I had a few good teachers, they have the patience of saints and would never rush me to give an answer which actually helps a lot.

cactuspaw

It's a horrible feeling when you get one,ive had a few. One was at college ball and one when I got locked into my own room. Felt like the room was closing in on me! I find air and space always help.

RobbingBandit

Last bad one was in January on the day of an exam I ended up cracking myself in the head with a book and woke up 5 hours later with a lump on my head and a massive headache.

Links234

Yes, I suffer with them quite severely. not as bad as I used to, but still pretty horribly.

I still remember one of the first times I had one, I didn't know what was happening to me, and it was like I was having a heart attack or something. it took me a while to recover

SimonLynch

pharmaton wrote: »

Most of them do. I had a few good teachers, they have the patience of saints and would never rush me to give an answer which actually helps a lot.

They might have just enjoyed talking with you

lukesmom

lukesmom wrote: »

Yes I had my first panic attack 6 years ago. It developed into generalised anxiety disorder (anxious all the time for no reason) I was hospitalised for it last year for six weeks. I have been medicated along with psychology sessions since then. I'm actually in the middle of an anxiety flare up at the moment and it's bloody hell.

Feel better soon, hang in there.:)

Toots

Karsini wrote: »

Yes, have had them occasionally over the years but had them especially bad on three occasions late last year. Back on 19th September I had one and ended up in A&E because I genuinely thought it was my heart.

That happened me too I would very frequently get panic attacks so most of the time despite how distressing they are a part of my mind knows that it's a panic attack and I can do my CBT stuff to try and come back down.

Had a really bad one a few weeks back though, worse than anything I've ever had, and I was on my own when it happened. I thought I was having a heart attack and all I could think was that I had to get to the phone and call an ambulance because if I was dead when my hubby and son got home they'd think it was suicide. I blacked out and when I came around I was lying on the hall floor with the phone in my hand. Thankfully when I came around the panic attack had ended, so I was just left with a sore head and a phone-shaped indentation on the side of my face.

O.A.P

Good thread OP,
Yeah I get them too and have done for about 15 years or more. I never told anyone about them, including misses OAP.
I got one in the docs waiting room two months ago while waiting for a medical exam and decided to tell him about it when he asked me a few questions.
He has put me on Seroxat, Zimovane (sleeping pills) and an appointment with a shrink .
I don't know if this is better or not, these drugs have changed me I think but I have not had an attack since ?

Rothko

Yeah, I've had them due to social anxiety and acrophobia.

previous user

I had a large anxiety attack a couple of months ago, don't know if its the same thing, couldnt get out of bed for a day, was paralysed, shaking, felt like a large chasm was ahead just, in my life, a large dark bottomless chasm.
I've been having them on and off due to me getting older and not having a proper job with income and still trying to figure out what I want to do in life.

Lia_lia

I used to get them in school. I remember the principal telling me I was "too young to be getting panic attack" and to cop on pretty much. They were terrifying! As many have said, I thought I was getting a heart attack the first time.


Haven't got one now in about 8 years.

Aoifums

I used to get them pretty badly. There was a period of time a few years ago where I'd have about ten a day. I still have one or two a week now but it's nothing compared to how bad they used to be. I get sort of milder ones more frequently but I manage to talk myself through them and the symptoms are far less severe so I don't really count them.

Call Me Jimmy

During a severe panic attack do the limbs spasm and curl up? I had something like that one time, felt like i was about to burst.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Used to have the odd one after a night on the XTC's but that was an age ago

same, i got my only one 2 days after popping a blue ghost which was way too strong for me. jsut woke up at 2am and thought i was dying. was pacing the house and woke everyone and wanted to call 999 but the housemate talked me out and told me what it was and that you can't die from a panic attack. then just like that i was grand again. doubt i'll ever get one again, i never really suffer from that kind of stuff. my life is stress free baby!

danslevent

Was bullied for a few months in school, before I moved, and was provoked into having one. I used to be very shy and a guy in my class really took advantage of that. I was late for class one day and the teacher wasn't there, the guy held the door closed on me while shouting "no body likes you" there was glass panel on the door so I could see his face and hear everyone laughing. It was like my breaking point, I ran off and hid in a cubicle. genuinely couldn't breathe, the walls felt like there were closing in on me and I felt like I was going to faint...i was reeling. One of the worst experiences of my life.

