Fairly New to Anxiety - Feeling Out of Control

Hi all,

I wonder if any of you would share some suggestions of things you do when a panic attack hits. I had my first one in public today (happened in school - I'm a grad student).

A bit about me & my symptoms... I am generally anxious all the time, tingly arms, have trouble getting to sleep, wake up frequently with chills running up my spine, lightheaded, difficult to eat, frequent upset stomach. I have been trying relaxation methods for some time now without much success.

For me, an attack usually manifests itself with the tingling feeling in my arms getting stronger (also my legs during an attack). When I feel that I try to concentrate on breathing and relaxing, I'll drink some water or walk around. More and more though I am unable to ward it off. As the attack progresses, I usually feel a wave of heat come over my body, I get very shaky, my eyes won't stay still, I feel like it's hard to swallow and the worst is when my head starts spinning and I feel like I'm going to pass out. That's what happened to me in class today. When it got bad, I picked up my things and left and headed for the first isolated place I could find to sit down and lean back. After it passed, I came home. I don't want to go back tomorrow. I'm scared it will happen again.

I'd love to hear any real-life, heat of the moment coping strategies that you all may have.

Thanks!

oh boy can I relate to all the body symptoms I am fairly new to this as well my whole life changed when i had my panic attack first one Dec 8 at 10.m it woke me from a deep soundful sleep and wham thought I was having a heart attack and went to the E.R had all sorts of tests done and they told me your going to live and you can go home now. They didn't even tell me what it was they just said "we don't know why it just happens to some people" and I was like what the "H" happened so I went home and went to my regular Dr. and she told me that I had a classic panic attack and they can hit anywhere anytime I was freaked but I searched the net and found out how come it is and it is very cureable, first find out the symptoms they mimic all sorts of real diseases,then if you don't take vitamins check out vitamin B Complex and vitamin C when were stressedour bodies deplete this very important vitamin it is for your nervous system, and try Cognitive therapy this is done by self talk you can go to a therapist and they can show you how or look it up on the net. The more you educate yourself on panic attacks and anxiety you are not so frightened...take care

Thanks so much for your kind response! I will definitely try the vitamins.

I have been going to therapy for a couple of months now. Since starting, things have progressively worsened. The advice I've gotten on how to deal with the anxiety hasn't worked for me. I've really tried hard. Perhaps I just don't understand how to implement the techniques? Before starting therapy I had three incidents over a period of several months. Since then I've had more and more, now to the point that I have at least one almost everyday, usually at night, but sometimes while driving.

To put it bluntly, this is awful. I feel so helpless, like everything is out of my control. Now that this happened in class, I am so scared that it will happen again. I can't seem to concentrate on anything. My mind is all over the place.

Is there anything in particular you think of when you feel it coming on to try to steer it away? What do you do during an attack to try to get back?

Thanks again for writing. I imagine that we'll get through this somehow. It's nice to see such great support in this forum. It definitely helps to know that I'm not alone.

hi there I know it is very frightening and I so feel for you, are you taking any kind of medication for your attacks, they have meds that can work right away and they take the edge off but you have to be careful with these,only a dr. who diagnoses you can give you these,they can be addicting but the important thing is take them only when you need to. There is also the med that takes a few weeks to work but the thing is if this is stopping you from living your life..there is that alternative you don't have to suffer. I went that route because I needed help while I was finding other ways to help myself. Panic attacks are a chemical imbalance especially if your having them all the time. I perfer the natural way to heal myself but I needed help in the mean time to get started and a dr. will slowly wean you off. I know it sounds scary but I looked at as a cushion to sit on while I wa healing. Now I excercise like walking is good it's cheap and the excercise raise your good mood endorphins and gives you something to focus on. Yoga helps with the breathing..one thing I found out is you can't just do one thing..it has to be a whole change..e.g just taking meds and not eating right and not excercising it's the whole package. Being consistant is hte key. Take one step at a time live life one day at a time. The only thing I can say is when your having an attack try saying this out loud or to yourself.." Ok I know what this is , just relax it's not going to hurt you it will pass..just take some deep breaths let it come...it's a panic attack and it will pass ...breath your going to be ok" ..they say we create our own attacks and we have to accept them and not to be scared..it's your own adrenal thats rising because we gat afraid of the attacks, facing them head on and saying come on Panic attacks you don't scare me.....thats Cognitive therapy. Pay attention to the feelin gwhen it comes but don't obsess with it casually look at it and say alright here it comes....and it WILL pass.....this will create more of a positive attitude in you after a while it just takes persistant and I promise it will pass because I'v ebeen ther and that's my opinion...take care I'll check to see how your doing the sun will shine again.

Thought I'd post an update...

Left the house today, not to go to school, but to see a doc. I called my therapist 'cause things are still very bad and she said to go. Talking to him was very hard. My body was trembling and I couldn't understand his questions - it was like a mini attack the whole time. He was very calm and thorough and took a long time. In retropect I'm glad I went, but while I was in there every second was torture. He gave me a prescription for Ativan and suggested I see a psychiatrist. So, I will see my therapist tomorrow, the same doctor again and maybe a psychiatrist. I'm trying to look past all of these things as labeling me - that I have truly lost it - and keep them in perspective... they're here to help and I need help.

The Ativan seems to be helping a bit. I am still anxious, but it's a sleepy anxious, not on the verge of an attack anymore. That's good - a bit of breathing room. Now, I'm going to try to work on some reading and writing that I've been neglecting before I fall too far behind.

Thanks all! I keep reading everyone's posts. Keep up the great work!