Panic attack after exercise?

Sid1988
Sid1988 Posts: 170 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I suffer from anxiety at the best of times but exercise has very rarely spurred it on until today.

I started level 2 of the 30 day shred and on the last round I had to stop, I felt sick and dizzy when then lead to a panic attack. I'm not going to let this stop me but I'm wondering if anyone else has ever expirienced the same feeling and if so, what did you do to over come it?

Thanks

Replies

  • trippymace
    trippymace Posts: 40
    I can't say that I've had a panic attack, but when you felt sick and dizzy, you probably overdid it. I'm quite anxious myself and when I have to stop during a workout, I usually sit down, close my eyes and breathe until I don't feel sick anymore. I don't know if that will help you, but maybe it will. Perhaps the sick/dizzy feeling brought the panic attack on?
  • Hopingforchange
    Hopingforchange Posts: 108
    Yes, I am prone to panic attacks. Worst one I ever had was after running on the treadmill. I was running too fast and heart rate was way up and when I slowed down I was in a complete state of panic. It sucks cause I was at the gym anc convinced I would pass out in front of someone (almost impossible since your heart rate and blood pressure are so elevated). I can breathe through them most of the time, but I feel your pain, they suck!
  • ElusivePete
    ElusivePete Posts: 50 Member
    I've never had a panic attack following exercise, but have certainly ended up feeling sick and dizzy, seeing weird blurry lights, and generally been on the brink of passing out. That was back when I first started doing karate, and was a sign that I'd severely overdone it. I was very overweight, and very new to exercise, so my body just couldn't cope with the strain I was putting it under.

    I recommend scaling back the intensity until you can cope with it, and then gradually ramp it up as your fitness improves. Exercise can be uncomfortable and even a bit painful, but it shouldn't make you sick or dizzy.

    If you keep getting the panic attack after less intense exercise (especially if you get palpitations or you're hyperventilating) then see a doctor *urgently*. It could be some other condition which has similar symptoms.
  • Jett_05
    Jett_05 Posts: 95 Member
    I use to have a similar issue.

    1) check to see if you are a reverse breather. Reverse breathing is when you pull in your abdominals on the inhale. Practice pushing out the abdominals on the inhale and pulling in on the exhale. I looked into an awesome research project studying children with anxiety disorders and how correcting breathing patterns seems to be improving 60% of the children's anxiety level. I corrected my breathing pattern when I was 21 and had a 180 turn around in anxiety but when exercising I sometimes fall into bad habits. Just remember you need to allow the diaphragm to drop on the inhale.

    2). Cut out coffee and stimulants before exercise.

    3)Defiantly talk to a medical professional about it but try not to stress about it (obviously that won't help the problem!). We see a lot of panic attacks in the medical field and unfortantly they are often underlooked. It could be a sign of a bigger issue. If you are anemic it can often display its self in exercise as sports induced asthma. When it happens, your breathing becomes labored and suddenly you snap into fight or flight mode.

    4) you might benefit from a gentler warm up. Try going for a walk or doing some gentle yoga before hand. I usually need to warm up a bit more than normal to avoid loosing control of my breathing.

    Hope things get better. Exercise is wonderful for anxiety so I hope you take this hurdle and find your groove.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    ^^^^
    All good advice, also it is good to have someone around you that you trust so if you are out and about you have something familiar and comforting around you...if you are in public strangers overreacting can and often make things worse.

    Good luck OP.

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