Panic attacks affect a lot of us and are often not very well understood, even by those experiencing them.
They also take many forms. They can feel like an impending sense of death or doom, a fear of losing one’s sanity, a feeling of losing control … all of which create a very strong sense of FEAR and panic.
What types of remedies or methods for controlling this feeling of panic work best for you?
casa azahar 
I don’t have panic attacks, thank heavens. But I deal with people in my line of work that do have them, and want to know what to do about them.
I have done a little research and we got some orientation during massage school about it. What appears to work pretty well is to practice meditation and learn to focus and control your breathing. Then when you start to have a panic attack you start doing the breathing deeply and in rhythm thing that you’ve been practicing. Apparently, feeling like you can’t breathe and are suffocating is one of the worst parts of the panic attack, and if you have developed some technique in breath control you can alleviate that symptom.
Hi Az! How are you doing today? Has it cooled off there at all? We finally are only getting up to 26 or 27 degrees and got some rain, deep sighs of relief, aversion of drought panic attacks all around the county.
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Breathing is good.
In fact, most people don’t realise that just before a panic attack happens they have actually stopped breathing properly.
My personal breakthrough about dealing with panic attacks came when I was told it was a physical response to … well, whatever.
For me dark clouds or sudden changes in light can suddenly make me panic … those are a couple of the triggers. And without realising it I am suddenly hyperventilating, my palms and feet become drenched in sweat and I start to panic.
So if I can focus on the physical response, start BREATHING and then also distract myself from the downward spiral my thoughts are slipping into … I can feel okay again.
This distraction thing can take many forms. Either focussing on something or someone I see in the street and start wondering what that’s all about … while taking care to BREATHE … or even thinking about something that’s been annoying me that I still have to sort out that day. Basically anything that makes me feel ‘grounded’ to the here and now. And silly though it may sound I often start thinking about my cats, and how they need me to come home and give them a cuddle.
There was one moment I’ll always remember, sitting in my apartment in Salamanca just before I moved to Sevilla. And I was pretty much feeling terrified about all this – yet another BIG move and all. And I felt myself unravelling big time … just sitting there thinking I was about to totally lose my mind.
But then the kittens were there – they were just learning to crawl, couldn’t even properly walk yet. And there they were, these four rather helpless wee things crawling around … and something inside just *snapped to attention* and said – shit girl, you can’t fall apart now, those little guys need you to be okay and take care of them!
And that made me laugh, just looking at them so adorably crawling all over the place. And this is something else I’ve learned … that panic attacks cannot exist if you are still able to laugh.
The other thing that helps big time is some sort of PHYSICAL contact with another person – just a hug, just them even being really PHYSICAL next to you.
It’s all about feeling ‘grounded’ again, and there are many ways of doing this.
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A combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and diazepam, depending on the severity. On the occasional days of generalised anxiety, the diazepam takes the edge off and stops it spilling into paniv every five minutes. I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it, though.
The CBT is about recognising theat there’s a negative thought behind all the physical stuff and cutting it off at the pass.
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I had my first panic attack when I was 8 at primary school during a talk about Beethoven’s deafness. Then I had another during the hymn, ‘When a Knight won his spurs’. I never told anyone, I was too frightened, and it was only years later I realised that it was a panic attack. It was awful though because every so often we would sing that hymn again in assembly and I always got a panic attack. I would go burning hot and think I was going to pass out. I haven’t the faintest idea what originally triggered them.
In later life I’ve had them when flying. And yes it’s slow breathing that helps me. I have them less now.
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I had a panic attack some years ago when I was drivivg a Transit van. I have no idea what caused it but at the time I felt I was dying. I drove about half a mile to Safeway’s carpark and when I stopped I couldn’t leave go of the steering wheel. My hands had to be pulled off by someone who came to help. My wife called for an ambulance and they got there in minutes and gave me oxygen (bad move!).
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I remember you once telling me about this before, alji. *hug* And you’ve never had one since?
