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Original poster

If you suffer with panic attacks what helps you in the moment ?

48 replies

LovelyYellowLabrador · 09/04/2022 22:50

What can anyone around you friends/family so you or say to help you in that moment ?

Do you find being told to breathe helpful or not

What helps what doenst help ?

OP posts:

ImplementingTheDennisSystem · 09/04/2022 23:54

Describing something in detail. So "wow I love that vase. Such a pretty colour and I love the conical shape. I think its made of porcelain. I wonder where it was made - let's look underneath and have a look for a stamp"...anything to cause a distraction and break the panic.

Dazedandconfused170 · 10/04/2022 00:01

I would always have to remove myself from wherever I was having a panic attack but also what I found helpful was to think of/find 5 things I can see, 4 things I can touch/feel, 3 things I can hear, 2 things I can smell and 1 thing I can taste

It’s a good distraction technique from the panicked feelings but also gave me something else to focus on

Butterbeer4All · 10/04/2022 00:02

My DD has panic attacks. Hoping some of these suggestions will help her.

CockSpadget · 10/04/2022 00:06

Had panic attacks since my early teens, and they use to scare the shit out of me, so I learnt about the science behind them, and why they cause the symptoms that they do, which are basically all down the surge of adrenaline. So now when I have a PA I remind myself of this, and that my heart isn't pounding because I'm having a heart attack, or that I'm not dizzy because there's something wrong with my brain and I'm going to pass out, or that I'm not unable to breath properly because of a serious reason etc. I also tell myself I've got a 100% track record of coming out of a panic attack without harm, so just ride it out, let the adrenaline wear off and I'll be ok.

LoveSpringDaffs · 10/04/2022 00:18

Anyone saying breathe would likely get told to fuck off.

If there is someone there that I trust, feel safe with & comfortable with, then a bare hug. Being held and hearing their heart beat is calming.

Going outside (even just standing in the doorway)

Engaging with the concept that it's just anxiety/panic, it's just a feeling, it can't actually hurt me.

Rabbiting on at me about inane things wouldn't NOT HELP me At All.

CrowAndABut · 10/04/2022 00:22

@ClumpingBambooIsALie mine can last for hours or days.

Mine aren't anxiety. I have panic disorder. I panic about having panic attacks.

mariebaby3 · 10/04/2022 00:31

Have them often:

propranolol
fresh air as I often feel like I’m suffocating
I don’t like being full on hugged, but I do like when DH comes and sits next to me; puts his arms around me or holds my hands and just calmly shushes me or whispers for me to breathe and tells me it’s okay. I find talking out loud and lots of talking very overwhelming mid attack.

mariebaby3 · 10/04/2022 00:34

When I say breathe, what I mean is guiding me through breathing to help me steady myself. Not just ‘come on now, breathe’ - that’s unhelpful.

AllLopsided · 10/04/2022 00:42

@ClumpingBambooIsALie the sublingual lorazepam doesn't really taste of anything much. It's not minty or strong tasting in any way.

Yes fresh air is a good one, especially if it's cold!

Knowing what some of my triggers are helps, even if I can't avoid them - one is lack of sleep and another is being away from home so combining the two is never good - it's the kind of thing that leads to being up all night with anxiety and nausea, thus perpetuating the cycle...

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 10/04/2022 00:45

Crow — sure, that happens for some people, sometimes like waves of repeating panic attacks with no let-up. I've been careful to say every time that a few people do have panic attacks that last longer. But it's much more usual to have panic attacks that are short enough that diazepam won't work quickly enough. I think that it's useful for people who aren't familiar with panic attacks or diazepam to know that a) if it lasts longer than 20 minutes it might be a different type of mental health problem, rather than an unusual type of panic attack, and b) ordinary diazepam tablets don't start working for quite a while. It sounded like OP was a friend or family member of someone who has panic attacks and doesn't know much about them.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 10/04/2022 00:51

I mean, that's partly why panic attacks are such an arse; if your panic attacks are the usual

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 10/04/2022 00:53

Sounds nice Lopsided! I use ordinary lorazepam tablets cause I don't need quick action, but those sound great.

Codswallop20 · 10/04/2022 01:01

Respiratory nurse here. Use a hand fan or electric fan. Position it so the air flow is across the side of your face.

