What helps when you’re in that panicky stressed state and can’t get out of it?

[Turnedtochaos]

Just that really.

Panicky, feel a bit sick, angry, stressed. Can’t concentrate on anything. Keep making mistakes. Can’t make a decision on anything at all.

I’m also dealing with a bereavement at the same time which I feel numb to. I can’t even cry.

Suspect I probably have ADHD but not diagnosed.

Is there anything that helps you when you get into this spiral?

Thankyou.

Meditation and breathing techniques

Music through headphones helps me. Or a hug if DH is around. There are breathing techniques but I always get more panicked when I focus on my breath. Beta blockers if it goes in for a long time.

Prescription drugs from the GP.

• write your worries down or say them out loud. Sharing them helps
• box breathing: inhale 2 seconds, hold 2 seconds and exhale 2 seconds, increase to 4 seconds
• some serious dancing if you're into it, turn your favorite music on
• give yourself small tasks with deadlines, forcing you to focus more

What helped me the other day was my OH cuddling me really tightly for about 10 mins until my heart beat matched his.

What really helps me is talking to someone about it

Physiological sigh technique is brilliant for this

https://traumaresearchuk.org/the-physiological-sigh/

Following as I’ve wasted most of today in this state. I hate it: I can recognise what it is, but I’m unable to rationalise it away and regain focus. It’s getting worse the older I am.

Thanks @Ophir- I’ve read about that before, but had forgotten about it. I quite like it.

I don’t like some breathing exercises as they make me feel panicky somehow.

I think doing anything small for yourself can help OP - listen to music, have a bath, go outside for some fresh air. Good luck.

If you’re not in a position to do a giant sigh, concentrate on the “out” breath. No-one ever forgets to breathe in, but if you’re worried or stressed you might inadvertently hold your breath - so just breathe out slowly. It does calm you down.

Bit of an odd one but might be worth a try. Lie on the ground, not the floor the actual earth ground (easiest if you have a garden but best in some sort of quiet forest type place). I get all wrapped up so I'm nice and warm and just lie on the floor looking at the sky and concentrating on my breathing. I guess it's a pretty literal version of grounding yourself.

Ok so I’ve had a little therapy for this.
give the feeling a name. I call it overwhelm.

then there are lots techniques to get you out of the dysregulation like some mentioned above.

things that work for me - smelling something strong - like a candle or spritz of perfume.
change in temperature - ice cold drink, open the window for fresh air. change of scene - look out of the window into the distance.

what really helps though is reflection. So if you have time, go back to the moment that the overwhelm started and write down how you felt at the time. Also make a note of the narrative in your mind at the time. You can identify triggers and negative thought loops but it helps rewind to that moment and start again with a different frame of mind.

honestly that little bit of therapy app - I think it was an app so not too peoply. I can’t remember the name. It really helped.

i can now feel myself spiralling and catch myself. But lore importantly when I do, I don’t beat myself about it. Just accept that it happened and get started again with what I wanted to do.

Beta blockers. They’ll help a lot

Exercise for me, with music on.
Or going for a drive to the beach to look at the sea (we are only 30 mins from the coast)

Sleep.
Gin
binge watching a comforting telly series

Short term drinking ice cold water, deep breaths. More generally exercise, plenty of sleep if I can. I also find even if is a placebo that Rescue Remedy helps.

I find anything that gets me out of my head and into my body helps. Going for a brisk walk or a run, walking barefoot outside, long slow out breaths (I imagine I'm blowing out 100 birthday candles), squats or star jumps, cold water on my feet or face, cold shower, throwing and catching a ball, singing or dancing. If in public the long slow out breaths can be done very subtly, a lot of my other strategies are less public facing!

Find where you feel it in your body. Close your eyes and feel into the different parts of your body - is your heart beating fast, is your breathing shallow, does anything feel tight or tense. Then when you find something, watch it without getting too attached, and maybe try to soften it using your out breath.
Sometimes I feel very panicky and realise that my body is driving the feeling, rather than anything actually being wrong in my life, and it’s much easier to move or relax a tense body part than fix your life or change your emotions!

No, I have ADHD and ASD so this is pretty much my every day existence.

Genital Yoga. A candle on and some meditative music. Sitting cross legged and just rolling your neck, circle the shoulders, rocking gently. Sit up straight. Slowly slump down and uncurl the spine again. Breath fully and slowly the whole time. Smile. Sounds daft but smiling to yourself can actually lift spirits 💐

Watching YouTube clips of would I lie to you, taskmaster etc. Anything I find funny but doesn’t require concentration - just mildly distracting.

Medication helps. But if it’s something in particular that has set me off, then breathing in over 5 seconds, holding for 5 seconds and releasing over 5 seconds helps.

Or a grounding exercise if you’s starting to panic. Five things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. The thinking is that your brain can’t concentrate on panicking and thinking of things at the same time, so if you’re instructing it to think about your surroundings, then it stops the panic from progressing.

If it’s a day of things, then there is nothing much that helps me more than being by the sea, deep breathing and letting that breeze hit me.

For me personally
Walking
distraction
mirtazapine - an anti anxiety antidepressant medication
sleep
validation of what I am experiencing

Gentle yoga also works

I've found I need to be properly submerged in water at least once a week. I've joined a gym with a lovely warm pool and I feel so much better once I've had a swim.