Panic attacks
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CA
Posts: 210
Panic attacks
I have been sober for 4 years. I have always been prone to anxiety and started having panic attacks at the age of 13/14. I went to the doctor and talked to the doctor about them when I was 24. The doctor said I should research them and learn to live with them.
They continue to haunt me in social situations, driving with others, stores, lines, other places for no real reason. Feelings of "I gotta get out of here, I'm going to pass out", mental confusion, fear. I get a few every week.
I have tried meditation, mindfulness, yoga, educating myself, worked the steps. They still return. I'm 34 now and want to go back to the doctor and figure this out. I am fearful of taking medication but welcome the relief. What should I expect from the doctor? What's the process like? Is there relief out there? Anyone's journey/advice would help.
They continue to haunt me in social situations, driving with others, stores, lines, other places for no real reason. Feelings of "I gotta get out of here, I'm going to pass out", mental confusion, fear. I get a few every week.
I have tried meditation, mindfulness, yoga, educating myself, worked the steps. They still return. I'm 34 now and want to go back to the doctor and figure this out. I am fearful of taking medication but welcome the relief. What should I expect from the doctor? What's the process like? Is there relief out there? Anyone's journey/advice would help.
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
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I don't know that I'd agree with "research them and learn to live with them", but I'm not a doctor. If it were my case I'd seek out other opinions.
Personal experience, I had panic attacks in early sobriety. I was prescribed SSRI's and counseling to help with them, but what helped the most was AA meetings and being around other people. I found that the company of friends eased my anxiety and panic.
Personal experience, I had panic attacks in early sobriety. I was prescribed SSRI's and counseling to help with them, but what helped the most was AA meetings and being around other people. I found that the company of friends eased my anxiety and panic.
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 105
The way that I stopped having panic attacks is easy to say but not easy to do, I think. It's sort of like explaining how to ride a bicycle, you just suddenly start riding, you don't really figure anything out.
One part was recognizing that a large part of anxiety is a physical sensation. If you get goose bumps, you aren't (most people aren't) thinking something to make them happen. The way I think of goose bumps is like they are something external happening. I think "oh look, goosebumps".
Another part was deciding that it is fine and dandy to have panic attacks. The result was that I felt as though it was okay to have panic attacks. As a result I didn't panic.
But, I think that is very different from thinking "in order to stop my panic attacks I will try to decide that they are okay...".
I certainly don't think anyone should "learn to live with them".
One part was recognizing that a large part of anxiety is a physical sensation. If you get goose bumps, you aren't (most people aren't) thinking something to make them happen. The way I think of goose bumps is like they are something external happening. I think "oh look, goosebumps".
Another part was deciding that it is fine and dandy to have panic attacks. The result was that I felt as though it was okay to have panic attacks. As a result I didn't panic.
But, I think that is very different from thinking "in order to stop my panic attacks I will try to decide that they are okay...".
I certainly don't think anyone should "learn to live with them".
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
I just started dealing with my anxiety and panic about 3 months ago with a therapist. I've most likely had it my whole life but used alcohol to mask it.
As far as what to expect, I think that depends a lot on what kind of therapist/doctor you see. I personally wanted to at least attempt a non-medication based solution at first. A GP wanted to start me on a SSRI right away before I saw a therapist, so I found a therapist that works at an office that does both "regular" therapy as well as medicine based. He agreed that we could try standard talk therapy first and it has been working pretty well.
My strategy so far has been part mindfulness/meditation and talk therapy. Kind of similar to Bob I now try to view physical body sensations ( which cause most of my panic/anxiety ) simply for what they are....just normal things that my body does - rather than precursors to some made-up medical issue.
I still have waves of good and bad, but the good periods are getting longer. I think finding a good match for a therapist is the key, hope you can do so if that's the route you choose.
As far as what to expect, I think that depends a lot on what kind of therapist/doctor you see. I personally wanted to at least attempt a non-medication based solution at first. A GP wanted to start me on a SSRI right away before I saw a therapist, so I found a therapist that works at an office that does both "regular" therapy as well as medicine based. He agreed that we could try standard talk therapy first and it has been working pretty well.
My strategy so far has been part mindfulness/meditation and talk therapy. Kind of similar to Bob I now try to view physical body sensations ( which cause most of my panic/anxiety ) simply for what they are....just normal things that my body does - rather than precursors to some made-up medical issue.
I still have waves of good and bad, but the good periods are getting longer. I think finding a good match for a therapist is the key, hope you can do so if that's the route you choose.
