AAHH! I'M Dying! How to stop Panic Attacks!

Hi so i ahve been sufering for about a year now and it getting to the point where feeling like im dying twice a day is pretty umberable, i know it is due to my life style and life situation but i cant exactly help all of those at once in this present time. So i am curious do any of you have any tip or trick to over come them? any music help you relax? routines or some things that just help your insides calm down and not feel like they are failing you!? i know for some people who read this thread might be a bit (well just chill out) but its like telling some one to have a heart attack chill out! i just a bit short of breath tight chested and get pains in my chest and in my arm, also in my back. i have been to the doctors have had a heart stress test and nothing is wrong purley panic attacks any one else get this type of panic attack???? if you get a diffrent type and have a coping stratergy please post it here as im sure it will help people all around..
Thanks!

reply to post by definity


Well I could offer you one tried and tested treatment that causes great relaxation, but then I'd have to kill you. lol, no, ATS would actually kill me for talking about it.

I have had panic attacks before that were so bad that I had to go to the hospital but its been 5 or 6 years of having them often so I've learned how to deal with them and calm down without resorting to taking medicin.

The answer is peanut butter, preferably Jif or Kraft, in large spoonfuls.
I dont know why it works but it just does, and it works for other people that I told it to.

You cant eat peanut butter all the time unless you wanna be a fattie but its good for when the big attacks come on and you NEED them to go away fast.
After a while you should be able to "think them away" without peanut butter

I suffered some horrible anxiety attacks in my late 20s for awhile. it wasn't fun at all..was certain I was knocking on deaths door.
eventually I did realize it is just anxiety attacks.
Went to a doc, and he gave me one of those inhalers. it is good because I learned about what exactly it is doing (opening up the little veins in lungs, allowing for more absorbtion of oxygen..or some such) and that to me sounded like a logical thing to try given part of the attacks felt like...not sure..not enough deep breathing/oxygen.

and it worked like a charm actually (other suggestions was to breath into a paper bag..never tried that).

After about a month, I didn't need the inhaler anymore, because I realized it worked due to psychological reasons mostly by that point...and so simply didn't care when I had them...would simply realize they would come and go and nothing dramatic would happen no matter what it felt like...and it went from sometimes a 45 minute anxiety attack, to just about half a minute before my brain simply stopped flipping out.

Yes, you can get over it through simply understanding it, and then simply remaining calm to a near apathetic state...but it is helpful to find something to begin with to help...try the inhaler..the medicine in it is very well suited in removing the major symptoms, and may give you the psychological edge you need to do the rest.

Also

Try skydiving
Give your body a massive adreneline kick so your subconscious doesn't flip out about the small stuff anymore.

Originally posted by bitfreak
reply to post by definity

 

Well I could offer you one tried and tested treatment that causes great relaxation, but then I'd have to kill you. lol, no, ATS would actually kill me for talking about it.

edit on 14-3-2012 by bitfreak because: (no reason given)

I've tried that. It usually makes them worse, MUCH worse.
A real shame that it does

Breathing exercises. Lie on your back, relax. Breath in deeply through your nose until your stomach stands out and slowly breathe out through your mouth. Repeat for about 10 minutes. You will teach yourself to think gentle thoughts as you start doing it more & more.

It also helps to lower blood pressure tremendously.

The usual "carry a brown bag" is a good one in case you start to hyper ventilate, so that you can use the bag to breathe in to.

The quickest way the rid of a panic attack is of course medication but most of these treats the symptom, it is not a cure. The doctors would prescribe what they think is the best as you cannot get any drug OTC that will work. Your mind is the strongest.

I have been suffering from anxiety attacks for many years and they will hit you at any time. I know what you are going through. Teach your mind to know it is a panic attack, not a heart attack. It is difficult but it works.

Stay strong and keep positive. You WILL get over this!!!

reply to post by definity


I started having anxiety and panic attacks since I was in highschool, and it still happens to me today. I really understand the AAHH! I'M Dying! part of your thread title. When it happens to me, I really feel like it's the end of the world.

Everyone handles these differently, so my advice problably may not work in your situation. I used to take medication for this stuff when I was 16, but quit that within weeks. Ever since I quit taking those meds, Ive dealt with it bymyself. Im now I'm 24 and rely on my own mind. Im not really sure how to put my method into words, but I basically keep repeating something like this to myself....

