Anxiety/Panic attacks

catho_monster

A tip - One other thing that i find quite helpful....

i cant ever seem to bring myself to do the deep breathing in the middle of an attack of anxiety/panic...my brain just won't switch on to do it.
i've a deal made with my fiancee that when he see's this happening that he hugs me and does the deep breathing himself - and then i just match his breathing, and that sorts me out.
its very handy - especially when you're out and about - its not so obvious that the world is falling apart around your ears - it just looks like a hug. but even at home, i dont think i could do without it...

zuutroy

I had it bad about 5 years ago, to the point where I had to get someone in work to bring me to hospital coz I thought I was dying! Lots of weird stuff like not being able to sit in the middle of a row in the cinema in case one came on etc. Over time when you're thinking right, it just starts to ease off and now when I feel the fear creeping up in some random situation, I just tell myself to cop the f@ck on, that theres nothing wrong with me and it goes back from whence it came in a few seconds.
Pretty awful life at the height of it though.

Nalced_irl

zuutroy, the cinema thing sounds very familiar. I actually came home from travel early this year as it got so bad. Unfortunate thing was to get home i had about 14 hours in a plane. Luckily i got the window seat on all flights and the middle seat was empty every time. Still would have sent me crazy except for good old alcohol and valium. You would never know my relief landing in the airport as i was terrified beforehand.

Nalced_irl

ok, i just started with a new (and very good) councilor and the very first 2 things she advised were 1. Excercise and 2. Healthy Diet. She says that excercise will remove alot of the anxiety causing chemicals in your body and also give you a sense of accomplishment which in turn will help and i have to say she is right. After a good run i feel a hell of alot better and also find it easier to sleep. The diet thing is basically the healthy body=healthy mind thing. If you feel good on the outside you will feel good on the inside also. While im finding it hard to change my apetite, i would agree with her as in the past few months i have started to eat more healthily anyway and do feel a good bit better than i did then. Im sure i could eat even better but slow and steady wins the race

IncredibleHulk

Apocalypse wrote:

whats an SSRI ron ? QUOTE]
A drug from the same class as Prozac i.e a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor Also an older trcyclic anafranil is said to be good for phobic states and panic. Side effects include a possible loss of interest in sex or inability to orgasm in men . NOTE This is not medical advice. Always check with a doctor but the more info you have the more you can ask the doc and come to an informed decision. You can buy a BNF i.e British National Formulary which gives details of all drugs. Seen it in Easons Dublin. See
http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-National-Formulary-v-53/dp/0853697310

lucernarian

The MIMS book would be completely in line with Irish regulations, though I doubt there would be much difference.

LegacyUser

i was in hospital on christmas day 07. I used to smoke weed from the age of 15-23, the last 2 years of smoking was excessive and the last year i started getting anxiety, but didnt realise it. I had all the feelings of a anxiety/panic attack, and while i was getting them i thought it was just down to me being bored and wanting to do something.

Other events happened and i had a panic attack. then on christmas day i had one while i was smoking at a friends house and that was that, i knew what those feelings i was getting was leading to and i had the panic attacks to end all panic attacks. Straight to hospital i went. I was in hospital getting ignored by all the staff.. them saying "your light headed because there is no carbon in the air your breathing so breath into a paper bag" which wasnt what it was, i was panicing. i was scared, i wanted comforting. It came in the shape of a young doctor who hopped up on the counter, crossed his arms and said "hey whats up? Anything you wanna talk about". This was food for thought, and it helped.

i got counciling, and i got prescribed 15 valium. To this day i have only taken one of them. I strongly believe in mind over matter.

I've turned into a recluse but im breaking away from it, and getting panicy in the process. But im starting to get a bit weird, i want to have a panic attack so i can over come it, and im trying to force myself into a situation where i can have one, just so i can proove to myself that it wont get the better of me. The more i try this, the harder it is to get a panic attack. But they come at the most obscure times for me now, and thats when i should be able to spring into action, but its not happening.