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 4
I've always had an amount of anxiety about various things most of my life, but I didn't start having panic attacks until I was about 28. I had been drinking heavily up to that point and didn't really know what was going on with me when it happened for the first time.
I ended up going to the ER because I couldn't explain my "heart attack feeling" symptoms. I was really heavy at the time as well, so obviously I thought it could potentially be an issue, even though I was fairly young.
But they ruled out any heart attack type problems and just prescribed me with some narcotic pain killer, which I thought was odd, because they didn't solve my problem at all.
For months after that I suffered random symptoms I couldn't explain and ended up at Urgent Care probably over 5 times trying desperately to just find out what was going on with me. Eventually, after having about every test in the book done (including a Lyme Disease screening), I finally figured out it was just stress/anxiety.
Realizing that helped ease the anxiety of it all, and at the time, briefly, I was sober for a few months, but after taking a job I was really overqualified for and underpaid I started drinking again from the stress.
Move forward years...I'm 35 now, and just about at the beginning of June I had another massive panic attack. That was the first one since my last one, but I haven't been able to shake the anxiety at all this time.
Started my path to sobriety today, so I'm hoping to resolve the anxiety again.
I've found that deep breathing can really help, or even just slapping your cheeks when you feel one coming on can help too, kinda just shakes you out of it. Or, getting a nice hour long walk can really do wonders, but make sure you break a sweat, and get your heart rate up.
When I get sober for a while, I'll share anything I discover after involving anxiety.
I ended up going to the ER because I couldn't explain my "heart attack feeling" symptoms. I was really heavy at the time as well, so obviously I thought it could potentially be an issue, even though I was fairly young.
But they ruled out any heart attack type problems and just prescribed me with some narcotic pain killer, which I thought was odd, because they didn't solve my problem at all.
For months after that I suffered random symptoms I couldn't explain and ended up at Urgent Care probably over 5 times trying desperately to just find out what was going on with me. Eventually, after having about every test in the book done (including a Lyme Disease screening), I finally figured out it was just stress/anxiety.
Realizing that helped ease the anxiety of it all, and at the time, briefly, I was sober for a few months, but after taking a job I was really overqualified for and underpaid I started drinking again from the stress.
Move forward years...I'm 35 now, and just about at the beginning of June I had another massive panic attack. That was the first one since my last one, but I haven't been able to shake the anxiety at all this time.
Started my path to sobriety today, so I'm hoping to resolve the anxiety again.
I've found that deep breathing can really help, or even just slapping your cheeks when you feel one coming on can help too, kinda just shakes you out of it. Or, getting a nice hour long walk can really do wonders, but make sure you break a sweat, and get your heart rate up.
When I get sober for a while, I'll share anything I discover after involving anxiety.
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: DFW area, Texas
Posts: 521
This is a great thread. I also started with bad anxiety and panic at age 12 or 13. I never took any "medication" until alcohol and caffeine got into my life in my early- to mid-20's. Fast forward to shortly after my 41st birthday and massive and unrelenting panic sat in. I've come to realize that it was there all the time, just was able to mask it with booze and caffeine. Happy to say I've been sober for 9 months and that has helped tremendously, however my next battle is caffeine...I keep reading that it amps up anxiety (especially when it starts to wear off).
I have been on Lexapro and Buspar since late last year and it has helped a lot. So has being able to sleep through the night, when wasn't happening when the panic was raging.
Long story short, I agree with others here that facing the anxiety/panic and realizing it's just a temporary discomfort is a huge help. It does take practice and patience, and is hard as hell at first, but pays off later on. While I still have anxiety attacks, my mind doesn't get out in space like it used to.
Hang in there and stay strong!
I have been on Lexapro and Buspar since late last year and it has helped a lot. So has being able to sleep through the night, when wasn't happening when the panic was raging.
Long story short, I agree with others here that facing the anxiety/panic and realizing it's just a temporary discomfort is a huge help. It does take practice and patience, and is hard as hell at first, but pays off later on. While I still have anxiety attacks, my mind doesn't get out in space like it used to.
Hang in there and stay strong!
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Hi Jsober ive recently started therapy and ive been on a anti d for anxiety and depression for around 4 months now and im hoping to talk med options with my therapist
I listen to binaural beats and i meditate but for me the best thing for a panic attack is belly breathing exercises controlling and exercising your breath really helps i also have an asthma pump to help
My anxiety has been with me since childhood
I listen to binaural beats and i meditate but for me the best thing for a panic attack is belly breathing exercises controlling and exercising your breath really helps i also have an asthma pump to help
My anxiety has been with me since childhood
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