"Yeah, this really sucks...But so what? After I get through this class, this horrible feeling will go away...and I will feel sooo much better. Better, as in I defeated one of my own demons. Yes it sucks very much at the moment, but I can do this, I believe in myself. I will make it through this."

I used "class" because I get a ton of anxiety on my first day of class (im in college). Ive also noticed that after you have been in the same routine for awhile, *ex- atleast a week or 2 into my new class*, My body gets used to it, and the anxiety and panic attacks begin to fade.

Basically, from my own experience, panic attacks and anxiety happen when I am going into a new "environment". I dont know anyone in the same class when I first start, or the flow of the class, but after awhile, I get in tune with the way things go.

ETA - I just saw Fishticon84's post, and I can relate to that. Everyone has their own "safety go-to" when it gets rough, ex- peanut butter. For me, it is chewing on gum, or drinking water. It really is all up to you to decide how you handle the situation. Every one of our minds are different.

Have you tried listening to some binaural beats?
Try listening to some Alpha waves through the day. It should help you to relax etc.

Originally posted by definity
Hi so i ahve been sufering for about a year now and it getting to the point where feeling like im dying twice a day is pretty umberable, i know it is due to my life style and life situation but i cant exactly help all of those at once in this present time. So i am curious do any of you have any tip or trick to over come them? any music help you relax? routines or some things that just help your insides calm down and not feel like they are failing you!? i know for some people who read this thread might be a bit (well just chill out) but its like telling some one to have a heart attack chill out! i just a bit short of breath tight chested and get pains in my chest and in my arm, also in my back. i have been to the doctors have had a heart stress test and nothing is wrong purley panic attacks any one else get this type of panic attack???? if you get a diffrent type and have a coping stratergy please post it here as im sure it will help people all around..
Thanks!

I live with PTSD, it's it debilitating and like living inside one big constant panic attack.

Nothing is an instant cure all but here are some things that can help:

1. Find a GOOD therapist (took me years, don't give up if you have to go through some bad ones first). Do this if you do nothing else.
2. Relaxation techniques. Best I have found is the Monroe Hemi-Sync Wave series. Not religious. Later ones get into metaphysical but first couple are simple and non religions: link. You can find them for less other places if you are internet smart. There are several waves, i have I-VIII, but just I, or I=II will do you a lot of good.
3. Exercise - walking if nothing else.
4. Eat right
5. Sleep right
6. Eliminate stressors
7. Find out the triggers and avoid them or work on them in therapy

The more you can do all of the above the more it will mitigate.

I am not a doctor and do not consider this medical advice, I can only speak from what doctors have prescribed and how I reacted, your physiology is totally different and will work different than mine:

I do not recommend any SSRI, they never helped - many with bad side effects.
Gabapentin: helps me mildly - I take it for pain, but also helps my anxiety.
Clonozepam: helps but I try to take very infrequent, it can be habit forming. I take only on worst days.
Alcohol: one glass of wine helps, again habit forming, i severely limit.

I do not have an addictive personality, and I hate feeling any need for substances. If you have an addictive personality type avoid Clonozepam and Alcohol.

The real answers are in your self. Therapy is best option - but get a good therapist or it makes things worse.

My suggestion will probably be the least favored approach but I can only offer it to you. Then the ball is in your court.

A few years ago, I got a really horrifying depression. Two doctors also diagnosed PTSD, but probably because they do so out of fashion rather than actual science (doctors are notoriously unscientific). The medications made it worse - much, much worse. I was suicidal with panic attacks ever-increasing in duration, intensity and recovery time. I was pretty much broken, totally incapacitated.

So I decided that I would jump into that depression and see what it wanted to tell me about myself. I jumped right into the abyss. I didn't fight it at all. What I found was that I was living contrary to my personality and purpose. So I started exploring. I realized I had no idea who I really was, though I was pretty certain prior to that. lol Just goes to show, doesn't it?

Bit by bit, the depression and panic subsided, but not without learning about my Inner Dialogue. That is what is triggering your attacks. You are so unaware of it that you haven't even detected it, and that's why it seems random, unmanageable, and is getting worse.

Look inside yourself. You are a living battle ground with the you that is You and the you you think you are. Start listening to and being You and you will heal yourself.