I did find that i started getting a good trend going of not having panic attacks when i started doing sports again. I made sure i completely wore myself out while playing and it did me the world of good. Another thing that really helped was, i went to what ever gig i was interested in in town. Music helps sooth the soul and it can relax/excite you/what ever, the main thing is it stops you thinking of the panic attacks.

its 8 months for me now, still panicing, but its getting better. Im starting to realise now that you can run from panic attacks but you cant hide. The stuff i said earlier about going to places and so on will help distract you/me from the attack, but its just postponing it. I think the only way to cure an attack is to face it head on!

IncredibleHulk

To_be_confirmed wrote:

The MIMS book would be completely in line with Irish regulations, though I doubt there would be much difference.

Is MIMS available to buy for non medics? Where? Thanks

tallus

I get them from time to time myself, I suppose the main thing I do is remind myself that it's only a panic attack and it will subside. With regards to the health thing, I used to get them when I was really fit, but everyone is different in that respect. I suppose as a general rule exercise is very good for several reasons already mentioned in this thread.
Started going for a 30 minute walk every single day over the last 2 months or so myself and feel so much better for it, emotionally and physically.

ohtinymeat

Hello everyone I thought I might throw in a bit of an old contribution here in case it's of use to anyone. I suffer(ed) from drug induced anxiety and panic disorder with strong emphasis on the old perceptual disturbances. I am doing very well now but things were very hairy indeed for a long while there. Here are some of the things that really really helped me and could be worth a try:
giving up drugs (the illegal kind obviously!) drink and cigarettes.
I think the drink one really is essential it contributes so much to feeling anxious (even in a person with more regular levels of anxiety)
Giving up tea and coffee, there are lots of teas that are caffine free, calmomille tea is lovely as is roibosh(sp) which you can put milk in. also the hopsack in Rathmines sell lovely sleepy time tea concoctions that promote sleep natuarally!
Excersise, is so so so good. i cycled and went swimming alot anyway but i took up yoga which i found incredably helpful. hill walking is also a brilliant one and there are lots of clubs around the country
I am on Lexapro which i find benifitial though of course not everyone will.
I take a supplement called Veg EPA which is basically very very very good for the brain.
I also found valerian excelent, it is a natural tranquillizer.
Rescue Remedy (need i say more!)
Go easy on sugar and eat lots of fish.
Get lots of sleep but dont hide in bed.
Take pleasure in what you can it is such a hard thing but you can and will come through it.
See a counsellor if you can this is great provided you are seeing someone who is right for you.
Talk to people.
No Panic Ireland is a helpline 2721897 i rang them a couple of times when i had no one else to turn to , they are great
try to change your attitude about it. when i was going through the worst of it i was always trying so hard not to freak out and trying so hard not to go mad that i was really putting insane amounts of pressure on myself thus freaking me out further. no one can tell you exactly how to get through this but you will find whats right for you, i guess what i'm trying to say is dont be too hard on yourself. avoid constantly trying to fight and suppress the things you're experiencing. this causes stress

If anyone would like to talk or has questions about what i went through pm me and i would be so happy to help

Nalced_irl

I havent posted here in a long time about my anxiety so update first. Well, i have changed from Lexapro to Effexor which unfortunately hasnt seemed to have an impact either. Im going to a group session that has helped in a way. Basically the group thing is not just for anxiety, actually im the only one there with it, but having to force myself out of the house and sit in a crowded room for 3 hours is something that terrifies me, however it has gotten a bit easier over time. The problem being of course, if i go to a room the same size for the same time with different people in it, i feel as bad as i ever did. Basically by now i am going out of my mind with it! I havent worked in a year and a half now and find myself wondering if i ever will bring myself to work again. Naturally all these thoughts will make you feel quite low also. I have been considering hypnotherapy to see if it might improve my situation. Has anyone tried it before? If that doesnt work, i feel the only thing that might stand a chance of changing it is hospitalization which is an absolute last resort!