Im having an anxiety attack..

[Cucumber1234]

.... and i feel like im going to die. I know it's anxiety and I've had a horrendous panic attack this week. I have a real feeling of impending doom.

I have meds, and usually i can help myself calm down but right now, i can't and the anxiety is just building and building.

Any suggestions? No matter how silly, or different?

Thanks

I had to help DH over the phone
One method I used was to use your senses:

List 5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can smell
2 things you can taste
1 thing you can touch

It helped him feel more grounded. I hope it brings you down a little x

I was just going to suggest the 5,4,3,2,1 technique.

Alternatively, what about a gif to help you regulate your breathing. It's worked for me in the past. Stop anxiety gif

Even simpler than the above, look at any one item in the space around you and then find 4 more of that colour, then another item and find 3 more thing that colour, repeat for 2 more, then 2 more and then find one last item any colour you like. There's no rush, just look and hopefully your mind will start to calm enough for you to move out of the panic, or onto your next distraction / coping tool.

Not very original, but try sone self-care:
Have something to eat, maybe something comforting and carby.
Have a bath ( not too hot.)
Have you got any vitamin B complex? If so, take one, it will take a while to kick in obviously but may help you relax and sleep better later on. Magnesium supplement/spray may help too.
Have a rest - snuggle up. Anxiety is worse when you are tired.
Tell the anxiety to do its worst - nothing is going to happen.

What worked for me was ditching all the so called coping techniques, instead l read up everything l could about anxiety and panic, and just allowed those feeling to come, they will reach a peak like a wave, and then start to retreat. No resistance was the answer for me.
A good book to read up on is called Dare.This is by far one of the most helpful. I got mine from Amazon, author used to suffer with severe panic and anxiety.

Thank you all, the gif is good!

I have realised that im really tired, exhausted, havent been sleeping very well. Which is probably making it worse.

I had a scotch egg as i do forget to eat. But i should really have some dinner.

Its been an awful week. I can't stop the shaking and i feel like im going to throw up. Ive been feeling like im on the brink of a panic attack for at least an hour and its not reducing.

Your body can only sustain panic mode for a finite time. Like others have said, you can let the wave come and soon enough it will ebb away.

It feels horrific but it truly won't actually harm you, and it will be over soon.

Sending a wee hug. Been there.

Chewing something tells your brain you're safe because you're eating. Also taking long, calm deep breaths. Can you let some of the adrenaline out with 5 minutes of exercise/ getting your heart rate up just to release the panic into an action to calm down the ancient part of your brain that's just psyched you up to run away from a sabre toothed tiger.

Try 2 short breaths in through your nose in rapid succession, then one long breath out through your mouth. Repeat until you feel calmer.

Hope your anxiety settles soon.

I put games on my phone to play when I feel it coming. Solitaire is my saviour! I’m where you are now. I hope your okay it’s absolutely horrific x

Horrible aren’t they, have a drink if water it doesn’t help to be dehydrated, then go and relax in a warm - not hot bath. I find listening to an audio book is better than music, my mind starts to whirl with music, but a book you listen to and find you can switch off from everything.

I’m struggling this evening too. I feel like my head is on a treadmill, just running and running but not settling at anything.

I’m exhausted but can’t sleep, can’t focus on anything, feel like I want to scratch my arms off and just run away.

Me too! I was plagued with general anxiety and panic disorder for years. Tried all the 'calming' techniques. Nothing worked.
In the end I have 99% cured my panic disorder (still have pretty permanent anxiety!) by 'rolling with it'. I just leaned into it, let it consume me, told myself "so fucking what? Did the last panic attack kill you? This won't either!". I kind of turned the fear energy into excited energy and told myself I could be excited that my body was having this adrenaline rush, I suppose I gave myself the opportunity to challenge it eagerly.
I must have looked a bit mental when I did it as I was inwardly saying "come on then!! Let's have it!" whilst doing a little foot stomp. But after about 5 panic attacks I treated that way.... they went away completely.

Oh i bought some gum today. I'll chew on that.

Haha running away from a sabre tooth tiger.

Ive got a cold pepsi.

I get that feeling, like i need to take my skin off and scratch underneath it.

Thats a really good idea.

My overwhelming thoughts are that im a terrible person, everyone hates me, that i should die (but im not suicidal) i do everything wrong, im a crap mum.

Im struggling. Im struggling to tidy and clean then it bothers me. Im on my own with 2 disabled kids. Its just panic. Pure panic.

I suffer with these too :(
If I'm at home, I have a cold shower or blast my wrists and hands with cold water, then stand outside and breathe whilst I scroll something mundane on my phone. For some reason, the cold really helps.
If I'm at work, I will excuse myself and do the cold water trick and just go and sit outside until it starts to pass.
Hope you feel better soon, they're so frigging annoying aren't they

I find tapping quite good. It releases something which calms you down. You can find out how on YouTube. I get anxiety a lot. Sometimes I look at funny videos on YouTube or I play solitaire on my tablet. My sympathies OP, I know how horrible it is. The heat also makes me worse.

A cool bath definitely has helped a bit, i dont have that "im going to die any minute" feeling now.

Its still so hot. It doesnt help

Ill look up tapping.

Thanks so much.