[Thursdy]

This morning I was confronted with a very scary instance. I woke up feeling fine, and about two hours later it seemed as if my mind started racing thoughts through it, and I felt as if I was trapped inside of my own head. Everything outside of my head (where this was happening at, other people around me)seemed as if it wasn't real, as if it wasn't reality. Some other symptoms that I experienced were a weak feeling in my body, lessened feelings and emotions, feeling of being lost inside my mind, loss of attention, and a slightly increased heart rate. This lasted for about 2 hrs with various peaks and comedowns where it was stronger at some points and lessened at others. During the two hours I often found muself wondering will it ever stop and I was worried if I was going insane. I still feel a little wierd right now (about 3.5 hrs after it started). This is the only instance of this feeling that I have EVER had, today was the first time I have felt it and it really scared me.
I have never really had bad anxiety or other disorders, and was wondering if anyone could put a name onto what happened to me this morning, and I was wondering if things like this will continue to happen. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[SS8282]

Welcome Thursdy. It sounds like you had a panic attack. Lots of people get that, and suddenly too. Sometimes you don't know why, or rather, the 'cause' is not apparent. I hope having a name will help.

Take care, and I hope you like this place. People here are VERY nice.

[SweetCrusader]

Sounds like you had a panic or anxiety attack with some dissociative symptoms as well. I reccomend you see a counselor, though, and get their take on it.

Angela

[Thursdy]

Thanks for the help. I had thought about it as an anxiety attack, but I questioned that just because it seemed as if I was insane more than I was worrying about things. I also wondered about the dissociative symptoms because as far as I knew, I didn't think people got these type of symptoms when they had a panic or anxiety attack. The thing I am worried about is if this is some sort of precursor to schizophrenia?

[SweetCrusader]

I see no indication of schizophrenia, here! My guess (and it's just a guess) would be that you were having an anxiety or panic attack and the dissociative symptoms were a way that you were trying to cope with it- shutting those feelings down. As for your thoughts about going insane, yes that can be a component of an anxiety attack. Don't read too much into that. I think you're going to be just fine! But you certainly may want to see a counselor. They can help you deal with this

Angela

[Thursdy]

Thanks a lot, I really do appreciate the advice, and I am going to try to find a counseler to discuss things with.

[krzyk101]

Hello, and Welcome!

I am glad you have found your way here, it is a really supportive place in dealing with the experience you had.

I can only speak for myself of how scary it was when I first experienced the symptoms you described and though years ago it can still be scary.

Recently I had similar symptoms, only have them all the time only normally not aware of it. I recall that I was watching a CSI television program which was a back to back episodes, and I started to watch the beginning of the program and then as I continued to watch I could not understand why the plot was not making any sense? It was then that I realized I had went through the first episode of the program and that still sitting in my recliner watching TV and that an hour and a half had past and I 'Grounded' some how and when I was back and realized this happened, I was scared.

Even though I go through this on daily basis, it is difficult and scary for me to not be able to know what went on during the 'time away' and back to reality.

I think a Therapist could really help you understand what the cause of this is, and work on it.

Let us know how you are doing and Take Care-

[SeptemberMorn]

Hi, Thursdy. Yep, to us is sounds like an anxiety attack to say the least, but that's because many of us had/have them. However, none of us are doctors so we can't diagnose, espcially with limited information. You're best bet would be to talk to your doctor about what happened. Once he figures out what it may have been, he'll know better on how to proceed.

This is a supportive, caring website where we support each other once you have a diagnosis. We will also encourage you to do that. So... I'm strongly encouraging you to see your doctor.

[SweetCrusader]

I'm not a doctor, and I've never had an anxiety disorder that I know of. But what you described is exactly what I've learned about in classes and in books as a panic attack. I don't know much about what people do to cope with them. Maybe someone who's had them can offer some advice.

If you look under the "resources" tab on this website, there is a lot of information on Panic & Anxiety linked there. Here is some of the info. It comes from http://www.algy.com/anxiety/panic.shtml

It started 10 years ago. I was sitting in a seminar in a hotel and this thing came out of the clear blue. I felt like I was dying."

