Welcome to SR, Xelaney! I'm glad you found SR. Five years ago I had no concept of what a panic attack was. But I learned the hard way when I quit drinking. It seems that for many years I didn't really fall asleep so much as just drank til I passed out. So when I turned out the lights and went to bed I suddenly felt I couldn't breathe- if felt like I was buried alive. For me it was a combination of withdrawals and just not knowing how to function sober.
Not medical advice, but I just had to get up and do something to relax. As corny as it sounds, just breath. In through your nose, count to five, out through your mouth. Rise and fall, the steady rhythm of your breath. If it strikes when you lie down, sit up. Read for a bit, have a drink (no booze, nothing with caffeine, just something like to sip). Turn on a light.
Try to take some pressure off yourself. You don't need to fix your life, you just need to fix this moment. It will pass. Turn this moment over in your mind. Acknowledge your feelings but accept that it's temporary.
Does this help at all?
