Panic Attacks

[jakesgal88]

Does anyone else try to deal with these without meds? I hate meds so I go without, but every time I have an attack I sure wish I had them. I found out that I had PCOS and that my thryoid levels weren't exactly normal when tested and recently found out that I have insulin resistance which I believe causes a lot of my attacks when i'm not eating right and my sugar levels are messed up. I know that most anxiety attacks are caused by something wrong physically with your body (my doctor told me this, she said it could be something as silly as a gas pain), but they are still scary. Does anyone else feel like they are dying when one comes on? I feel like i'm going to have a heart attack and get arm and shoulder pain. The day after my birthday I had one that caused me to feel like I couldnt breathe. (I had drank the night before and was sick all day... so i'm guessing that is what brought it on). It was very scary! Since they started my brain is always thinking about dying or there is something wrong with me. As I said, I used to have them daily and now it is only a couple times a month, but it is still hard to deal with. My husband is pretty understanding, but I try not to worry him about these things. Just wondering if the way I feel during and after a panic attack/anxiety attack is normal. Anyone have any other techniques other than diet and exercise that can reduce the attacks even further?

[fibrofighterX]

Yes, there are many things you can do! CBT looks at your thoughts and finds 'cognitive distortions' which cause the anxiety. DBT helps with emotion regulation and mindfulness. Meditation, relaxation and yoga help to de-regulate your system to decrease your anxiety. Exercise can be very helpful as well!

[jakesgal88]

Thanks for the comment. Sorry to hear that your attacks have returned! I hope that praying and returning to your healthy habits helps! I find it hard because I love carbs! With the insulin resistance I have to really watch my carbs or it triggers attacks. :(. I suppose it keeps me eating the way people really should instead of eating all the junk I shouldnt eat anyways though. lol

[sslove09]

My panic attacks went away completely when I stpooed drinking, stopped smoking and went back to church and was healed from all my issues and worries and freak out s. then...I stopped excersising and started drinking again and i cant even look at a line and I panic beyond belief. I have missed flights, trips, and it really *****. So, this past month Im back at self care and healthy diets and it has helped tremendously! I remind myself that I have nothing to FEAR!! Fear must go. I am safe. and I can take care of my self and be balanced...Praying is the only thing that stopped a comlete panic I was about to have in Mexcio a few days ago...

[jakesgal88]

Thanks for the replies ladies! I will definitely have to get back into my workout routine. I didn't have them at all after the twins because I was working out daily. Once I started weening them and I went back to college I was under a lot of stress and my hormones were out of whack and I stopped working out. I try to take them head on, but when I felt the feeling of not being able to breathe on Monday it scared me. It's the first time that had happened to me. Normally it feels like a heart attack and i'm used to that. I thought of trying different scents... now I will definitely have to try the lavender. Definitely will not be drinking again. I already only drink a couple times a year, but after this episode I will be cutting it out 100%! Thanks again ladies! Do these things ever go away completely?

[motherofour]

Hi, I really feal for you. I had the same exact symptoms when I had panic attacks.  the feeling like I was going to die was the worst.  I actually went to the ER a few times!  I couldnt breathe, the uncontrolable shaking, there was even numbness in my extremeties and in my tounge!  I completely freaked out, and now I know that doing that makes it so much worse.  But at the time, I didnt know what was hapening to me. I thought that I was dying. Now I know that it is just a panic attack. Completely harmless.  This knowledge, and breathing techniques, visualization, and silly things like the smell of lavender, and this spray that I used called "panic button" really helped when I was freaquently having them.

[dolphin8808]

I do personally take meds BUT I have some techniquest that have helped alot. My biggest one, is taking the panic attack head on. Embrase it, feel it, ride the wave of it. Do not let your body fear it. I have found that by doing this, the actual physcial symptoms do not last nearly as long AND my mental state does not follow into that of panic. For example, one night I woke up feeling the rush, the increased HR, the shaking etc... And in my mind, I said "OK, here we go again, hurry up so I can go back to bed." and after awhile, it helped.

Also drinking can bring on panic attacks. If I drink too much the next day I am totally off, even my psychiatrist said alcohol can do that.

Finally, you have to work out and blow off the extra steam, it helps so much.