anxiety (panic attack)
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
anxiety (panic attack)
Day twenty,,,,,i had to go to the doctor today!!!! As soon as i got out of bed,,,,omg!!!! Had a panic attack from hell,,,,felt like my body was shutting down!!!! It was all i could do to make myself go,,,,,but i did!!!! It turned out ok,,,,,i lived!!!! Any advice to try and stop this in the future,,,,please help!!!!
Just a nerd
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 79
There's no hard and fast rule for panic attacks - different things work for different people. Mine turned out to be blood sugar drops, but for others, they can technically be related to other health problems (or none at all).
Some people (especially professionals) will swear up and down that all panic attacks are psychological as well, so it really depends. I can tell you for sure though that there are many causes of panic attacks, and nobody online is going to be able to diagnose you. You're better off seeking professional help to stop them for good.
I went the nutritional route and figured out how to 'cure' mine, but it was a pursuit of trial and error.
Some people (especially professionals) will swear up and down that all panic attacks are psychological as well, so it really depends. I can tell you for sure though that there are many causes of panic attacks, and nobody online is going to be able to diagnose you. You're better off seeking professional help to stop them for good.
I went the nutritional route and figured out how to 'cure' mine, but it was a pursuit of trial and error.
Day twenty,,,,,i had to go to the doctor today!!!! As soon as i got out of bed,,,,omg!!!! Had a panic attack from hell,,,,felt like my body was shutting down!!!! It was all i could do to make myself go,,,,,but i did!!!! It turned out ok,,,,,i lived!!!! Any advice to try and stop this in the future,,,,please help!!!!
W.
Panic attacks and anxiety are common after you stop drinking. For most everyone, they fade away unless there is an underlying anxiety / panic condition, which I've had most of my life...one reason I drank.
My recommendation is to realize when you are having the panic attack that, despite how bad the physical sensations are, you focus on it being your fight or flight response kicking in and that it will pass. There is a good book by Dr. Claire Weekes called, "Hope and Help for your Nerves" that talks about your nervous system and why it can get overly sensitized. While it's geared more for chronic anxiety sufferers, there is some good really information, especially in the first part of the book.
Hang in there!
My recommendation is to realize when you are having the panic attack that, despite how bad the physical sensations are, you focus on it being your fight or flight response kicking in and that it will pass. There is a good book by Dr. Claire Weekes called, "Hope and Help for your Nerves" that talks about your nervous system and why it can get overly sensitized. While it's geared more for chronic anxiety sufferers, there is some good really information, especially in the first part of the book.
Hang in there!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
There's no hard and fast rule for panic attacks - different things work for different people. Mine turned out to be blood sugar drops, but for others, they can technically be related to other health problems (or none at all).
Some people (especially professionals) will swear up and down that all panic attacks are psychological as well, so it really depends. I can tell you for sure though that there are many causes of panic attacks, and nobody online is going to be able to diagnose you. You're better off seeking professional help to stop them for good.
I went the nutritional route and figured out how to 'cure' mine, but it was a pursuit of trial and error.
Some people (especially professionals) will swear up and down that all panic attacks are psychological as well, so it really depends. I can tell you for sure though that there are many causes of panic attacks, and nobody online is going to be able to diagnose you. You're better off seeking professional help to stop them for good.
I went the nutritional route and figured out how to 'cure' mine, but it was a pursuit of trial and error.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
Obviously, stay sober. And if you panic again, try breathing slowly in and out, walk around carefully, ask your doctor for other suggestions, for an anti anxiety prescription perhaps if you are not opposed to such a thing. But in any case, only for a short term, in carefully controlled small amounts with no renewals,requiring the doc's permission for any refill. This was done when I went to rehab 29 years ago and no one appeared to become addicted as a result of that. We can't give medical advice on this SR site so ask your doc and make sure you have a good one, well versed in addictions. Panic attacks are frightening but hang in there and they go away. Good luck.
W.
W.
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
[QUOTE=Soberwolf;6410725]Are you feeling a lil better now ?
Have you tried breathing exercises to help I can send some if you wish[/QUOTE
Started feeling better as soon as the doctor came in it started easing off!!!!! The 4-7-8 did help,,,,thats what gave me the strength to get myself to the doctors office!!!!! Any other advice would be very helpful!!!!! Thank you much!!!!
Have you tried breathing exercises to help I can send some if you wish[/QUOTE
Started feeling better as soon as the doctor came in it started easing off!!!!! The 4-7-8 did help,,,,thats what gave me the strength to get myself to the doctors office!!!!! Any other advice would be very helpful!!!!! Thank you much!!!!
Amen, Daniel Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
I have had panic attacks since childhood. I didn't even know what they'd were for a long time. There are some really good books that have helped me deal with the panic attacks over the years:
Bassett, Lucinda From Panic to Power
Burns, David MD When Panic Attacks
Chodron, Pema The Places That Scare You
Doidge, Norman MD The Brain That Changes Itself
Dyer, Wayne The Power of Intention and Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
Orsilla, Ken Mindful way Through Anxiety
I have had panic attacks since childhood. I didn't even know what they'd were for a long time. There are some really good books that have helped me deal with the panic attacks over the years:
Bassett, Lucinda From Panic to Power
Burns, David MD When Panic Attacks
Chodron, Pema The Places That Scare You
Doidge, Norman MD The Brain That Changes Itself
Dyer, Wayne The Power of Intention and Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
Orsilla, Ken Mindful way Through Anxiety
I too have had issues with panic and below is something that I saved from another thread that comforted me. I hope it offers some hope to you too
I was agoraphobic for the last 4 years of my drinking. It took me about 2 years sober to fully recover. At the time I got sober medication wasn't the go to remedy, and I'm grateful for that. Had I been medicated that would have merely treated the symptoms. I was interested in healing, and getting to the cause.
