panic attack
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samantha8484
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:14 pm
i am currently on session2 i have been doing pretty good with the cds. i have not had time to write yet. i was doing really good with going to stores which i couldn t do before. but the other night i started on a cheerleading team and at practice i had to leave. i started with a headache and then i was so worried that i would have a attack. last night and even this morning i was depressed thinking that i will never get over this. i try 2 stay positive but its hard 4 me when 1 second im happy thenext i get a headache and have 2 leave.anyone have something similar happen this week.
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Guest
Hi Samantha,
I have had to deal with similar fears of panic attacks. I didn't get the headaches per-se but I would have stomach issues and feel like I was going to throw up. I still have fears of having a panic attack in public or at work. One thing I would strongly suggest is not to run away from the cheerleading team and practice. If you do, you may begin associating the feelings with the cheerleading and your world may get a little smaller because of the avoidance. I have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for 3 years.
One of the things that helped me with situation avoidance was an anxiety class I took a year ago. The main saying of the class was " face the fear CORRECTLY and it will go away. What you need to do is really become aware of how you feel and put them on a scale 0 = no anxious feelings at all 1= mildy nervous 2= same as 1 plus butterflies in stomache, (up to like level 10, and 10 being a full blown panic attack.) basically how you feel broken down into stages.
What you would want to do next is to begin calming techniques the minute you realize you have moved up a level. It will take longer to calm down if you begin applying relaxation skills at say a level 6 vs a level 2. And if you begin to breach say your level 5. Allow your self some time away from the situtation tell your team or coach you just need a moment and remove yourself from the situation and begin calming yourself. When you have calmed down a bit I would say below 5 and down to a 2 or 3 go back and face the situation.
If it proves to be too much try breaking down the situation and do step level exposure. example: you are afraid of elevators.
1)just stand in front of the elevator and see if you stay calm
2)if you do press the button and stand in front of the elevator with the door open and see if you stay calm.
3)get in the eleveato and press the door open button
etc etc until you finally are able to ride
The main thing is face it and go back.
Another important thing to do is to write down the accomplishment of going back and facing the situtation. After repeated exposures you will begin to desensitze to the situation. And the days you have setbacks look at your writings of accomplishemnts. You will see the number times you had success and this will help you realise that you can do it because you did it once
before.
I hope this helps. It helped me. I am now able to eat out and not worry about having a panic attack because I might get sick to my stomach.
I have had to deal with similar fears of panic attacks. I didn't get the headaches per-se but I would have stomach issues and feel like I was going to throw up. I still have fears of having a panic attack in public or at work. One thing I would strongly suggest is not to run away from the cheerleading team and practice. If you do, you may begin associating the feelings with the cheerleading and your world may get a little smaller because of the avoidance. I have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for 3 years.
One of the things that helped me with situation avoidance was an anxiety class I took a year ago. The main saying of the class was " face the fear CORRECTLY and it will go away. What you need to do is really become aware of how you feel and put them on a scale 0 = no anxious feelings at all 1= mildy nervous 2= same as 1 plus butterflies in stomache, (up to like level 10, and 10 being a full blown panic attack.) basically how you feel broken down into stages.
What you would want to do next is to begin calming techniques the minute you realize you have moved up a level. It will take longer to calm down if you begin applying relaxation skills at say a level 6 vs a level 2. And if you begin to breach say your level 5. Allow your self some time away from the situtation tell your team or coach you just need a moment and remove yourself from the situation and begin calming yourself. When you have calmed down a bit I would say below 5 and down to a 2 or 3 go back and face the situation.
If it proves to be too much try breaking down the situation and do step level exposure. example: you are afraid of elevators.
1)just stand in front of the elevator and see if you stay calm
2)if you do press the button and stand in front of the elevator with the door open and see if you stay calm.
3)get in the eleveato and press the door open button
etc etc until you finally are able to ride
The main thing is face it and go back.
Another important thing to do is to write down the accomplishment of going back and facing the situtation. After repeated exposures you will begin to desensitze to the situation. And the days you have setbacks look at your writings of accomplishemnts. You will see the number times you had success and this will help you realise that you can do it because you did it once
before.
I hope this helps. It helped me. I am now able to eat out and not worry about having a panic attack because I might get sick to my stomach.