"For me, a panic attack is almost a violent experience. I feel like I'm going insane. It makes me feel like I'm losing control in a very extreme way. My heart pounds really hard, things seem unreal, and there's this very strong feeling of impending doom."

"In between attacks there is this dread and anxiety that it's going to happen again. It can be very debilitating, trying to escape those feelings of panic."

People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike. In between times there is a persistent, lingering worry that another attack could come any minute.
When a panic attack strikes, most likely your heart pounds and you may feel sweaty, weak, faint, or dizzy. Your hands may tingle or feel numb, and you might feel flushed or chilled. You may have chest pain or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending doom or loss of control. You may genuinely believe you're having a heart attack or stroke, losing your mind, or on the verge of death. Attacks can occur any time, even during nondream sleep. While most attacks average a couple of minutes, occasionally they can go on for up to 10 minutes. In rare cases, they may last an hour or more.

Panic Attack Symptoms
-- Pounding heart
-- Chest pains
-- Lightheadedness or dizziness
-- Nausea or stomach problems
-- Flushes or chills
-- Shortness of breath or a feeling of smothering or choking
-- Tingling or numbness
-- Shaking or trembling
-- Feelings of unreality
-- Terror
-- A feeling of being out of control or going crazy
-- Fear of dying
-- Sweating
Panic disorder strikes at least 1.6 percent of the population and is twice as common in women as in men. It can appear at any age--in children or in the elderly--but most often it begins in young adults. Not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder-- for example, many people have one attack but never have another. For those who do have panic disorder, though, it's important to seek treatment. Untreated, the disorder can become very disabling.

Panic disorder is often accompanied by other conditions such as depression or alcoholism, and may spawn phobias, which can develop in places or situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack strikes while you're riding an elevator, you may develop a fear of elevators and perhaps start avoiding them.

Some people's lives become greatly restricted--they avoid normal, everyday activities such as grocery shopping, driving, or in some cases even leaving the house. Or, they may be able to confront a feared situation only if accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. Basically, they avoid any situation they fear would make them feel helpless if a panic attack occurs. When people's lives become so restricted by the disorder, as happens in about one-third of all people with panic disorder, the condition is called agoraphobia. A tendency toward panic disorder and agoraphobia runs in families. Nevertheless, early treatment of panic disorder can often stop the progression to agoraphobia.

Studies have shown that proper treatment--a type of psychotherapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy, medications, or possibly a combination of the two--helps 70 to 90 percent of people with panic disorder. Significant improvement is usually seen within 6 to 8 weeks.

Cognitive-behavioral approaches teach patients how to view the panic situations differently and demonstrate ways to reduce anxiety, using breathing exercises or techniques to refocus attention, for example. Another technique used in cognitive-behavioral therapy, called exposure therapy, can often help alleviate the phobias that may result from panic disorder. In exposure therapy, people are very slowly exposed to the fearful situation until they become desensitized to it.

Some people find the greatest relief from panic disorder symptoms when they take certain prescription medications. Such medications, like cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help to prevent panic attacks or reduce their frequency and severity. Two types of medications that have been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of panic disorder are antidepressants and benzodiazepines.

text taken from ANXIETY DISORDERS: DECADE OF THE BRAIN (NIMH).

[Butterfly_Faerie]

<font color="purple">A Classic anxiety symptom is a racing mind. It's a weird uncomfortable feeling isn't it? Like everything is going fast, but it's not? I get that from time to time, don't worry though it's nothing really to worry about, as it's only a symptom. Increse heart rate is also a common anxiety symptom, as for loss of attention and so forth can also be anxiety, but also sometimes a sign of depression. That's how it is with me at times and I suffer from both anxiety, depression/SAD and reminants of PTSD. You aren't going insane, I can promise you that, you are having classic anxiety, it can last a couple of minutes, to 20mins or to an hour or more. What you need to do to calm yourself down and what works for me is to do abdominal breathing, relaxation tecniques, writting stuff down on paper, calling up someone, do something to keep yourself busy. IF it is something that you are avoiding because of anxiety then that needs to be acknowledged right away.

What happened to you is classic Anxiety or even Panic symptoms, i've been there so many times, and it's a terrible feeling, but that's all it is. Now you have to find answers as to the why, and that can be tough sometimes. </font>