Diet had a lot to do with my anxiety and panic. Sugar (and flour) being the number one offender... alcohol, while I was still drinking. I'm learning that many other things also contribute to anxiety and depression including vitamin D levels, amount of omega 3s in our diet, water (I was living in a constant state of dehydration for years) topping the list. What we feed our bodies contributes much more to our mental health than most people think or want to believe.
One of the most important things I had to learn to do however in order to overcome the agoraphobia, was to become unafraid of the panic. I know, easier said than done. I had to first realize I wasn't going to die or go insane, and then learn to walk through both the attacks, and the things that set them off. Prayer helped a lot, as did consciously getting 1 extra thought into my brain when the panic presented itself. I was told that any thought outside of the panic would be enough to give me what I needed to walk through it. Often times that thought was just counting, or praying. Becoming conscious of my breathing worked too, along with learning some simple breathing exercises. Point was that 100% my mental focus was no longer on the attack. Even 2% going to something else would make it more tolerable. It took practice, and a lot of uncomfortably doing that, but over time, it absolutely worked. Wasn't a quick immediate cure, but a cumulative one.
I actually remember one truly defining moment for me. I was a little over a year into recovery, and doing great. Even enrolled in a college course. One evening I had a full blown attack in the classroom. I applied the above, which got me through it, but my defining moment was the next day when I had to go back to school for some other thing. I had to pass the classroom where I had my attack in order to get to the office I needed to get to, and I instinctively started to reroute myself. The thought of passing that room kicked up anxiety. I stopped, rethought, and kind of committed to myself that I'd never again let panic deter me. I walked passed the classroom, felt the anxiety, and was fine afterwards. Took me a year to get to that point, and some practice still afterwards to fully recover, but 29 panic free years after I can say it was completely worth it. I went from being a guy who couldn't walk to the corner store without being drugged, to one who has flown to many parts of world, and traveled the US extensively. I never even dreamed of doing any of that. Didn't want to.
There is lots of info here and on the internet on ways of holistically addressing anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia. I'd advise you to be kind and patient with yourself. And keep a very open mind.
Diet had a lot to do with my anxiety and panic. Sugar (and flour) being the number one offender... alcohol, while I was still drinking. I'm learning that many other things also contribute to anxiety and depression including vitamin D levels, amount of omega 3s in our diet, water (I was living in a constant state of dehydration for years) topping the list. What we feed our bodies contributes much more to our mental health than most people think or want to believe.
One of the most important things I had to learn to do however in order to overcome the agoraphobia, was to become unafraid of the panic. I know, easier said than done. I had to first realize I wasn't going to die or go insane, and then learn to walk through both the attacks, and the things that set them off. Prayer helped a lot, as did consciously getting 1 extra thought into my brain when the panic presented itself. I was told that any thought outside of the panic would be enough to give me what I needed to walk through it. Often times that thought was just counting, or praying. Becoming conscious of my breathing worked too, along with learning some simple breathing exercises. Point was that 100% my mental focus was no longer on the attack. Even 2% going to something else would make it more tolerable. It took practice, and a lot of uncomfortably doing that, but over time, it absolutely worked. Wasn't a quick immediate cure, but a cumulative one.
I actually remember one truly defining moment for me. I was a little over a year into recovery, and doing great. Even enrolled in a college course. One evening I had a full blown attack in the classroom. I applied the above, which got me through it, but my defining moment was the next day when I had to go back to school for some other thing. I had to pass the classroom where I had my attack in order to get to the office I needed to get to, and I instinctively started to reroute myself. The thought of passing that room kicked up anxiety. I stopped, rethought, and kind of committed to myself that I'd never again let panic deter me. I walked passed the classroom, felt the anxiety, and was fine afterwards. Took me a year to get to that point, and some practice still afterwards to fully recover, but 29 panic free years after I can say it was completely worth it. I went from being a guy who couldn't walk to the corner store without being drugged, to one who has flown to many parts of world, and traveled the US extensively. I never even dreamed of doing any of that. Didn't want to.
There is lots of info here and on the internet on ways of holistically addressing anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia. I'd advise you to be kind and patient with yourself. And keep a very open mind.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
Panic attacks and anxiety are common after you stop drinking. For most everyone, they fade away unless there is an underlying anxiety / panic condition, which I've had most of my life...one reason I drank.
My recommendation is to realize when you are having the panic attack that, despite how bad the physical sensations are, you focus on it being your fight or flight response kicking in and that it will pass. There is a good book by Dr. Claire Weekes called, "Hope and Help for your Nerves" that talks about your nervous system and why it can get overly sensitized. While it's geared more for chronic anxiety sufferers, there is some good really information, especially in the first part of the book.
Hang in there!
My recommendation is to realize when you are having the panic attack that, despite how bad the physical sensations are, you focus on it being your fight or flight response kicking in and that it will pass. There is a good book by Dr. Claire Weekes called, "Hope and Help for your Nerves" that talks about your nervous system and why it can get overly sensitized. While it's geared more for chronic anxiety sufferers, there is some good really information, especially in the first part of the book.
Hang in there!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 24
I would get them during hang over a lot. Now after 6 months sober, I don't get them anymore. They can still possibly happen but not very often if at all and I have to be in a very stressful moment and even then I pull myself together easy and quick. Being sober is great for the brain and nerves
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