Intense crazy freakout anxiety for no reason
 

After a really nice, calm morning, I quite suddenly got a terrible case of anxiety for no reason that I can identify. Like heart pounding, short of breath, claustrophobic, feel like something is going to attack me style anxiety. I don't know what manner of brain chemical clash this is, but it sucks, and I WISH I could have a drink right now. I'm just calling out another trigger that would always make me drink in the past, so I have to find another way to deal now. Anybody relate or have suggestions?

Panic attacks can be really debilitating.

I try and use breathing exercises - belly breathing - and it works to take me down from that 'flight' response.

There are some good tips on this website
What are Panic Attacks? « Calm Clinic

D

I get like that a few times a week. In the first three months- I felt like that almost daily. I started working AA and got a sponsor and now I call her when I feel like that and she talks me down. I also will go outside and take some deep breaths of fresh air and tell myself that I have felt like this before but I always end up okay eventually. Or, screaming into a pillow or doing some push ups to get the extra adrenaline out. Just a few suggestions.

That has happened to me in fact just last week and it hit me out of the blue. I chalk it up to my brain doing repair work from all the past drinking. I'm taking a good multi v and exercising at least a half hour every day. I find it helps a lot. It has always been a major trigger for me as well.

Belly breathing is something I found that works for me. It's so simple and yet, so effective.

What works for me is to get out of the house and start walking briskly. Usually, I'll walk 15 mins down to the grocery store and buy some things. By the time I walk out of the store with my shopping bags, I forgot what I was worried about.

Thanks guys! I always think my emotions are so extreme and beyond what other people experience, but talking about it on here helps me realize that I'm not alone. Maybe around here I'm kind of "normal, " if you believe in such a thing. :) I'm feeling a little better.

:hug:

Awesome double post

Actually this is making me think maybe I believe I'm so overly emotional because I've always been around people who are very closed off, especially when I was little. My husband is very level and logical. I'm the emotional one, but I'm always trying to cover it up. Maybe my barometer is off.

You are not alone with the anxiety/panic attacks. Today is day 21 for me. Yesterday I was fine, today I had a panic/anxiety attack. I just try to keep busy organizing stuff.

I still have anxiety and it's been close to a year. But it was much worse the first 3-6 months. What I find really helps is very little caffeine or none at all if you can do it. And a strict diet of no sugar. That might seem extreme but I think alcoholics have a done a number on their systems which sugar tends to be a sensitivity. Also if you can get those calming teas, they help too. I hope you feel better. Crippling anxiety is terrible. Sending you calming vibes. Oh, and one more thing, there are tons of youtube videos of people who have overcome their anxiety, I find they help too.

I had a similiar thing happen to me at a couple months sober. It seemed like it came out of nowhere. I didn't think I was the "panic attack" variety. It really scared me. I think the breathing thing is really key as Anna and Dee note. I immediately sat down and worked on the breathing..almost instinctively ..and it passed.

So..no, you aren't alone in that sort of startling experience.

Precisely what Cusper said. Caffeine reeks havoc with me!

Yeah, I used to suffer from regular panic attacks a few years ago, and my doc said cut out the caffeine, it does work.

I've had some anxiety in the last few days which I thought was going to turn into panic attacks but because I know what it is, I can talk myself down these days -and as some have said, correct breathing is very effective.

Yoga is effective for anxiety, I find, probably because of the breathing.

You don't seem overly emotional to me, hun, just someone trying to stay sober.

You're never alone, Briar, I expect a lot of us have very similar experiences ((()))

Great link D

You can also try this 3 Anxiety Breathing Techniques You Can Practice Anywhere - Self help for anxiety - @AnxietySlayer