I interrupted a panic attack today. :)

[ElectrifiedBrain]

I forgot that my mom was starting a class today, and since I've been having insomnia later, I was going to wake up at 4:30pm so I could get ready for my 6:00 class. I woke up a lot when I was sleeping, but at 3:30pm, I woke up feeling almost done with my sleep, but I was going to try to go back to sleep. My brother came in and asked what website we used for finding bus directions, so I told him. About twenty seconds after, I remembered I needed to catch the bus tonight because I was going to let Mom stay at work because the city where she was going to take this class is in the same one, and it's about 15-20 minutes away without traffic, so the bus would be cheaper and more convenient than her coming to get me and having to go back and be there by 6:30. So then I started wondering if I had time to take a shower and listen to my relaxation CD and pack and and and and . . . So I started to panic, but then I remembered that I had my work book, which I worked on this morning before I went to bed. So I read the steps, and I did most of them. I told myself that of course I would be anxious and panicky, because I had forgotten about Mom's class, but that was OK because I more than likely had plenty of time to do everything I needed to do before I had to leave for the bus. Then I lay on my bed and did my breathing exercise and thought rationally about how much time I had, and I concluded that I did. So then I looked up the bus directions on Google Maps and combed my hair, and at 3:50, I was in the shower. I got out at 4:05 and prepared to listen to my relaxation CD, which was until 4:25. So I packed up because I had to leave at 4:45 (or so I thought), and I was done getting ready in 5 minutes. I had plenty of time to eat, which I didn't even plan. I left at 4:45 and got to the bus stop 30 minutes early. I'm not used to Google Maps telling me when I need to start walking to catch the bus on time. It said 5:13, which I was thinking was when I needed to leave, so I wanted to get to the bus stop at 5:00 so that I would be there 15 minutes early.

tl;dr I thought I wouldn't have time to get ready for school today, so I used the steps to interrupt the ensuing panic attack today and ended up having time to do more than I had originally planned.

[jhenry]

Great job you did perfect. With practice the minute of panic will turn to seconds you did great and should be really proud of yourself.

[ElectrifiedBrain]

Thank you! I was so happy that I had extra time to eat that I didn't even take into account. I can say that I didn't really see the humour in panicking, especially because I don't see how wanting to be on time for my mom could be funny. I'm sure that the reactions my body had might be humourous to someone, but I don't see how. That's Step 6, which I've rarely ever done for a panic attack, though sometimes I have.

[Laurence5905]

Congratulations! That's something I wish I could do... Without using Xanax, I mean. I can't seem to stop a panic-attack unless I pop a pill. That's why I'm going through this program!

Thanks for posting this. It's given me a little hope. Thanks.

L.