Worst Panic Attack Ever!

Moriz26 · Post by **Moriz26** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:10 am

I was driving home yesterday with my wife and all of a sudden I felt as if I could not breath. I have has panic attacks in the car before and I have never allowed myself to pull over but this time I had to. My wife was freaked.....she knows how to help me through them but this one was intense and it came out of the blue. I stayed in a parking lot for about 30 minutes doing breathing exercises until I got the courage to get back in the car. When I got home I began to read some anxiety books that I have and continued to do breathing exercises. After 35 minutes I was fealing much better and I went to sleep. Today I am extremely afraid that it will happend again. What can I do to clear my mind of these thoughts. I feel accomplished but I am still afraid. Thanks

dj63 · Post by **dj63** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:15 pm

Hi Moriz,

You might try to find a professional herbalist that can give you help for this. It sounds like you have too much adrenaline going on. If your thyroid is out of balance, then the adrenaline and other hormones will be out of wack. This is what was happening to me. My herbalist has treated my thyroid and I am currently in perimenopause so I have to use a hormone cream for that. But I am much better than I was. I really don't have any trouble with anxiety/panic until my cycle comes around. Then the hormone cream takes care of it. I know you are a guy and guys don't have many of the hormone issues that women have. But guys have hormones too, including the adrenaline hormone, and you may need help with this. The thyroid is the mother of all hormone activity.

Hope this helps,
Eileen

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:07 pm

I am so sorry to hear of your panic attack and I too have had them out of the blue. I can sympathize withh your experience. There is NEVER an easy answer to this question. You must have courage and try and learn to not be afraid of your panic attacks. You know what they are ( a false alarm) they can't hurt you and even when they come out of the blue can't hurt you. It is hard to tell yourself that when you are in the middle of one I know this. However it is a must. You should absoulty pick up a regular schedule to relax meaning taking 15 min or so to focus on breathing and or progressive relaxation. Over time your bodies response to anxiety will be lessened by the sympathetic nervouse system. It takes time but it has helped me greatly. It is not the car you fear but the sypmtoms. Try and remember that. Try not to spend to much time wondering WHY. It really isn't the issue it is your reaction to the feelings. It is adrenaline that is all...Things will get better. Hope I have helped a little. Take care

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:41 pm

I agree with Anna. Tell yourself the TRUTH. You are ok and panic attacks won't hurt you. They can only make you feel uncomfortable. Don't be afraid. Fear only makes it worse.you are safe no matter what you feel or what you tell yourself. And don't belive everything you think because your negative thoughts are not true. Sometimes we get negative, intrusive thoughts that we are not always aware of that causes those "out of the blue" panic attacks. Just distract yourself by doing something that'll take your mind off the panic. And tell youself that it's "no big deal". Because it's true. It can't hurt you.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 2:12 pm

I am so sorry to hear about your episode> I have attacks quite often and can relate…now worse than the attack is the waiting for the next one to happen, which indecently causes the next one! It is a vicious circle! They are so scary and depressing! I have gotten through the session two where it speaks on attacks, today in the shower (what a scary place right) I started having an attack, I then started thinking. I don’t want an attack I don’t want an attack..not today I have so much planned, I can’t have one I cannot handle it right now..God please don’t let me have an attack…and so on.. Then I remembered session 2. I did not follow all the steps, but I did stop and say to myself “bring it on”, well attack you want this so bad “go for it”..then I waited…and waited..and waited, then I had to laugh at myself, it never came. Lucinda was right if you are not scared of them they will not come! Today was my first day actually putting the steps to work and I am so glad I did. Now I feel really good about myself and kinda powerful! I guess all I am trying to get to, is your going to going to give yourself another attack.. don’t think about it anymore, do not be scared (easier said than done I know). Go back to lesson two or write me back.. do something to occupy your mind! It will be ok!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:19 pm

Here's my thought and it may sound a little weird, but. . . if this is the worst one EVER. . . and you survived it and calmed down, then you know that it won't kill you, right?

So, now you know that you can survive the worst one ever, you can start to not be as afraid of them.

It's so weird but I'm finally realizing this. I went to my psychologist this week and I told him how I've been trying all this stuff for years to not have anxiety any more. He explained that we're human and we'll always have anxiety. It's just how we deal with that.

You did some good things! You read, did deep breathing, had someone there to support you. And then you moved on.

If you worry about the next one you just ruin every moment. Believe in yourself that whenever the next one comes, you will handle it. You'll handle it when it comes.

In my opinion that is the key to being cured.

I had a hectic day and started to have a panic attack tonight. I just told myself. . .well, it can't get any worse than anything I've already been through. . . so I just did some busy work around the house, deep breathing, had some water.

And then in about 20 minutes I was fine.