Why was the oxygen a bad move?
This morning when Nog and I were out shopping I got a whopper of a panic attack and had to take one of my ’emergency tranqs’ that I always carry with me. It’s called Distensan 5 here, not sure if it has the same name elsewhere. A very mild tranq that works almost immediately and simply ‘takes the edge off’ – doesn’t make me feel dopy or sleepy.
My panic attacks take the form of suddenly feeling like everything has become UNREAL and I almost feel myself being ‘pulled’ towards some ‘other place’. It’s like I’ve lost my sense of being grounded in this world and there’s some other dimension calling to me … totally scares the fuck out of me. Because to me that ‘other place’ is pure insanity, not anywhere I want to go to, obviously.
Of course I recognised the physical reaction to this – sweaty palms and feet, shortness of breath, feeling like I have no skin. And with the help of the tranq and breathing and talking talking talking to Nog (and this really scares him when it happens, which frankly doesn’t help) I was finally able to feel connected to the world once again. But for about half an hour I was pretty much convinced I was about to lose my mind.
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The breathing thing…
It’s to do with the role of CO2 in regulating breathing. You need CO2 to trigger the sensors in the lungs which kick you back into a controlled breathing pattern.
The ‘breathe out’ reflex is triggered by CO2 build up. When you’re hyperventaling, the low CO2 concentration is telling your body to keep breathing in. Giving O2 means you now have an even lower CO2 concentration.
Breathing can be either reflex or consciously controlled, but when there’s too little CO2, it’s difficult to override the reflex. What’s needed is the traditional method of breathing in and out of a paper bag, progressively upping the CO2.
But that’s me being biological again 😉
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btw – this is also why you can hold your breath for longer while swimming if you breathe out.
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Breathing out also makes you less buoyant.
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All the above makes me count my lucky stars that I don’t have panic attacks. Man, you have my compassion Az, it sounds totally awful and I would hate having to deal with something like that.
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I 2nd what HMH says – again from the perspective of having no direct experience to be able to offer first hand advice.
What Edward says re the paper bag thing is something I have heard good things about. As I understand it, one of the symptoms of these attacks (as you describe it, and generally) is this feeling of shortness of breath, this is what starts the hyperventilation cycle going. Strange as it souinds it is CO2 you need to get back into balance in your system then, which breathing heavily won’t help.
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I’ve also heard of the paperbag thing – perhaps I should start carrying one around with me.
I can understand that panic attacks must sound very strange to people who have never experienced them. Even an hour or so after one has passed I have a hard time remembering why it had felt so terrifying.
They were even more terrifying when they first started happening as I thought I was totally going nuts because I had no idea that I wasn’t alone with this problem. So part of the reason for talking publicly about this (which I’ve also done on h2g2) is to help create a bit more awareness, especially for lurkers who might come across these conversations whilst googling and at least feel comforted knowing that it’s not just them.
I also get bouts of tachycardia that are pretty scary. It’s like a switch being thrown and suddenly my heart is going about 150 beats a minute. This first started when I was about 25 (the panic attacks started when I was about 14 – after a very bad acid trip) and they are probably both related to wonky breathing.
And so, just in case there are any lurkers out there reading this conversation, please feel free to join in if you think it might help.
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The paper bag is what doctors would recommend. My own hyperventelation doesn’t tend to get that bad. In fact…if I do start, it’s a handy reminder to calm down.
It takes guts raising these issues that are lumped under ‘mental health’, so bravo you. Panic attacks are very, very common. They often strike people who hadn’t realised they were stressed or depressed, and are often confused with heart attacks as a result.
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Mine started in my early teens, but didn’t have them regularly until a few years ago. Stress, poor diet, depression, they all contribute to the frequency of them. It’s easy to say just stop and breathe, but the thing that brings them on for me is feeling like I’m a spectacle. The panic attacks and my trying to control them confirm that. I prefer some good, strong meds (Xanax makes panic attacks manageable) to cope. And to those who say you risk dependency I say, as long as I have access to the drug, who cares? It’s only a problem if I decide to go live in a Peruvian rainforest where there is no pharmacy. But if I’m living in a rainforest and don’t have to work my stressful job, I have a feeling those panic attacks would disappear.
