Stress Center Peer Support

OK, so I feel as if I have been without a true panic attack for almost a month now. No hard breathing, no flipping out and thinking the end is near, however, can one have a sudden moment of panic or impact???

It was so weird, me and two collegues were walking back from lunch and out of the blue I just felt it. Felt like I could just die, no real reason why, just felt it.

Perhaps it is just the mere fact that I have had a stiff back and my costochondritis had been acting up, but, hot diggity!! That sudden rush, for just a short moment was enough to make me visit and say, "Holy cow, is that possible?"

Maybe something else led to it, a moment, a comment, but boy it was weird, was like all the old weird feelings, but, without the full blown attack.

Is this possible? Did I perhaps use my positive energy to move past it?

I know I still have my anxious moments, but I have been doing so well lately, but I will admit at times for waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Whelp, had to vent, no one at work that I can speak to about this (at least without thinking I am crazy).

Thanks

Oh, yes, absolutely. You can get surges of adrenalin that come and go so quickly. It may momentarily upset you but you can dismiss it. You don't even have to understand the why's about it. Those rushes come and go and more than likely you had a thought, or a feeling that triggered it and it left as soon as it came. Isn't that wonderful how quickly it can pass now? No need to linger on it any longer. Move on with your day. You'll find that more and more your new skills will work automatically for you. (Adrenalin will not hurt you. Anxiety will not hurt you. It's uncomfortable, yes, but it still will not hurt you. So it's OK to let it go.)

Great observation.

I still get the sudden flickers of panic and or adrenaline also but they don't last long now and I don't seem to be chasing down every scary thought. This morning I woke with a sore throat and stuffy nose (simple cold coming right?) Those old pesky thoughts of "I don't know anyone that has a cold right now - maybe this is something more serious and is just happening to me?" started arising in the brain. Thankfully the thoughts left as quickly as they came. I'm counting this as success and so should you if these feelings you had came up but didn't progress into a full blown attack. Sounds like progress to me!

Thanks! I was pretty sure I wasn't going crazy. I can't say I am not Xanax free, but, panic free for awhile. I take about two Xanax a week, not sure what the even does for me, but, it seems to be working, so I sort of stick with it.

Ironically I find it has really helped me on the softball field. I use to get real nervous while at bat or in the field, now I take one about an hour or a little more before game time and I am great!

The only sad part is mentally I probably think I need the Xanax before the game, but all my life I have been a wreck on the ball field, even in my athletic days when I was a pretty decent player....not that I am bad, but I am out of shape and sometimes it shows while I am out there.

I think it's possible. Usually, I'd have full-blown panic attacks or episodes that last for weeks at a time, but I'm sure I've had the occasional sudden adrenaline spike.