You mention it is most likely die to your lifestyle that causes the panic attacks. What exactly in your lifestyle is causing this I'm curious to know?

reply to post by iCEdTenG


Are you addressing me? If so, I can answer fairly briefly. I was working in a very high security environment. Lots of secrets. Lots of things going on that aren't nice for me at all. I don't like secrets. Open honesty is the only way forward. But I did it for the pay. Again, bad for me. I had to do things, say things, be things that I am not. I had to outwardly accept and function in ways that thoroughly conflicted with who I am as a person, as a soul. Nowadays, just maybe a couple of years after my method of curing myself finally finished, nothing causes me angst or panic. No matter how bad things look to the outside world, my inner world is always in balance.

No I was referring to the OP

I had some absolutely horrific panic attacks during a very stressful period of my life last year; it's really frightening to consider what the human body is actually capable of doing to itself.

Not so sure about everyone else but unfortunately there wasn't really anything I could do personally that would make the attack go away, bar drinking large quantities of alcohol (you wouldn't think this would help, but for me it was the only thing), however I know getting absolutely hammered isn't a very practical or healthy way of addressing the issue.

I think the symptoms vary slightly in everyone but for me I'd start sweating, shaking, it felt like something was vibrating in my chest, start thinking I was about to die and all sorts of other weird thoughts entered my head.

During one particular attack, this internal shaking and tightness inside my chest convinced me I was going to die. I sat in the corner of my living room and rang my Brother asking him to take me to the hospital, at that point I was certain I was experiencing a heart attack.

I don't think anyone really appreciates what it's like to suffer a panic/anxiety attack unless they have had one themselves, I'm under the impression that many people simply believe it's a term used loosely when someone isn't really coping with something; they don't actually understand how terrifying the experience can be for the poor soul having the attack.

The only thing I can suggest that did help me slightly, other than the booze, was you have to keep telling yourself that your okay - that it's simply your mind messing with your body and your not in any real physical danger. To be honest though the state I was in at the time, even this didn't help much; I was convinced I was either dying or suffering from some terrible unknown illness that was going to finish me off.

All I can say OP is good luck, I'm sorry that your having these attacks and I hope you get sorted ASAP. If it helps to talk about it then please do, that is one thing that gave me some sort of relief; reading on the Internet about other peoples experiences - it helps cement the fact that your not going crazy.

ETA: Forgot to mention why I'm not having these anxiety/panic episodes any longer: Accepting the events that had got me into that state, support from friends and family and time

reply to post by iCEdTenG


Well i sleep 3-6 hours some nights cos i just cant sleep, i am awake alot in the night infact i am up 80% in the night 20% in the day normally sleep though it i eat healthy but i ahve onyl started exersizing recently its a good habit that i want to keep up. i drink too much but i havent drank in like 4 days now which i used to get hammered evreyday as a sorta coping mechanism but i sorta stoped that now, i went onto RSSi's it was pointless and i hated they way they made me feel i also have no job and havent had one in about 4 years im 25 and dont really have too many friends no car so dont really get out much, apart from the martial arts i do on tuedays evening. im pretty big aswell like 18st and 5ft so it looks like 30st i got no 2 front teeth as they have snapped off due to negligence as a kid i have no qulifications failled high school and college. So i think it just a combernation of all these things adding up, the doctor just alwasy want to put me on anti depressant meds which i not going to do they make me feel like even more # for being on them, but with the working out and martial arts that i started doing and not drinking (only weekends) i should feel better, hopefully.


As for my way of coping ATM i just sorta shake my legs and twiddle my thumns and arms and sometimes just feel the urge to shake my whole body like im having a fit, which i do some times when im alone and 99% of the time it is when im trying to sleep im trying to relax and sleep but my body spazing out and it #ing anoying as anoying stuff.

I used to have panic attacks, nothing worse imo.

Try pursing your lips like you're whistling and breath in and out deeply. Sounds weird but it works.

reply to post by definity


Rhythmic noise helps. I usually start scratching the desktop with my nails. Focus on the noise.

reply to post by definity


I have suffered from panic/anxiety attacks on several occasions actually I would get them daily for about a year straight and like you my life was in a bad state of affairs when I was experiencing them.

I found the way I was able to control them was deep breathing in and out slowly. My first time I had one I too thought I was dying so I called 911 the paramedic that attended me checked my vitals and told me I was experiencing a panic attack and although I insisted I was dying he continued to tell me that no one has ever died from a panic attack, he said at worse you will hyperventilate and pass out to which your breathing will then go back to normal.

That was a big relief at the time but I was still scared enough to find something I could do to control them and that's when I discovered the breathing in and out with deep breathes helped me....I actually no longer have panic attacks ever!

Hope this helps in some way! I have been in your shoes and can relate with your experience.....