Have you ever had a panic attack?

Aphex · 30-04-2014 09:05PM #1

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 · 30-04-2014 09:13PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:16PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:16PM

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

jamo2oo9 · 30-04-2014 09:18PM

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

30-04-2014 09:18PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:19PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:21PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:27PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:28PM

I had a panic ****

antodeco · 30-04-2014 09:28PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:35PM

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

Aphex · 30-04-2014 09:37PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:47PM

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 · 30-04-2014 09:57PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:03PM

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

Aphex · 30-04-2014 10:03PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:05PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:12PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:30PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:30PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:32PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:39PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:40PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:42PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:45PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:47PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:48PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:49PM

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

30-04-2014 10:51PM

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 · 30-04-2014 10:54PM

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.

Have you ever had a panic attack?

Comments