Anxiety attacks...

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  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Talk therapy, bio-feedback, and breathing techniques. Talk therapy will help you recognize triggers. You can try to find out what is the source of your anxiety. If you see a psychologist, they won't try pushing meds. Bio-feedback: when you feel an attack coming on, tell yourself it's just an attack and nothing is really going to happen. The greatest analogy I have is the "submarine analogy". Think of a submarine immersed in water. Suddenly the alarms go off, the computers signal that the submarine is under atttack. Everyone on the submarine goes into motion to defend against the attack. There's running around, orders being shouted, and they are all getting ready for the attack. Sirens are sounding, lights are beaming, everything is in chaos. Now, scan to above the water. All is calm. Nothing is really going on. The water is smooth, the sky is clear, there is a nice breeze. The alarms that went off were just a malfunction. So, while everyone is panicking because of the false alarms, nothing is really happening. There is no attack.

    Breathing: do "belly breathing" like babies do. You want to relax and fill up your belly as you do this exercise. Breathe in for a count of 7. Hold for a count of 4. Exhale to a count of 8. Repeat this a few times. Chemically, it will relax you. You can't be anxious and relaxed at the same time!

    I take meds for my anxiety, but all of the above have helped me keep it to a minimum. Good luck to you!
  • yroma
    yroma Posts: 80
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    So many great suggestions here! I'd like to second the lavender--we use that on the psych unit where I work & my vet uses it with great effect with my very anxious dog! For my own anxiety I did get a scrip for lorazepam oe Ativan. It is addicting. I found that having the medication available and at the ready was often enough of a placebo for me that I didnt actually have to take it! From Chi Running I learned about body scanning and I find this very helpful for times when I'm filled with irrational fears. This entails concentrating on your body parts starting with your head and moving all the way down to your feet. You try to relax each part as you go down. This is a form of meditation which also can be very helpful. Mindfulness, basically. Lastly you mentioned comfort eating. This is so ingrained in me from my family--upset? Here's a sandwich! I'm sure it's a big part of why I'm big...but, you can use hot teas. They are soothing and many medicinal herbs have a calming effect--like chamomile. I'm a nurse & I often remind my patients that if their minds can make them sick they can also heal them. We are so powerful when we allow ourselves to be. I wish you the best.
  • cblevitron
    cblevitron Posts: 243
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    I've suffered with panic attacks for a very long time. When I have one, I usually do breathing exercises and think of something completely irrelevant (lyrics, something you're very knowledgeable about, etc.) until it subsides.
  • thedancingleper
    thedancingleper Posts: 158 Member
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    Thanks everyone for all the good suggestions. I read through each and every single one and took some notes. The amount of support touched me and I hope it helps others out there who are overwhelmed with anxiety.
  • cddonald22
    cddonald22 Posts: 39 Member
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    I've been reading on gluten sensitivities. I have some anxiety issues. I've cut out grains, sugars and processed foods. Not only is my reflux gone, but Imy anxiety is much better.
  • jensedun
    jensedun Posts: 20 Member
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    This was really great advice and support. I appreciate it on behalf of the person posting, and all of us here.

    "I suffered with anxiety attacks for six months before I went to a doctor. It was awful. I felt shaky, felt like I couldn't breathe, felt like my legs were going to collapse, felt like I was going to just freak out or crawl out of my skin. my stomach was upset.....it sucked. It got to where I rarely left the house. I finally went to a doctor. She put my on clonozapam and it really helped.

    It stopped the anxiety attacks. My head still went there, feeling I'd have another anxiety attack but my body didn't go there, so I stopped having attacks. Then all I had to deal with was my head and triggers. After three months I began to feel better and with my doctor's permission weaned myself off the drugs. But I still had to deal with my triggers: being at a movie, play, dinner, someone's house or somewhere "trapped" where I felt like I couldn't leave if I had an anxiety attack.

    I am a believer in the Lord, so I prayed. I picture the Lord holding my hand. I wrote down a bunch of scripture on 3x5 cards and carried them around in my pocket or purse. I read them whenever I began to fear having an anxiety attack. It is hard to think truth when you are having an anxiety attack, so you need to put truth into your head.

    If you don't read the Bible, then you could write down something like "I am o.k. I can breathe. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I'm not going to die. Who cares if I faint? If I do, strangers will be nice to me and I will be fine when I wake up. This is not going to hurt or kill me. I will get through this. Who cares if I panic and embarrass myself? I will eventually calm down and be fine. I can breathe, I'm not going to die. There will be an end to an anxiety attack."

    I would pray and think these truths and just slowly breathe through it. Eventually, I got to the point where I said "This is stupid, I am not going to worry about a stupid anxiety attack."

    I got to where I am now able to go to movies, plays, drive long distance in a car, fly "trapped" in an airplane, go out to dinner, go shopping, etc. I haven't technically had an anxiety attack in years probably, although I've had times where I've been a bit anxious about something.

    When I felt stronger on my meds I slowly exposed myself to trigger situations, because mine were situations that I really couldn't avoid, like going out to dinner or going to a play. I mean I COULD avoid it, but I didn't want to. By routinely exposing myself to these things, I survived and it lessened the hold.

    There were a couple of plays and a movie where I had an anxiety attack. Sometimes I went out into the lobby and walked and breathed, prayed and calmed myself down. Then I went right back in. Other times I just breathed through it and tried not to think about it. As I kept exposing myself these things lessened their hold on me.

    A few times I have felt my anxiety levels rise about something that's happened and starting to quicken my breathing. But I've never panicked and it's never gone into a full blown anxiety attack. i just say "O.k., I'm anxious, and I'm breathing too fast. I'm going to be fine" and it just goes away. I do have anxiety meds in my purse just in case but I haven't needed them for years. I have them just as a "comfort" factor, I guess, just in case I need them.

    Sorry for making this so long, but I did want to encourage you, all of you. You're going to make it through this. Maybe it will go away forever and maybe it won't. But it doesn't own you. YOU own it. The horrible feelings and feeling like you can't breathe and fight or flight feeling will eventually go away. Just ride it out and know that you ARE going to be o.k.

    Please feel free to friend me if you'd like. I would love to encourage you whenever you want it. "
  • mrsains
    mrsains Posts: 104 Member
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    First, I am so sorry that you have to deal with these anxiety issues! Although I do not suffer from panic attacks, I do suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is classified as an anxiety disorder, and certainly has many similarities to GAD or panic attacks, so I can certainly relate.

    I have had OCD for approximately six years but it is only this year when my life has really changed, and I credit that to a couple key things: a really great therapist who is an expert in cognitive-behaviour therapy (which is an evidence-based approach to dealing with anxiety disorders and depression) and going on medication of the SSRI variety (anti-depressant), which are not addictive like anxiety medications. Before starting medication I was really skeptical, as I have always been inclined to be anti-psychiatric drugs, until I educated myself on its benefits. It is a temporary measure that has been an immense help during intense therapy stages, and I am already in the weaning phase.

    So with all that said, I would highly recommend seeking out a therapist who specializes in cognitive-behaviour therapy. I know you said you prefer coping strategies that do not involve medication, so I won't suggest that! You can still have great results with therapy on its own. Other strategies I have found to work include exercising regularly, eating properly, and facing my anxiety disorder HEAD ON. Instead of trying to hide from it, I have found it best to challenge it and show it that it can't rule my life!

    Good luck and best wishes!

    Edited to add: I found that eliminating alcohol from my life helped to reduce my anxiety as well. Anxiety and alcohol do not mix very well, in my experience! :)

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