What do you do during a panic attack?

[Rheyeheh]

I’ve always had general anxiety…for as long as I remember. But panic attacks have been a newish thing for me the last year or so. They’re becoming more and more frequent, just about every day at the moment.

I’ve tried keeping busy / carrying on as if nothing is happening. I’ve tried laying down on the floor with some music on and not trying to fight or run just letting it happen …I understand that this is what you’re supposed to do / let the feelings wash over you but for some reason this makes it a lot worse for me.

Deep breathing makes it worse as I become hyper aware of my breathing and it seems to make me feel more lightheaded.

During the panic attack I fear I have an underlying health problem and will drop dead so often get urge to go to a&e and have done twice before but nothing wrong with me except low iron and occasional low blood pressure. I think the low bp actually gives me a panic attack as the feeling isn’t nice.

The best thing I’ve found is going in the garden and feeling my feet on the ground / the fresh air etc but this isn’t always possible. I have a lot of panic attacks In situations where I feel I can’t easily ‘escape’ like during teams work meetings or in the car driving or stood stuck in a queue etc.

I’ve had to stop working for a month and can barely function at the moment. I’m doing therapy and have been for a long time …maybe it’s not working. No medication as I want to try and address the underlying problem but may have to resort so that if I can’t

5-4-3-2-1

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

Works by re-focusing your thoughts and does work very well.

Are you breathing properly?

Five things I can see, four things I can hear, three things I can touch, two things I can smell, one thing I can taste. Doesn't always work but it has helped a lot, I was taught the technique by the Nurses on the mindfulness course I was sent on after completely burning out

See someone else shared as well 🙂

I try to focus on slowing down my breathing, seems to make a big difference.

Also get the low iron sorted out. Anxiety is a known side effect of low iron so that won't be helping.

I'm wondering if peri-menopause may be a huge part of your problem. New and/or worsening anxiety is very, very common during peri-menopause, and it can be awful.

Are you peri menopausal by any chance?

My sister started to get awful panic attacks until she went onto HRT.

X posted with @Aquamarine1029

You've probably done this but cutting out caffeine really helps. It's difficult because it can become a habit but in the long term I have found it to be really beneficial

I’m only 35 so I would think too young for peri? However I have noticed my symptoms are worse at certain times of the month (before abs during period, during ovulation)

I have an extra strong mint ànd concentrate looking out of a window, paying attention to the trees, clouds, birds - anything moving.

Remind myself this will pass, it is a feeling, there is no threat, I am safe.

Then I double down on mindfulness and taking care of myself, they tend to cluster for me.

Do a gratitude exercise, so I say "thank you brain for keeping me safe, I know x,y,z are troubling me, I can handle it from here" sounds daft but it works

If you know they're coming I find them easier to deal with.

The best thing I have found to help me get to a place so I can do the grounding exercise mentioned above is to "give myself a hug". My CBT practitioner taught it to me, it's legit I promise.

I put one hand across my torso and tuck it into my armpit and then the other over the top and squeeze. Just hold. Then start with the five things I can see etc.

On a separate note, finding a great CBT practitioner has been life changing.

54321 is good.

Walking is good.

Yoga is good.

I lie down and focus on counting slowly while I breathe. Focus on nothing else. I have an album that I listen to "a peaceful soak" by George Nascimento. I've listened to it so often in relaxing situation like having a bath etc that when I hear it my body reacts to it and starts to relax. So when I have an attack I play that with headphones whilst I'm counting and breathing. You've survived 100% of the panic attacks you've had.

@foreverbasil i think this is a really good point. I have a 1 and 3 year old so could be hard energy wise but got to be better than this

You are not too young for peri-menopause. Peri can last ten years or more before full menopause. Even if you aren't "officially" peri-menopausal, hormonal fluctuations can cause severe anxiety. I highly recommend you go to a private peri-menopause/menopause clinic for help.

