[Danaliz]

I had the biggest epiphany just now. I sat down at the kitchen table to do homework with my roommate and suddenly I didn’t feel well. It felt like everything was too bright my ears start ringing and I was light headed, and it was hard to focus on anything. Its like being overwhelmed with sensory information but at the same time feeling slightly disconnected and confused.

I thought oh I must be dehydrated,need sugar/caffeine or perhaps I’m about to get a migraine.
Then I realized this is over third time this has happened to me in the same spot doing the same thing, Im just having a form of a panic attack for no reason at all.

I have this experience happen all the time out of the blue. I just thought it was normal and was just something that I had to work through even though sometimes it is really hard. It really interferes with my ability to get things done and can last up an hour or more.

I know what its like to have a severe panic attack but is it possible to have mild panic attacks? How would I even go about trying to manage this. I already take a antidepressant and don’t want to take Xanax/klonopin every time this happens because it occurs too often. I have tired grounding techniques and deep breathing but nothing seemed to help.

Even though I know have ptsd and major depression, experiences like this have been happening my whole life, I just didn't fully realize what it was.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[kaliope]

i dont believe panic attacks have to be full blown. i learned this technique a while back and once i got it down, i havent had too many problems with them since.

a way to stop panic attacks is to relax. it is physically impossible to panic and relax at the same time. you dont even have to really relax. just fool your brain into thinking you are relaxing since it is the chemicals in your brain telling you to panic. imagine as if you just did a meditation or had a massage and all your muscles have turned into limp noodles. just let them all go. this will stop the panic attack. you may have to do it a couple times over your first tries.

i did this first in an elevator. i was seized with a panic attack and i remembered this technique. so i went limp noodle and shock of all shocks, it worked! then the panic attack took hold again, so i went limp noodle again and it stopped again. i was amazed. then the panic attack hit again. so i went limp noodle again and by the time i hit the 5th floor where i was getting out it was over. i must have looked real funny going rigid, limp, rigid, limp over and over but it taught me that it worked. good luck!

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by Danaliz

I had the biggest epiphany just now. I sat down at the kitchen table to do homework with my roommate and suddenly I didn’t feel well. It felt like everything was too bright my ears start ringing and I was light headed, and it was hard to focus on anything. Its like being overwhelmed with sensory information but at the same time feeling slightly disconnected and confused.

I thought oh I must be dehydrated,need sugar/caffeine or perhaps I’m about to get a migraine.
Then I realized this is over third time this has happened to me in the same spot doing the same thing, Im just having a form of a panic attack for no reason at all.

I have this experience happen all the time out of the blue. I just thought it was normal and was just something that I had to work through even though sometimes it is really hard. It really interferes with my ability to get things done and can last up an hour or more.

I know what its like to have a severe panic attack but is it possible to have mild panic attacks? How would I even go about trying to manage this. I already take a antidepressant and don’t want to take Xanax/klonopin every time this happens because it occurs too often. I have tired grounding techniques and deep breathing but nothing seemed to help.

Even though I know have ptsd and major depression, experiences like this have been happening my whole life, I just didn't fully realize what it was.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Of course someone can have mild panic attacks. I have never had a full-blown panic attack before, and I talked to my symptoms of "anxiety attacks", but it fit the criteria for panic attacks, so that's what I call them now.

Maybe you want to book an appointment with a mental health specialist if you don't already see one and tell them about this. This may be a sign of something else happening. Hope this helps .