Hard to gain control during panic attacks

[bklynbee]

When I am calm and I think about what I should do when I have a panic attack such as deep breathing and telling myself it is just anxiety and it will pass and thinking positive thoughts it sounds great and I think I can do it. When I am in the attack all that rationalization goes right out the window. It is so hard for me to sit there and concentrate on my breathing and think positively when my heart is racing and skipping beats and I am sweating and I feel like I am going to come out of my skin. Does anyone else have this problem? Really need some help with this .

[**Its a New Day**]

It can be really hard in the middle of a panic attack to regain control. You have to STOP the thoughts and replace them, if your mind sees a way it will keep racing. Maybe at first you could have a paperclip or something in your pocket so that when you feel that way you can reach into your pocket and transfer all of the energy that you are feeling into twirling the paper clip between your fingers focusing on the feel of it, occupying your mind. Over time after you have learned to transfer the feelings away from yourself you can start going without the paper clip and replace it with a focal point in the space that you are feeling panicky in. I have found that wherever I am at, if I pick out a focal point to re-ground myself with if I feel panicky I tend not to get the panic attacks. I hope this helps!

[Muko]

Hi. I am having the same problem to try to practice the six steps in the middle of an attack becausew, most time I have an attack when I am reading the ritual of liturgy, celebrating Mass. So, I find it hard to do the steps because I have to keep reading, if I stop, people will notice that something is wrong; and I cannot do the breathing at that time, because I am racing with my breath, and even my voice changes. I do not know if my audience notices all this. Please, how to handle this..that I can still able to read and to the six steps right in the middle of the attack.

[Nanner823]

I wish I knew. I just find it hard to do this when at the same time I have 3 kids needing my attention always at that very moment, its like it never fails.

[Muko]

Yes, it is hard to gain control during a panick attack....I think, what we need to do, is try ti educate our minds and thoughts because they are the ones who lead us to the attack...so, the more I listen to the tapes on session three, I think it gives us a clue to deal with panick attack. Myself I have realised that before I experience the attack, first I have strange ideas and thoughts that something bad is going to happen to me ( in my case, mostly when reading in the presence of an audience, of when speaking in public)...in my mind I create a message that tells me that what if you lose control, what if you are not able to read all this long text, what if your voice sounds terrible as if you are about to cry.....then, I start giving consideration to these thoughts...and before I know it, my heart pounds so fast, and in there, I am in a panick attack....at times, I have managed to regain control only by saying to myself, you have read before the same audience before and it went well, continue, force yourself, dont stop....and my heart will slowly regain its normal rythm...
So, what I am trying to do now, is in the first place to tell myself at all times, even before the reading or the talk starts that I am capable of this and it will be fine; if I get scared in the middle of it, I will tell myself it is only a thought, it is not real that I will lose control....I am not certain it will work. But I am looking forward to my next occasion to read liturgy to the same audience.

[Nanner823]

Thats a good idea!

I have actually stooped to a sort of anger over the past couple days. I keep screaming "stop" in my head and I really think its working.