It wont work for everyone but I managed it by just accepting it...it was part of my make-up. I just resigned myself to it and told myself, ok, it's a horrible 10mins, but you are safe, nothing terrible will happen and it will pass. Helped massively, prior to that I spent so much time trying to manage a panic attack, avoid a panic attack, think about a panic attack, avoiding situations where i might have a panic attack..you get the idea. Being open with people too. Last one was at a fitness class, had to step out for a while, but just said what had happened, rejoined the class, moved on and no one batted an eyelid. Dont give it more power than you need to.

54321 and I also always wear a pony tail band on my wrist and twang it against my inner wrist works on the pressure points .
To help reduce attacks I don't drink alcohol as it's really bad for panic attacks. I do yoga in the morning and before bed .

I control my breathing. I tell the panic attack to fuck off, making it clear that I know that no-one has ever died from a panic attack.

I talk to myself very gently and tell myself how well I’m doing with this panic attack. I just keep chatting, sometimes I say a little prayer to my mum.

I sound a lot like you, have always tended towards being anxious and then started getting unmanageable panic attacks for no apparent reason a couple of years ago (early 30s). Literally they would just happen when i was sitting on the sofa eating my tea and watching TV. Things came to a head one night when i panicked constantly for an entire day and felt like I was on the edge of my sanity and turned up to A&E with a resting heart rate of 130. They were lovely and gave me a small supply of diazepam and advised me to go to my GP about starting sertraline. I haven't looked back! (Sorry I know that's not what you want to hear.) Starting was rough but I've been on the lowest therapeutic dose for 2 years and it's still working brilliantly. None of the distraction/grounding techniques worked for me, neither did CBT. I was happy, fit, healthy except for low iron (like you). Was already doing all the lifestyle stuff - exercise, eating well, yoga, very moderate alcohol intake. I think the wiring in my brain had just got a bit messed up! I quit caffeine while I was weaning onto sertraline and I haven't started again, I think that helped too and I don't miss it. Good luck with sorting it, panic attacks are dreadful! X

Accepting it.
I suffer with anxiety witch turned in to agoraphobia then health anxiety.
I was hitting a wall with everything i never went out for months i just could not do it.
Every pain was death every panic attack was death i would rush myself to A&E.
Wanted all test known to man to be done (i was all clear).

I done some research about anxiety for months that lead to years of going over every detail.
I would have panic attacks daily 3/4 times a day then id be left feeling crap.
Wake up on high alert i was constanly waiting for the next attack.

Hart racing sweaty shaking blurred vision random pains heavy breathing floaters in my vision horrid thoughts etc this was 24/7.

I could not take a bath shower only as i may pass out in the tub.
Always wanting someone with me at all times.
It was always the worse case scenario.

Thats not half of it.
I was not living i was just in a state of panic 24/7.
Untill one night i was on mumnet and came across an old post about anxiety.
Someone posted about a book called claire weeks that helped them.
Yes i got the book then went to youtube and found claire weeks the woman that gave me my life back.
I downloaded some of her talking (ok all of it )and thats what id listern to when i went out or when i was alone.
3 years on and i still listern to her when im out and feel off but i have a life now.
No more A&E no more panic anymore.
Im free.

I'm sorry you are going through this, its tough.

Deep breathing makes it worse as I become hyper aware of my breathing and it seems to make me feel more lightheaded.
I would assume you are breathing too quickly as well. Breathe in through your nose for 5, and slowly release through your mouth. Look up meditation as they do this type of breathing at the beginning. It's seen me through various panic attacks throughout the years, the most recent being stuck inside a mri scanner for 50 minutes.

If in a suitable place I find physical exercise such as a few kettlebell swings or yoga can help. Otherwise, 333 (I can't taste or smell well thanks to covid) or talk myself through it gently and calmly, out loud or in your head 'chest pains again. No need to worry, I know it's scary but it's just part of the anxiety. Take it easy and it'll pass. You're doing so well'.

Music that makes me cry helps it release quickly. Not necessarily sad, just something stirring.

I hold a rock.

Only a small rock.

Surprising how much it helps.