Is This Anxiety or Panic Attacks?

[aaron8195]

Hello. So I often have what i'm pretty sure are panic attacks. I get hot sensations going through my body, i feel like im going to faint, I have a HUGE fear of dying or having a seizure during this. (just so you know, my family does NOT have a history of seizures and neither do i. i have NEVER had a seizure.). I don't know what it is for sure. The doctor said it's all in my head, but these are real physical symptoms. Now I have heard that Hypoglycemia is linked to panic attacks, and eating a non- sugary snack while panicing will help this. This works for me, that's why I think i may have hypoglycemia. I think my fear of seizures while having my panic attacks comes from me knowing that hypoglycemia can cause seizures. I also occasionally see a little sparkly spot in my vision, and sometimes i see weird kind of sparkly diamond-like patterns when i wake up. My panic always starts anywhere around about 8:30am to 10:30am while i am in school, and lasts anywhere from about 10 minutes to like half an hour. Fresh air and snacks help. Now i have been having some additional symptoms recently. Starting in the past couple of days, I have been having pressure in the top and back of my head. It feels like my head is closing in or something. I am also experiencing muscle aches and small but noticeable pains in the pressury kind of spots on my head. What do you think this could be? I'm really really worried. (my worst fear is having a seizure, even the word scares me). I would appreciate your help very much.

[metalfan1]

Hi, first off it seems like you have both panic attacks and episodes of prolonged anxiety. I have those hot sensations too. But I have them for hours. Now don't let that scare you, everyone is different. So don't think that your senesations will grow longer just cause mine do. Anxiety messes with our mind, it makes us believe that we are sick. In your case you think you will have a seizure, in my case I get freaked out about going/being crazy. I have been told by many medical professionals that I am not crazy or going crazy and that it's all in my head, sound familiar? And it really is in just in my head and your issue with seizures is all in your head too. I have vision problems sometimes too, but I get tunnel vision. And I used to get pains on my head, which lead me to think I had a tumor(see how anxiety messes with us) but it's really nothing. With time you will learn how to ignore those pains. You should go back to your doctor and talk about possible treatments for your anxiety. There different ways to control the anxiety, medication isn't the only option. Hope this helped.

[CassCore]

Anxiety and panic go hand in hand. Too much anxiety leads to panic. I'm glad you have found that snacks and fresh air help you calm down. Cognitive therapy may be helpful to assist you in realizing your fears about having a seizure are irrational. They may be able to help you understand where your fear comes from. Did you witness a friend having a seizure? Did you see someone on TV having one and it scared you? If you are concerned about being hypoglycemic talk to your doctor about it. Even if you are hypoglycemic you would have to have an incredibly severe case to have a seizure. Headaches and muscles aches and that "heavy feeling" can all be symptoms of anxiety and panic. Try to realize that they are just unpleasant symptoms, accept them and let them pass. Your body can only stay in a hightened state of panic for so long. The quicker you help yourself calm down the quicker the panic passes. A couple of interesting facts about seizures/epilepsy that you may not know is they are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Panic disorder is too sometimes....but different chemicals so don't worry!!! Anyway, people with epilepsy sometimes have service dogs that can detect the change in the chemicals in the brain and alert their owner to when they are about to have a seizure. SO COOL! Also, an athlete can participate in sports even if they have a history of seizures as long as they are controlled by medication. So even people who have seizures live normal happy lives and sometimes get a cool dog! But it doesn't matter because you are a healthy person!! You will be just fine. See if you can talk to someone about over coming your fears, you will be much happier!