Haven't gotten one since and it seems like it was mild in comparison to what other posters have described. .. But it was so terrifying, the heart palpitations, dizziness and lack of oxygen was a feeling I never want to have again. I really feel for people who get them on a daily basis

I am pie

once after/during strong acid trip and once again on a date with my now wife who escorted me too hospital! understanding what happened was comforting.

Pinch Flat

I went through a sh!t time when the economy collapsed here in 2009. Was under severe stress.

Never knew what a panic attack was until I was laid off from a job out if the blue. Initial reaction was fine, but as I was driving home I got this fit of panic so bad I couldn't breathe. I did think it was something else like a heart attack or stroke or something really nasty.

Nothing had happened like that to me before. I had to pull in and gather myself for a few minutes before driving on again. Not pleasant and thankfully never had anything like it since then

Teyla Emmagan

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

During a severe panic attack do the limbs spasm and curl up? I had something like that one time, felt like i was about to burst.

Palpitations and being unable to breathe with me. I don't know how it takes other people though.

diveout

No I don't have classic panic attacks, but I do get freeze responses when I am scared or threatened.

scrubber72

In school i had them so bad i had to take 3 months off. Rumors spread that i had leukemia which didn't make it any better. Had about 10 from age 18 to now 41. Last bad one was late 2012. Didn't blackout like i used to but man it wears you out. Sweats and shakes with inability to breathe although when it was bad i passed out a lot. Funny thing is minor things can set it off but major stress i can deal with.

smurgen

Had one years back after a weekend of skiing/drinking and tonsilitious sitting at the desk on Monday morning.thought it was a heart attack so walked out of the office and into hospital without telling anyone or bringing anything with me.basically my body was run down,rock bottom and the panic attack was it's way of letting me know.worst thing about getting one is that the brain knows exactly what they're like and small things can trigger them thereafter.
Each and everyone of my male friends bar one got one abd we actually joke about it.we'd be a fairly open group. One of the lads started singing a darts song one day out of the blue after we had a heavy session in Liverpool and he was getting one,it was bizarre ha ha ha.

Calibos

Was still acclimatising to anxiety meds when I had one during a small argument. Gasping for air. Pins and needles in hands and feet. Despite it being my first I knew what it was as did the person I was arguing with, so quickly got it under control and thus paradoxically didn't panic in the classic sense.

gazzer

I had my first panic attack on New Years Day 1998. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had been out drinking and having late night for a good few nights leading up to New Years Day and I was walking home from my parents (lived 20 minutes away at the time) and all of a sudden I just felt this weird sensation all over me. It was like a massive amount of adrenaline shooting through my body along with the worst feeling of dread I had ever felt. I honestly felt I was going to drop dead on the spot.

I ran home. Told my partner what had happened and because I had never experienced a panic attack before I went straight to A and E. Spent 10 hours there to be told that I had had a panic attack and to go home and rest.

Didnt get any sleep that night and had another one the next day. I was convinced I had something physical wrong with me so went back to A & E and demanded they did tests. Of course the tests came back clear.

I am a fairly logical person so if something is happening to me there has to be a specific reason. Q me going on the internet, reading books, ringing different people, all the while having more panic attacks and a horrible feeling of depersonalisation. For the whole month of January 1998 I felt like I was in a dream like state, like I was floating outside my body. It was horrible.

I started avoiding going out, which meant I didnt go to work.

Over the next 3 months I became a shadow of my former self. I just wanted to sleep and avoid any situation that might trigger an attack.

Eventually I was referred to a psychiatrist who put me on Seroxat as well as sending me to a CBT to learn coping skills.

Within 6 weeks I started getting a lot better. By June I was back in work and slowly getting back to myself.

I had a few reoccurances over the next 3 years (when I stopped taking the medication). However since 2002 I take 10mg of Seroxat a day. I know it is not for everybody but it was a lifesaver for me.

I wouldnt wish a panic attack on my worst enemy. The feeling of hopelessness and out of control it brings it horrifying

Maphisto

A thought just occurred to me (well in truth I was rewatching the Sopranos) but my Dad used to have them as well.

Might be worth anyone affected checking back in their gene pool. It doesn't give you an answer but maybe a reason is a start.

All the best guys.

Temaz

I have suffered from them for years. They are awful and I wouldn't wish them on anyone!

Aphex

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

During a severe panic attack do the limbs spasm and curl up? I had something like that one time, felt like i was about to burst.

There can be many different symptoms. I used to shiver after one for some reason. They really drain you.

KingOfFairview

Magine having one while you were bangin a mot



Be bad out