Anxiety attacks...

BUMP!
Would definitely love to hear of any strategies too if anyone has some ideas.. Such a horrible feeling.. Wondering if there's something wrong with you or if it's just the anxiety.
Would also be interested to hear other people's symptoms..

Hi try opening and closing your hand in a fist while breathing slowly can help and make sure you are getting enough sleep. I have found I'm a lot more anxious if I don't have enough sleep and also if I have too much caffeine. I hope things get better for you soon.

what are your symptoms? do you get really bad palpitations?

I have bad anxiety.. My doctor took me off my pills about 2 months ago, and now I find that the best way of coping with my anxiety is to either do meditation, or do a hobby I love.

I take medication, but it isn't foolproof. I use meditation and exercise to supplement my anxiety meds. They help. Try yoga or even just stretching, and make sure you breathe deeply.

This is just too funny for me. I definitely could use a multivitamin in my life, that's for sure. I know I am getting enough sleep at night (for now at least). Blood pressure is pretty average, caffeine is very low, sodium a little elevated. Calories are pretty low and I am very very stressed all of the time; work being the main reason.

Things you can try: As an anxiety attack is a breakdown in homeostasis, like a broken thermostat.

Add a multivitamin to your diet. Be sure you are getting all the vitamins you need for all your body's metabolic transactions. Are you getting enough calcium, for example?

Get a sleep study done. Even slim people can suffer from sleep apnea, causing panic attacks in the middle of the night.

Check your blood pressure and be sure it is in the acceptable range.

Limit caffeine and sodium. No caffeine once the morning is over, and none with lunch. No tobacco.

Go back to your doctor.

Be sure you're getting enough calories and that your career it not too stressful.

Opening your diary may help, sometimes it is a no-brainer for us to help, if it is open.

I found that repetitive tasks helped me a lot while I was preggo. I was getting panic attacks something wicked. Believe it not, I took up crochet (sounds strange, I know). But the repetitive movements, with the constant counting involved actually helped to keep some of the attacks at bay.


Now I get them, but not as often. Less caffeine, and more daylight seemed to help. Regular walks helps me too.


Sorry you're going through this - I greatly sympathize.

I take medication as well. I also have gone thru 5 yrs of therapy. Thankfully the VA has covered mine. It doesn't always work but they aren't as severe as they were without it. I find exercise can be really helpful. I also love sports so I will go to the local basketball court that I can find where there isn't anyone around and I will shoot baskets until it settles enough that I don't feel like hurting anyone or myself anymore. I also do some basic yoga exercise they seem to help as well. I hope you find what works best for you. And I also believe it can get better.

Therapy has helped me more than any other thing I have tried. My employer has an employee assistance program (EAP) so I've gotten 6 sessions free. It might be worth it to check into your place of work.

I know it sounds weird, but recognizing a panic attack as a panic attack helped me. It's as if I could convince myself that the "fight or flight" feeling wasn't real... "Oh, nothing bad is REALLY happening... it's just my condition."

Usually for me, it would happen when I forgot to take my medication (I've since been able to stop), and once I realized it was the lack of meds that made me feel so wonky, I immediately felt better.

Similarly, when I recognize PMS mood swings as PMS, I feel better, too. "Oh, so THAT'S why I wish I had a grenade launcher! Makes sense now. Just power through it and we'll be fine in a day or two."

I also learned to recognize my triggers. For me, it was beeping sounds and alarms that sounded like hospital monitors. My anxiety hit big time after my Mom was very ill and hospitalized for 4 months before she passed. I think I developed some almost PTSD during that time. It took a while to recognize that I was freaking out in the grocery store because someone in a scooter was backing up and it was beeping like a heart monitor.

I suffered from debilitating panic attacks for years. Here are a few things that worked. (BTW I no longer have them)

STOP yourself abruptly by saying (to yourself of course) STOP IT!! Then immediately re-direct to something pleasant. For me it was the words to a song, in my mind Id start singing that song. (usta be called Shout Therapy)

I would silently bind and cast the "darkness"....or " evils" by saying " Spirit of panic, Spirit of Anxiety, Spirit of Fear, I bind and cast you out of my life....I AM a CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD you cannot live in my life". Say this over and over til the fear leaves--it WILL leave(for those non believers or non Christians I apologize that this may not or does not apply to you---please dont take offense)

When the fear or panic starts....immediately start counting.........1.1.2.--1.1.2.3..---1.1.2.3.4---.1.1.2.3.4.5 ALWAYS go back to one and only go forward one more number...this will force you to concentrate on that next number and soon the fear and panic will leave.

Hope something helps

I find that if I tell myself something to the effect of: "don't worry, this will pass, it always does" it's quite helpful. Sometimes reinforcing that it's only temporary helps to keep me a little more grounded.

I find that if I tell myself something to the effect of: "don't worry, this will pass, it always does" it's quite helpful. Sometimes reinforcing that it's only temporary helps to keep me a little more grounded.

This as well! I always do this just when one is coming on and then re-focus my thoughts and energy back to what I was doing. It really helps.