[BillSamuels2]

Hi,

I have BPII. I have had GAD in the past, but don't really have too many problems with that anymore. That said, I got overly exhausted in mid-December with being sick and work and a lot of responsibilities and not enough sleep. I boarded a flight to visit my family for Xmast very early in the morning, totally exhausted. I had to transfer flights, and on my second flight I almost nodded off but jolted awake suddenly before the plane took off and I had this feeling of being unable to access myself, being separate from myself. It was the most unsettling thing I have ever experienced. It wouldn't go away, I tried breathing exercises, putting my head down, closing my eyes, nothing helped, nothing would shake the feeling that something wasn't right, that I was outside of myself in a way.

Finally I got out of my seat to get a klonopin out of my bag, I have them in case I need them but hardly ever take them. I chewed it to make it work faster and fell asleep. When I awoke the feeling was gone.

The next day I had another episode like that while in the shower, it lasted the rest of the day and made me very anxious but was less intense than the one I had on the plane.

What is this? Is it panic?

[Skeezyks]

Well... I'm certainly no expert. But based on what you wrote I would say yes, this certainly sounds to me like a panic attack. Here are links to 6 articles from PsychCentral's archives on the subject of panic attacks:

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/a...tack-symptoms/

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/a...rder-symptoms/

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/a...der-treatment/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/tips-to...-panic-attack/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/living-with-panic-attacks/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/5-tips...-their-tracks/