How to deal with panic

[Mabelthebore]

When I am in a situation where I feel trapped I start to panic quite badly. Its usually in more formal situations. For example in church, when the vicar is speaking or at a meeting when someone is speaking, it's quiet and everybody is listening. I think to myself it would be very weird for me to get up and leave now. Everyone would look at me and I would make a big scene. I'm usually OK if I can sit at the back where not many people can see me and I could escape easily. I am OK in noisy/busy environments and usually OK with singing/music too. I sometimes get it at checkouts where I know I can't leave in the middle of checking out my groceries etc. My hands start to shake and I can barely make payment. I have started doing online shopping. I have also started avoiding hairdressers because I panic that I won't be able to run out in the middle of a haircut/colour etc. I have always suffered from anxiety but I feel it is getting worse lately and panic is happening in more situations. I am too nervous to go to a doctor. Is there anything I can do or take that would help? I usually work from home but tomorrow I have to go to the office for a meeting. They sit us all facing each other in a circle (this is the worst for me because everyone can see me) and I am absoutley dreading it. I know as soon as the meeting begins and someone starts talking my panic will begin. My heart will start racing and all I will be able to think about is getting out. Is there anything I can do to help reduce this? Thanks to anybody who has read all of this.

I get the same sort of fear in situations where I can't escape especially professional situations. Or things like weddings or funerals, basically anywhere where getting up and leaving would draw attention to me. Breathing techniques help a little. Slow breath in for the count of 5, hold for 5 then release for 10. Tends to calm me a little.

But it's also worth remembering that if you do have to leave then nobody is really going to care. Pretend to have an urgent call, say you need the toilet, whatever. People may notice but they will instantly forget. I like to remind myself that, in the nicest possible way, I'm just not that important for people to care what I'm doing.

Thanks, yes it is helpful to remind myself that people really don't care.
I have tried the various breathing techniques but for some reason they add to my panic.

Totally understand. I'm the same, any situation in which I feel trapped and like I can't leave unnoticed/ without causing some kind of fuss. I have to remind myself that I'm in control and if I really have to leave I will and that people either won't notice or really care if they do. My panic attacks got to a point this year where the thought of leaving the house would bring a major one on. I'm much better now as I had a phone appointment with my doctor (no way I would have been able to go in person), they prescribed medication and I referred myself for CBT. The medication really helped and the CBT helped a bit too at least to understand my physical symptoms. I'm not 100% better but now feel more in control, and I always have a plan B in case I need to remove myself from a situation and trust myself that I will follow it through should I need too

Try propranolol. And I also found taking something to take my mind off the panic - ie holding a frozen bottle of water - helped as well.

Try grounding techniques. If breathing doesnt work then you could try finding 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel and 2 things you can smell.

It's about trying to bring you back to the present and remembering that although your body is reacting as if a bear is about to attack, there isn't actually a bear there.

Panic attacks always resolve themselves even if you don't do anything and you body is only able to sustain a fight/flight/freeze response for about 20mins max so it will go away eventually.

CBT can really help to get your head round this and the more you practice grounding techniques the easier it gets to use them when you need to.

I sing a song in my head in a silly voice (I do it aloud if alone!!) so say - I will survive in the voice of the honey monster or Roll with it in a chipmunk voice.

I used to be the same in school. I learnt to sit at the back/edge close to the door. It was bad then, but I still get pangs of it now sometimes. I make sure I have mints with me, as I get nausea with mine too. If I feel panicky, I take a mint. And I've leant that people are so accepting now of MH, that if I needed to leave, no one would care.
Find a really friendly hairdresser and say you have anxiety. So may need to step out. I'm sure they would have come across this before. I think when you know you can leave, you don't get the feelings as much. And when you've got though something and didn't leave, make sure you give yourself a massive pat on the back that you got though it. Be really proud of yourself.

I feel like this too sometimes and often ask myself what's the worst that can happen? The worst thing is that if I need to leave I will excuse myself, pretend I need air/feel sick. Noone will notice after the first five seconds, noone will remember.
I've never had to do it, but just knowing that I can always calms me down.

I completely understand this and used to have panic attacks in similar situations where I felt both trapped and exposed to other people. It's like a combination of claustrophobia and agoraphobia. I still get these attacks, but the anxiety has modified as I've got older. People used to recommend breathing exercises to me, but they are not much good if your heart is pounding out of your chest.

Definitely contact your GP (get a phone appointment) and ask for propranolol - it's a medication that stops the panic symptoms. And ask if there's anything else they recommend.

In work situations tell yourself you can leave the room at any time. I used to pretend to cough (so I had to go for a glass of water), or needed the loo, or I'd maybe look at my phone as if there was an urgent text on it. You don't have to do any of these things of course, but it helps to know you can. And as someone else said, remember that nobody else will actually care.
But in the long term, do contact your doctor and get some proper treatment for anxiety.