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hi mac,
I don’t know what Xanax is … my ’emergency’ tranq is apparently a very mild thing and a box of 30 tablets might last anywhere from two months to a year, depending on how I’m feeling and what else I’m doing to feel better.
Also, I can go for months without any sort of panic attacks happening and then suddenly start getting them daily. Unpredictable buggers.
Well… except that there are definite triggers … probably for everyone. And if we don’t pay enough attention then we end up being caught out.
In any case, I like my dependence-threatening-substances to also taste good, so I tend to prefer rioja to pills, but as most of my panic attacks tend to happen in the early morning (and up until mid-afternoon) that isn’t really an option for me … at least not yet! 😉
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The trick for you, maybe – given that you know what your triggers are – might be to identify why they’re triggers, and then try to change the way tou think about them. For example:
Getting panicky in crowds ==>
I think everyone is looking at me ==>
Why do I think everyone is looking at me? ==>
No they’re not ==>
No need to panic.
If it’s rehearsed enough, you can gradually nip the triggers in the bud.
This is the ‘Cognitive Behaviour Therapy’ I’ve mentioned before. It’s the treatment of choice. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/therapies/cognitivebehaviouraltherapy.aspx
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btw…you know that Rioja can contribute towards anxiety, of course – especially if taken as a remedy.
Xanax – I was trying to remember why I’m contra-indicated for it. I’ve looked it up and it says glaucoma, which rings a bell, but it’s not the kind of glaucoma I have. Anyway…I have different meds, and panic attacks aren’t my main problem.
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“btw…you know that Rioja can contribute towards anxiety, of course – especially if taken as a remedy.”
Well, as I said, I don’t actually use rioja as a panic attack remedy as mine tend to happen in the morning/early afternoon.
Though I will agree with you that after an evening of too much rioja – waking up feeling somewhat hungover – that this hungover ‘somewhat unearthly and unattached’ feeling can certainly set off a serious panic attack. NOT good.
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I’m also only ever ‘travel sick’ in the mornings … so if I am going somewhere in a car I always have to sit in the front seat. Buses and trains require one of those tranqs just to calm down the fear … I guess!
But travelling in the evening or at night never makes me feel sick. Weird.
Meanwhile, getting on a plane at any time of day totally terrifies me. If it’s a morning flight I go for the tranq, later in the day I ask for a few mini wines… but I also know this isn’t really necessary.
Many years ago I was taking my then 9-year-old brother to Toronto (from Winnipeg) by plane – 8 o’clock in the morning. He told me he was really scared about flying. I told him there was absolutely nothing to worry about. And somehow, by convincing him I also convinced myself. Or rather, I just knew I didn’t have the ‘option’ to get all scared and panicky because I had to keep Joey from feeling scared.
This gave me a focus apart from my own fears … I had to take care of him. And this experience taught me a lot – that I am actually able to control my fear when I have to.
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I’ve never gotten travel sick on a bus or train, but have in cars. Weird. I can read on the bus or the train- and usually do. I’ve even dozed off a few times. But sometimes, in the car, I’ll get a bit nauseous. And I can never read in the car on long road trips, ever. It always makes me sick.
It’s interesting that you were able to control your fear when you had to. I find I am, too, if I can focus on controlling the fear. I’m fearful when I have to be out alone at night- due largely in part to a really bad thing that once happened to me when I was on my way home from work alone at night- especially if I have to walk past an open gangway or something. But I am able to control it to some extent.
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Being fearful about being out alone at night is quite a reasonable fear. I was once mugged in the street rather violently – and I was with my boyfriend at the time. It really shook me up.
