[Thursdy]

Ok, It's me again, and I'm sorry for creating a new topic but the other post wouyld not let me modify the title and I was afraid people were not going to see it. I hate to say this but just about 2 hrs ago the same thing happened again (Panic/Anxiety attack, refer to my first post). Now this is scaring me, because I made my way back to feeling totally normal, and then out of nowhere it came back. I went from having no panic/anxiety attacks in my life to having two in one day. Also, I read that they usually only last 5-10 minutes, however both of mine have lasted for over an hour. What should I do? Also, it would help me out a lot if you guys could give me some advice on how to calm myself down and relax when these are going on, because I can't seem to do anything but worry more when it happens. As much as I try to think of the better, I jsut keep worrying and prolonging the attack. Thanks a lot, any help would be appreciated.

[SweetCrusader]

I posted some info under your first post Angela

[SeptemberMorn]

Sometimes you can't do anything but try to relax, breath slow and deep and wait till it passes. Have you made an appointment with your doctor yet? Only he/she can properly diagnose your situation and make the right decisions as how to proceed with this.

If, indeed, what you are experiencing is a panic attack what is happening in your system is a rush of adrenaline through your system. It's the "fight or flight" feeling only it's happening for no apparent reason except that your nervous system is misfiring.

It is really easy to control the symptoms but YOU HAVE TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR to do that, ok?

Here is a link to a website that has a lot of information on panic attacks and how to get through them.

Conquer Anxiety

[Maya]

I, too, suffer from anxiety attacks - I take Xanax to help control it and sometimes I get them anyway. My T has taught me how to breathe deeply, relax my body, focus on something calming and it usually goes away. I am down to only about 10 seconds to lower the panic to a tolerable level. But, it is important to see a doctor and if the doctor is not in the mental health field, see a therapist also. Panic disorder is very, very frightening when it happens but it is a brain chemical imbalance when the adrenaline pours into your system getting you ready for the fight or flight as mentioned. It also helps to learn what the triggers for the attack are. I have identified about 15 things that trigger mine.

[Butterfly_Faerie]

<font color="red">It is not uncommon to have a panic or anxiety attack for an hour, i know someone who had it all day and night once. Anxiety can pop up whenever where ever it wants to. I think what you need to figure out what those triggers are so you can start working on reversing those negative thoughts and conquering the fear, whatever it may be. Also Postive Self Talk is key when having anxiety or panic, you need to turn around that negative thinking pattern like when you know you will have anxiety, if you think you will then you will, that's the way the mind words. You need to like I said find the triggers, maybe writting down what you were thinking when you started to get anxious, where you were, what you were doing and so forth. There is always a reason for anxiety even if you don't know what it is right away. Also it's key to learn abdominal breathing exercises. Many doctors, including my psychatrist taught me out to do this because its proven that it will help to eliminate some of the symptoms of anxiety. Also never avoid the situations that make you anxious, doing that will only make it worse and then you will have a harder time doing it. Never avoid. A book that helped me with anxiety and panic was the book Dont' Panic- by R.Reid Wilson PH.D Fantastic book, that was reccomended to me by my psychiarist as well as other books. Anti-anxiety medication can help with the symptoms of anxiety as well but it won't get rid of it....Learn different relaxation tecnques as well... and sometimes telling yourself to STOP, when anxiety is happening helps, I can now stop myself from even getting panicky with self talk. I can talk myself out of anxiety as well. It took me about 6 or 7 years to be able to do this so it worked, but it does work the more you do it the better it will be. Also some stuff will be mind over matter, just like postive self talk, you need to get yourself out there and go out of your comfort zone. Hmm, that's all I can think of right now, I hope this helps. I know they are not fun. I've suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder for 8 years and still am, But what I said in the above has helped me deal with this, and get over alot of the fears that I use to have.

Good luck. </font>