panic attacks

[lilsunshinetech4]

Hi my name is Loriann.  I wake up from a sound sleep in the middle of the night with my left arm numb and hand, and sometimes both arms.  I feel light headed very week unable to speak, and sometimes with my heart beating so fast, and sometimes not so fast.  I feel as if im having a heartattack and actually feel like I am on my way out.  I was so scared.  I actually have been to the emergency room for this.  they told me It was a panic attack.  I've had them when I have been awake, and know what they feel like.  But when I wake up in the middle of  the night, It feels so much different.  Not the same at all. but sooo much worse. like I am actually dying.  Has anyone else there ever experience this out of a sound sleep??? It happens to me often.  I would like to hear from you.  I know they tell me that it wont kill me, but at the time it is happening, I dont believe that for a minute.   It is very scary and would love to talk to someone who may know exactly what I am going through.  Maybe it will help me to better cope with the situation, if I know that I am not alone with waking up with this.  thank you.  Loriann

[Cntbreal]

Hey hun. first let me way I'm so sorry to hear what you are going thru..
I'm no dr but it sounds like panic attack. There called nocturnal panic attack in your sleep. I have had them recently. Didn't know what they were. At first. I couldn't sleep right for over a month. It felt like someone was jolting me awake and it would feel like my whole insides were shaking my head felt diggy and I was in full panic.

It would take over an hour to get me back to sleep. But you are sure not alone. It is hard to believe I know that something that makes you feel that way couldn't kill you. But I have been dealing with it since december and I still feel like its crazy to feel this way..

If you are feeling this way more often then not it may be time for you to get to your dr. and get some help.. They do have meds to help you relax and get sleep. I'm just not one to a say get the meds I easy find the source of panic and anxiety. And get some good help. But if you believe in med by all means get them most of us anxiety suffers takes meds and it helps..

I'm always here rip talk chat and help.. Look up on the net and check it nocturnal anxiety attacks and see if it fits you.. Hope you get better and um always here to chat.. You can also message me

Cntbreal

[els012]

It does seems like a panic attack, but maybe in sleep your body position stops circulation and your arms get numb. It happened to me many times. And that can wake you up, so you get scared and that's way you have the panic attack.

[dolphin8808]

Ohhhh yes I have been there and done that. I have lived with Panic Attacks for 14 years. I take Zoloft which helps take the edge off and I do have Xanax that I take only as needed.  

I have been there, being woken up in a full panic, like I am dying... I have also been in a constant panic attack for DAYS at a time. It is horrible and very scary. But they are right, this will NOT kill you. Your body is having a very natural response, just at the wrong time. Its a release of adrenaline in your body, getting you prepared to haul butt, or fight back, but it's doing it for no reason.

I remember my psychologist told me that our minds have evolved but in many ways our bodies have not. So while our minds know there is not big ol' tiger outside of our door about to eat us, our bodies haven't totally caught up.

What helped me is accepting the panic attacks. I remember one night I woke up in a full panic and actually got pissed off at my body. I recognized what it was, and said "ok, here we go." I just breathed through it and it didn't last nearly as long. Over time, I would feel the adrenaline release but I knew what to expect and within 5 minutes it was gone.

Really sorry you are going through this but you are NOT alone.

[Crysda]

I have started waking up in panic too which is just awful.  Last night my eyes were shaking as the panic just kept on coming in waves.  How can you not feel like you are actually dieying when you feels so weird?

I too have had what feels like constant panic attack for DAYS.  

[edgyboy]

I just had to add to this thread. For the past week or so, I have been getting up in the middle of the night with panic attacks.  Not the feeling like I am going to die attacks. Mine are like Crysda, in waves of fear from my stomach through the rest of my body.

During these events, I feel like I want to run somewhere and hide but I dont know what I am running from or where to run. It is the oddest feeling I ever experienced. What follows is even more worse than the attack. the feeling of unreality or derealization. That feels like I am looking through a veil of anxiety.

My questions on this are, Is this really stress related? probably a sounding yes. Is this another type of mental illness other than anxiety? I am really not sure. I think alot of us are older and would have a history of severe mental illness by this point in our lives. are the feelings of unreality a "break from reality"? It feels like it but I am still aware of our reality eventhough it become distorted with the reality of anxiety. Is the fear that suddenly overwhelms us a form of paranoia? I don't believe so. I don't imagine government agents chasing me around during a panic attack.

I've given this matter alot of thought lately because I was experiencing these attacks at night. during the day, at least in my case, we are on guard so to speak. I try to keep myself busy constantly to distract me from anxiety thoughts and symptoms. I think that once we relax and put our guard down our subconsciencous mind and anxiety say "ok, its my time".

all the frustrations and fears that were pushed aside during the day come crashing down on us at night. This is just my theroy on sleep attacks. Then what does this create? the next day we put our most elite guards on duty agaisnt the way we feel and what happened the night before. The cycle continues.

All this anxiety stuff is so complicated that it is really simple. I read an article about embracing your fear during a panic attack. sounds easy. I commented on this embracing fear during an attack as like embracing a terrorist strapped in explosives.

I think we all need to face the reality of this condition. it is caused by an overwhelming buildup of stress over time. If a study was done today on how much anxiety has increased over the past 10 years, I'd bet everything I own that it has increased 10 fold during that period.

Our world is under constant conflict. A terrorist threat is always a real worry. Economies are crashing around the world. Personal issues whether they be financial, relationships, kids whatever, there is constant stress we are under everyday. hell, I am getting stressed just writing this on a forum.

I am not a very religious person but I believe that when God was taken out of our society, along with prayer and good family morals, it had a devastating impact on us. Just my humble opinion on the origin of night panic. All this stress needs to be released from us somewhere. and sometime. Shame it has to be us that absorbs it.

[dolphin8808]

I am not a very religious person but I believe that when God was taken out of our society, along with prayer and good family morals, it had a devastating impact on us. Just my humble opinion on the origin of night panic. All this stress needs to be released from us somewhere. and sometime. Shame it has to be us that absorbs it. .


Couldn't agree more!