Panic attacks - hit me with your best techniques for dealing with them

[PoohBearsHole]

Over the past couple years (+) I’ve suffered from occasional panic attacks. Those heart racing, tingly fingers, feeling faint about to pass out panic attacks. Followed by extreme tiredness. I know they’re panic attacks, this has been diagnosed!

However they’ve never been often enough for treatment.

Just had a mega one, whilst driving. This seems to be the crux point 😩. Usually road works/ close lorries set them off 🤬. I travel a lot for work so this is a major issue for me when they hit.

So techniques would be handy. Believe me when I feel one coming I pull over, stop. Attempt to relax, restart my journey on a minor road and carry on. As I say infrequent but the last one hit me for 6 and I re-evaluated my day and came straight home via A roads (I’m fine on these 🙄).

TIA

Have a look at Bach flower remedies.
I find these helpful in alleviating extreme anxiety, menopause related, I think.
Bach Rescue Remedy might be worth a try ( Boots, health stores, supermarkets).

Name it.

So when you can feel the waves coming or the very first signs call it out eg

‘Oh fuck of Brenda not today!’

Sounds really bizarre but really helps me disengage or deal with it quicker and stop it from enveloping me.

Also if I can and I feel one coming on I go out for a power walk. I think I burn the nervous energy off.

It's a cliche but breathing into a paper bag has done absolute marvels for my DC (and me at times). We have bags everywhere car, handbags, kitchen, bedrooms, and if they feel one coming on it's 5 good breaths in and out of the bag then one of normal air/repeat until good. It's perfect science as it reduces the CO2 in your bloodstream which is what the panic attack has increased and that makes you feel more anxious and on and on and on until you are in a tizz. My DC has 90% less panic attacks now just because they know they have that strategy to hand. I've used it too and it's truly miraculous.

I think having some coping techniques is a greag idea, but really getting to the bottom of the reason why you have them will be the only way to truly get rid of them. Have you had a bad crash or a near miss or anything like that which couldve set them off? Would a few lessons or motorway lessons help maybe with an understanding instructor who knows about the panic. Just to boost confidence in your driving and make you feel less anxious about being on busy roads with lorries etc.

Outside of that I used to find certain music would be good to distract me, having a small snack in the door to pop in my mouth, like a mint or pear drop type thing, or could you ring your mum or someone on bluetooth/speakerphone.
Some cbt sessions are expensive but a really good way of getting through anxiety

breathe in slowly saying to yourself.
1 elephant, two elephants, three elephants, four elephants, five elephants.

Then breathe out saying one elephant, two elephants, three elephants, four elephants, five elephants.

Not for an acute situation, like driving, but for general peace of mind, I think regular yoga has helped me, especially the restorative classes, named on the timetable at my local studio as" Yoga for Stress and Anxiety".

Acknowledging the panic attack for what it is, you aren’t going to die or wet yourself, or throw up. It’s a boring old panic attack and you don’t need to give it the attention it wants. This does take practice and you have to make it go away on the first tingles. Don’t let it overpower you.

Tapping. So tap a part of your body really fast. This takes your mind off the panic because you can’t concentrate on both things.

Grounding, 5 things I can see, 4 things I can touch, 3 things I can smell, 2 things I can smell, 1 thing I can taste.

Good luck. They are truly annoying and given attention they can take over.

I have an app called Stop Panic and Anxiety. It has a relaxation listening tool like talks you through a panic attack helping you to accept that you will be ok.

I used to get terrible panics while commuting on a packed train to work, this app really helped me not to jump off at the next avaliable station!

Have a look at mindfulness too.

Try to do a running commentary on what is happening, kind of sports commentator style

Here comes the big lorry, let's see if she can squeeze through the gap without panicing. Well now her heart rate is increasing, oh and here comes the catastrophic thinking. She seems to still be in control, she is using her deep breathing techniques, now she has made it through heart rate is decreasing etc etc

It's really difficult to have a panic attack while singing.

Another one for acknowledging it. I think over time I became better at noticing the very first twinge of an attack and calling it out more quickly. Before that the whole thing would build and the sense of panic and physiological symptoms feed off one another so I only realised when it became a full blown attack. Noticing the tiniest first twinge I was able to prevent that build up from taking me by surprise.

Talk to your GP and get diazepam

Jeepers I did take diazapam for a long flight once, would not like to do so whilst driving, I was in la la land.

Diazpam isn't ideal for driving - the side effect is drowsiness and the usual blurb on benzodiazapines is not to drive on them.

A daily dose of beta blockers.

I make a cup of tea/coffee whatever - but I count everything I’m doing.
-walk to kettle
-pick up kettle
-walk to sink
-open kettle
-open tap
-fill kettle
-shut tap
-close kettle
-walk back to kettle base
-put kettle on base
-turn kettle on

• walk to shelf

-pick up mug -take mug to counter -put mug down -walk to other shelf to get teapot -take teapot to counter -put teapot down

• open teapot
• go to cupboard

-open cupboard -choose tea

• take tea to counter

-open tea box

• pick up spoon

-put spoon of tea in teapot

• go to fridge

-open fridge -pick up milk -take milk to counter -open milk

• wait for kettle to finish
• pick up kettle
• pour water into teapot

-put kettle back on base -put lid back on teapot

• pour milk into mug
• put top back on milk

-take milk back to fridge -open fridge -put milk back

• close fridge

-walk back to counter

• pour tea into mug
• drink the tea

And then I start to calm - I often thing I won’t ever be able to anything when I’m panicking - and yet - just to make a cup of tea - I’ve done nearly 50 things without really having to think.
It helps me calm down - and works with most mundane tasks - I won’t bore you with the list of how I brush my teeth ....

The Beat Panic App is worth a look. I have it on my phone just in case and it looks really good. It basically "guides" you through a panic attack with breathing exercises, affirmations and support.

My DD (15) has panic attacks, although not sure what her triggers are, they seem completely random. She's had them in the car, in the supermarket, even just watching tv at home. Here's some stuff that we've worked out helps:

1. Telling herself she is safe "I am not in danger, I am safe".

1. Placing one hand on her heart and one hand on her stomach to help control and calm her breathing.

1. Similar to what a PP said and saying "oh f*ck off Pam!"

I have suffered for a long time with Panic attacks but now have them mainly under control. What's been most useful is accepting it...it's a quirk of my personality/make-up, it will be a horrible 5/10 minutes every now and then but it WILL pass and after you will be fine. The trick is not to give it power...that's when you spend your time worrying about a potential attack, which makes you anxious and in turn triggered an attack.Not easy I know.

This is very helpful especially the bit about giving your feelings feedback "thanks but you're not needed right now".

These are really helpful, thank you. I truly understand how overwhelming these can be for those who have regular attacks.

I shall name it and have a look at those apps x