These days when I go out at night I leave all credit cards, ID, etc at home, and just take out enough money with a little extra to give someone in case I get robbed – apparently they tend to get rather angry if you don’t have anything to give them.
And I always carry my housekeys in an inner jacket pocket or else (in summer) stuck in my bra – just so if someone grabs my bag off me they don’t get my keys as well.
Meanwhile, I should also take similar precautions when walking around during the day … I know lots of people who have been robbed at knifepoint in broad daylight in a busy street.
But to me this isn’t a FEAR thing, it’s basic common sense and being practical if you are aware of how things are where you live.
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This looks very interesting.
Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive
Coming up this Tuesday. I wonder if anyone out there might like to make a copy for Nog and me. 🙂
More info about the documentary here
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Well dang! Turns out this Tuesday’s programme is the second part of the two-part series. Better than nuthin, though!
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I watched ‘The Life and Death of Peter Sellers’ last week. What a depressing film.
Stephen Fry played Maurice Woodruff his personal astrologer.
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It turns out that a lot of comediens were (are) bipolar or otherwise seriously depressed.
Spike Milligan, Tony Hancock, Woody Allen and perhaps Andy Kaufman (but maybe he was just totally weird!). And our dear Stephen.
Could be because humour can sometimes work as an ‘antidote’ against depression, so developing that part of you could certainly help at times, to a certain extent. Just a personal theory – please rip it to shreds if you want to. 🙂
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ps
alji, what’s your atavar all about – were you Chris Isaak in a former life? 😉
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It’s me when I was seventeen(my inner age), my outer age is more like seventy-one than sixty.
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Wow! You were almost as cute at 17 as you were when you were 3! 🙂
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So, did anyone happen to see the second part of the Stephen Fry programme on depression (see comment 22)?
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Yea! (Yes az) My daughter found it very depressing. BTW it wasn’t on BBC Two Wales so my wife was miffed because she was missing a programme that she wanted to see.
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Hi everyone, i have suffered from panic attacks for a a bout a year now.
im 13 and i really dont know what to do!!! I dont know why but in year 8 i was sitting in assembly and i started to shake and feel real uncomfortable, i thought i was going to die or have a heart attack and faint… now i dread going to assembly they are getting worse and my mom and dad won’t listen to me!!!
They say im over exagerating.. I really feel like im going to die.. PLEASEEE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! PLEEEEASE
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hi charl,
I suggest that if your parents won’t listen to you that you find someone who will – perhaps a teacher or councellor? Is there a helpline you could call? It’s important to be able to talk to someone about how you’re feeling and know that you’re not alone with those feelings and that there are many different ways of coping with them.
Most importantly, remember to breathe!
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And remember – you may have felt like you were going to die – BUT – you didn’t, and you won’t.
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Yeah, I often find it helps to remind myself of that, Johnny. That I’ve been through it before and no matter how bad it felt it always passed and I was okay afterwards.
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I’m glad my comment didn’t sound facetious!
As a non-sufferer (thank goodness) – its easy to feel/sound a bit condescending when giving advice on this sort of thing.
I heard a Dr. give that nugget on a radio programme – and it sounded worth remembering – in so far as you can respond to logic when in the grip of an attack.
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okay. thanks for the advice people, but its only in assembly,i think its coz thers alot of people. can any of you tell me easy things i can do to calm me down, like breathe slowly.. anything else..? Thanks x
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It’s pretty usual for panic attacks to occur in places that have a lot of people in them, or in large outdoor areas.
For me a change in lighting or sound (the din of lots of people talking) can set it off. I try to think of something else, talk to someone next to me, make a phone call, even send a text message on my mobile – basically ‘distraction therapy’. Because the moment will pass and I’ve found it helps a lot to focus on something else and not fall into the scary stuff.
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thanks ill bear that in mind.. someone said before you tap your hand or something is that true? is there anything else like that which can help me overcome my panic attacks?
