Hi A Fine Madness. I'm sorry you got so panicked today. It's horrible when something gets sprung on us and we start jumping to all kinds of negative conclusions.

I have definitely experienced not being able to think straight when I'm panicked. And that can certainly include forgetting anything and everything (I often forget things even when I'm not panicking!!!!). I think it's actually a very common symptom of panic. For me it goes right along with racing thoughts, horrible physical sensations, feelings of impending doom and the sense that I am completely out of control.

One of the things that helps me most in that situation is to try and slow down my thinking and to focus on something other than the things that are making me panic. Doing some deep breathing, going outside to walk around for a bit, touching a tree or looking at the clouds in the sky, repeating a calming phrase to myself, maybe doing some times tables in my head. That kind of thing.

What you describe here about that spiral of panic we get into, I think that is the very heart of the problem. It seems to be the nature of panic that it feeds off itself and multiplies. So anything that will break that cycle of escalation is helpful.

In terms of not being in a situation again where you can't remember your phone number, maybe it would be helpful to write the number down in a notebook that you keep in your purse? Or in a drawer in your desk? That way you'll always have it handy if you ever need to refer to it.

Anyhow, good luck!!! And I really hope the meeting this evening went ok.