Panic attack - please talk to me

[Frogsandsheep]

Another night, another panic attack!
I’m exhausted.
Please say hello and help me feel less lonely.

Hi there.

Is there a trigger for your attacks OP

Hello, been there and bought the t-shirt. If you're still having an attack there's a great recorded message at the No Panic website which is very effective at bringing things down.

Hello

Hello Frogsandsheep

I just wake up having them. My body is panicking before my brain knows why.

I have a phobia and i think these night time panic attacks (which are fairly hew) stem from that but also generally anxious at the moment too and have recently been bereaved.

Also I had ptsd and it feels a bit like that again which is upsetting as I thought that had gone away.

Hello everyone

This is helping - thank you x

@Auldspinster thank you

hi frog, i’m going through same as you, try this insighttimer.com/blog/54321-grounding-technique/

usually helps me

sorry for your loss

I recommend putting a few drops of neroli oil on your wrists before bed and having a good sniff. Apparently it is more effective than Prozac!

Now I need to get back to sleep! Hope you feel better

Waves to @Frogsandsheep how are you feeling now?

Did you know your panic attack can be caused by something that briefly crossed your mind many minutes before? When I used to have them really badly I made it my mission to find out as much as I could about them (to my intelligence level!!) so I could get some control back but the best advice I found was to let them happen and try not to fight it, it's a bit of a skill but it worked for me.

Hope you manage to get some rest now, they are exhausting aren't they?

Hello, long term sufferer here too, on and off. Hope you are ok. Have you any grounding techniques ?. Square counting your breaths or focus on five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell and one taste (water here or juicy fruit if poss).

Hi OP hope you're ok and are resting now. Panic attacks are awful. I've had them with absolutely no triggers. I came on MN once when I was in the middle of one, it just wasn't stopping. Someone recommended the 'breathing triangle' on Youtube, it's really good.

Also 'grounding' - that's the 'name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear' etc. Basically - ANYTHING to focus on when you're brain is in survival mode.

Like another PP has said, read up on panic attacks. Knowledge is power and whilst it may not stop them happening, it can help in feeling less 'in control' when having one if you understand the physiology of what's happening (I know this may not sound right as when you're in the midst if one, the last thing you feel is in control!)

Hi OP- hope you’ve managed to get back to sleep. I can relate as I had panic attacks at all times of the day and night after a loved one died. I can also recommend the No Panic website and forum- it got me through some very dark times.

I know it’s not much comfort just now but they will pass and things will get better. Don’t worry about trying to control them, I found they slowly started to improve when I just accepted they were happening and didn’t try and fight them. Be very gentle with yourself, you must be going through a lot and this is your minds way of saying that you need a rest.

Samaritans on 116 123 are lovely people and always there at any time of the night or day if you need someone to talk to- they aren’t just for people who are suicidal, it’s a free service for anyone who needs it and they will give you time to just talk about how you’re feeling even if it’s 2am.

Good luck OP, hope things get better for you really soon x

I have found dr claire weekes very helpful.
she advises a 4 step approach
face it, accept it, float through it, let time pass. of these acceptance is vital. ..your body tenses wants to fight it.,but that makes it worse....accept and your body can relax,

I suffered for many years....and night time ones are the worst. ..but there is hope! Please look her up on amazon. hope you feel better today

Thank you all so much for the kindness and the advice.

It’s interesting that the bereavement wasn’t someone I was really close to but it’s really affected me because it’s triggered a terrible loss from years ago.

The phobia is just shit and I can see no hope there. I know that once I wake up unable to breath, it’s that particular fear that suddenly consumes me.

I am not particularly consciously worrying about anything and I’m only getting them at night
In a way it was easier with trauma based panic attacks because at least I knew what triggered them and they were connected to my thoughts.

I am not going back to my gp as they were not helpful but may go back to my trauma therapist to work out what might be going on and may ask my gp for propanolol. I have a very demanding job and the disturbed sleep alone makes work harder, not to mention the anxiety!

Thanks again xx

Ps I went back to sleep and slept through until my alarm went off at 7.45

I have an anxious knot in my chest now but the panic has gone. Once I’m up with the dc I’ll feel a lot better (until tonight )

Hope you have a good day OP, glad you got back to sleep!

Just wanted to say I can relate as my GP was absolutely rubbish as well, his advice was to watch TV as much as possible to distract my mind
Literally the only thing I could watch for some reason that didn’t trigger a panic attack was property renovation programmes so watched a lot of those in the early hours .

My panic attacks also seemed completely random and so I know where you’re coming from with that, I was convinced they were happening due to faulty hormones. When I look back I was going through quite a lot but I couldn’t see it at the time as there wasn’t a single trauma (apart from the bereavement) I could hang them on.