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Another tip I have heard which apparantly helps some people (it was discussed in a TV prog on the fear of flying) is:
1) Think carefully and decide what situation/place etc you are happiest and most comfortable in.
2) Concentrate on that situation and imagine yourself in it and try (wherever you are) to get yourself into the mindset that you would be in if you really were there.
3) Pinch your earlobe – hard! This should help you set a sort of emotional trigger to that feeling.
4) Now when you are in the stressful situation, and feel the tension building, pinch your earlobe (the same one) again. This should “fire” that trigger and help stop the symptoms.
I have no direct experience, but for the people on the prog it seemed to help.
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hiya i just want to let everyone know that i told my mom, this time she listened. she took me to the doctors which refferred me to the school councillor. she help me alot. we then told the head of year.. and now in Every assembly i sit on a chair by a door at the back and i dont have panic attacks as much now! I feel so much better!! i 100% know that TELLING SOMEONE is the best thing you can do!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for support people x x x
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hi charl,
I’m so glad to hear your mother listened this time round – good for you that you didn’t give up! And it makes sense to me that sitting at the back of assembly near the door would be more comfortable. Again, it’s great that the councellor was able to help.
You know, it’s not easy to tell people about this stuff and I think you were rather brave to do so, especially as it didn’t work so great the first time. I’m very pleased that we were able to help you out a bit here … it’s always a good idea to reach out when you need a hand.
I’ve been suffering a bit less from panic attacks lately – I think mostly due to getting more sleep and feeling a bit healthier in general. Next week I’m going back to my yoga classes, which should help even more.
Anyhow, keep in touch and let us know how you’re doing. *hug*
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Good news! 🙂
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The upside of the internet. Whatever your problem there’s someone out there who you can talk to. Glad things have improved for you.
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Hiya =] assembly went well on friday but its monday tommorow. im really scared agen. well atleast i can sit at the side now. however, my heart still races when i think about going to assembly with all them people. =[ i just hope i get over it completely soon, im only 13 =[. Thanks again for the support everyone x x much luv x Charl x
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oh by the way — the big ones are on monday
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Breathing techniques worked well for me. I have taken back control over my anxiety attacks by following the Linden Method. As a sufferer I’m not completely cured yet, but by using breathing techniques and the Linden Method I can now cope with my anxiety and panic attacks.
If you’re interested you can learn more at: http://www.linden-method-review.bjm-web.com
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Thanks having just read the info on the website I know that I’m not going mad, I was attacked in work and now have to go back there, I get very scared and frightened and my mind goes west – yeah can’t listen to logic at that time if only, I do the breathing slow it down and concentrate on each breath it does make you feel better and you do survive the panic attack, but I really wish it would go away – this attack on me has left me in a terrible mess, and I really want to feel ok.
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It’s good to hear that people are getting help with this. And yes, breathing and focusing does seem to be the key. Also, it helps knowing you’re not alone.
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Hi guys just want to hear your view on what im courrently going through at the moment. Firstly as a panic attack sufferer its been reeally helpful reading the posts on this site, it really does help to know that I’m not going crazy! I first got panic attacks when I moved country at the age of 10, for unknown reasons, I guess at that age I hadn’t developed any intelectual thinking.
Years passed and I seemed to pinpoint it to claustrophobia and therefore wasnt scared of it on a day to day basis. I am now 20 years old and recently was abit ill (nothing serious I don’t think) but the illness made me think about ‘things’ WAY too much (many of you will relate to this). This made me worry about things such as “what if I’m Ill forever?” or “what if I can’t carry on at university or work” .. soon this lead to many ‘What if” questios which I know are totally unreasonable and stupid but they make me panic. the ultimate question I ask myself and which turns it into a complete vicious circle is “what if I can’t ever stop thinking about it?”. Of course what u do when u shouldnt think about somehting is.. think about it and therefore I think about it all the time.