Mindfulness techniques can really work too. Find a rectangle like a window or a TV screen. Breathe in on the short side,breathe out on the long side. This slows and regulates your breathing making it more effective and calms you

Blackmagicqueen · 10/04/2022 01:38

'I went from calling an ambulance many times due to him collapsing and turning blue...

@tiddlywinks2

I don't mean to worry you but are you sure that's a panic attack? It sounds more like a seizure.

tiddlywinks2 · 10/04/2022 12:26

@Blackmagicqueen

'I went from calling an ambulance many times due to him collapsing and turning blue...

@tiddlywinks2

I don't mean to worry you but are you sure that's a panic attack? It sounds more like a seizure.

That was my first reaction. But it was confirmed as severe panic attacks/ anxiety attacks.

Blackmagicqueen · 10/04/2022 19:27

@tiddlywinks2 partial and focal seizures are commonly misdiagnosed as panic attacks as symptoms can cross over and they are difficult to diagnose (gps aren’t specialists in this field and will commonly misdiagnose). If you have any doubts get a gp to refer you to neurology if they haven’t already. I have a relative that this happened to and he was misdiagnosed as having anxiety/severe panic for years until he finally got the correct diagnosis.

tiddlywinks2 · 11/04/2022 14:06

[quote Blackmagicqueen]@tiddlywinks2 partial and focal seizures are commonly misdiagnosed as panic attacks as symptoms can cross over and they are difficult to diagnose (gps aren’t specialists in this field and will commonly misdiagnose). If you have any doubts get a gp to refer you to neurology if they haven’t already. I have a relative that this happened to and he was misdiagnosed as having anxiety/severe panic for years until he finally got the correct diagnosis.[/quote]
Thank you so much for this, it was a concern of mine at the time, I'm epileptic also. When I called the ambulance the first time I thought it was a heart attack, when he was seen in hospital I really pushed for tests as it seemed extreme. He was referred to a cardiologist, once that came back clear I asked to be referred to a neurologist, which again came back clear.

I recorded all attacks he had to take them as evidence, but he was diagnosed with having severe anxiety attacks and panic attacks. Thank you for your post though, it's really lovely that you would advise this

Original poster

LovelyYellowLabrador · 11/04/2022 15:28

Thanks for all the ideas and hints
And good to all suffering with this

OP posts:

Blackmagicqueen · 11/04/2022 15:34

@tiddlywinks2 ah, no problem at all, you've been very supportive to your dh and done everything you can. I hope your dh is doing so much better. Its awful when they are so severe. Sending well wishes

tiddlywinks2 · 11/04/2022 18:18

[quote Blackmagicqueen]@tiddlywinks2 ah, no problem at all, you've been very supportive to your dh and done everything you can. I hope your dh is doing so much better. Its awful when they are so severe. Sending well wishes [/quote]
He's doing better thankfully. He's developed agoraphobia which is difficult, but the attacks have calmed down a lot. I do really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me. Thank you so much again

Stormyinacoffeemug · 11/04/2022 18:31

Being told to breathe does not help me and once it even led to the biggest, scariest attack I'd ever had. However, feeling my breath and beginning to struggle with breathing is one of my biggest triggers so that could explain why it doesn't help.

For me, it's to be spoken to. About anything. Even mundane crap that is of no interest - the last book you read, what you watch on TV, where you went last Saturday...then as I calm down start bringing me in as though it's a conversation. I don't know why this works bit it gives me something to focus on other than myself and my breathing.

I've heard of the rule of five senses thing and I'd love to try it but can never remember it in the moment so I would need someone else to initiate it.
I've also seen on TV that being asked to count out of sequence is very helpful as it triggers a different part of your brain. Saw it on an episode of Bull.

Stormyinacoffeemug · 11/04/2022 18:33

Holding my hands to ground me and cool air to breathe helps too.

FloBot7 · 11/04/2022 19:26

I have mine at night and I'm calmed by listening to a podcast of something mundane. My favourites are podcasts about gardening. I have a whole playlist of podcasts by RHS and Sarah Raven. I have wireless earbuds and keep them on my bedside table to change over ears as I toss and turn. During particularly stressful times I go to sleep with an earbud in my ear and the playlist plays through the night. My alternative is the sleepcasts by headspace but they only really work to get me to sleep. The podcasts are better in the middle of the night because it's usually a subject I can concentrate on to distract me from my thoughts.

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