After my rather long rant (thats for getting this far!) what I’m asking for is your opinion on this completely irrational way of thought that is driving me nuts. I can’t stop thinking about it and that’s what makes it worse and it making me depressed.
Thanks again george
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Hi GeorgeC and welcome.
‘What ifs’ can be quite debilitating if you focus on negative ones all the time. I mean, you may as well think – ‘what if everything goes great today!’, in terms of how ‘what ifs’ turn out to ever become real. Things may not turn out great, but have you lost anything for thinking they might have? Meanwhile, accentuating the negative will only make you feel badly in the long run.
And okay, I’m a fine one to talk as I wake up every morning with my ‘danger radar’ going full blast and wondering about all the possible pitfalls that may happen that very day. In fact, I often do this at 4 in the morning, which is most annoying.
Perhaps one way to put your mind at rest is to ask yourself what you are *really* afraid of, you know? Änd then ask yourself what would be the possible worst outcome in a given situation and then ask yourself how you would cope with it.
That way you might find options that you are capable of doing, so that the idea of ‘something’ happening may not feel quite so scary to you.
I’m a real fan of ‘distraction therapy’ as I think it can work wonders. So if you find yourself spiralling downwards you might think – well, those guys on the panic attack thread had some interesting things to say. Or you might remember something that has made you laugh recently, or has made you feel good. And remember that irrational thoughts are only just thoughts and really have nothing to do with who you actually are and what you are capable of doing.
Anyhow, nice to meet you and please feel free to chat with us here anytime you’d like to.
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hi. i am 14 and have exactly the same thing as charl. nothing works for me though and i feel embarassed to tell anyone. what shall i do?x
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hi people, havnt been on this for a while. my panic attacks are still there, i try breathing, thinking positive and knowing people will understand, which helps alot. but its still left a scar as im only 13 and have always been kinda confident. However my panic attacks are getting worse everyday because my mom and dad always moan i dont go out with my friends, but when i do i get panick attacks ( such as the cinema ) and i cant cope, i wont go out, my dad said im a waste of space with no life and im lonely. the only things that are helping me at the moment are breathing and trying to think positive.
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I’ve ben wondering how to respond to this without saying the same old things over again.
I did feel that it was important to repsond though, as I’m sure Az will, if only to re-assure you that you are not alone, people do care, and as I said before, no matter how bad these attacks are, you haven’t died and you won’t.
One of the things I have learnt over the years, is that it is important to deal with things, and not let them build up. You will find that making a decision to deal with something almost always helps to start you feeling better about it.
So maybe you could choose one of the things which troubles you, and which you can do something about. Would one or two of your closer friends understand? They could then be with you and help you through a situation that YOU have chosen and YOU can control. Once you’ve done it once, you should find that it gets easier.
I think it is important to realise that you shouldn’t let these situations rule your life by making you avoid them – you can empower yourself ny knowing that you can deal with them.
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hi again charl (waves to Johnny),
You mentioned before that you had spoken to your mother and she took you to see a doctor. As the panic attacks are getting worse can you not ask to go again? There might be some sort of support group you could join, which could help you a lot.
I think it’s hard sometimes for people who have never had a panic attack to understand and be sympathetic, let alone be helpful.
Have you talked to your friends about this? It might help if when you go to the cinema you can sit near the exit, if that makes you feel more comfortable. And sometimes it helps if you can ask for a hug or just to hold someone’s hand for awhile as you calmly breathe – I find that touching someone helps me feel more ‘grounded’.
Basically it’s trial and error (or success) in finding which techniques work best for you. And as Johnny said, always remember that no matter how scared you are feeling that it will pass and that nothing bad is going to happen to you.
The trick is to find ways to either shorten or prevent the attacks, rather than just avoid situations where you feel threatened.
But I would see the doctor again and ask about getting help – it’s a really hard thing to work through on your own.
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As a sufferer myself I can relate to all that you have said in your article. I’m sure it will be of benefit to many others. I hope all sufferers will get the right treatments and help that they need. Thank you.
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