Is this a panic attack?

[Blueberry33]

I've been pretty depressed over the last couple of months, which isn't unusual for me, but recently I've also been feeling anxious for absolutely no reason - I have nothing to be stressed about.

I have low level anxiety throughout the day sometimes, but at other times I can be feeling absolutely fine and then out of no where suddenly feel really panicky, short of breath, lightheaded and like I can barely talk - you know when your voice goes all squeaky. The only other times this has happened in my life is in interviews on a couple of occasions, which is more understandable, but recently it's happened when I'm just having a normal conversation with someone, which is mortifying.

Is this a panic attack and how do I stop it? 'm now starting to get anxious about it happening, so it's becoming a self perpetuating cycle

Sounds like it, I get something similar with a racing heart and nausea and a feeling as if the world's ending! Eventually it passes but it's very annoying when it creeps up and so uncomfortable while it's happening.

Small things I have found work as coping mechanisms, and help it to pass faster:

• chewing gum or sucking a mint
• going for a little walk (around corridors at work if that's where I am, I find keeping moving helps)
• deep breathing
• grounding techniques (find 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell and 1 you can taste)

Just remind yourself it will pass, you won't embarrass yourself, you can get through it.

Would recommend speaking to your GP about CBT, or you may be able to self refer and there are lots of good resources online.

Also may be worth asking for a good test. My panic attacks have often been triggered by my severe vitamin b12 and folate deficiency and disappear once that's sorted. Other blood tests to do would be thyroid and vitamin d, just to rule out any of those sort of causes.

A blood test, not a good test!

@Winkywoop thanks so much for replying. I'm just a stuck for what to do if it happens when I'm talking to someone - one time it happened when I was having a meeting with my line report and I had to pretend I had a cough and made an excuse to get a glass of water. I think the problem is that it literally comes out of nowhere in perfectly non-stressful situations so it's a bit baffling.

That's really interesting that B12 affects it for you. I had a blood test 6 months ago and was vit D deficient but that's sorted now.

Thanks again.

You just power through. You'll get through it and it will pass- most likely the person youre talking to won't notice anything is wrong.

If you feel really bad or you thinks it's obvious, you can be honest and say 'oh I suddenly feel a bit odd, don't worry I'm ok' and carry on with the conversation or excuse yourself if you absolutely need to. So many people have suffered or do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, no one will think any less of you.

Remember it won't happen every time you're talking to someone, you've had soo many thousands of conversations in the past when it hasn't happened. So try not to specifically worry about it happening when youre talking to someone, or it could make it worse!

So I would recommend powering through as best you can, to prove to yourself you WILL be ok and you CAN do it!

@Winkywoop Thank you

It does sound panic attack related. I've had 'mind blank' before, I just say sorry I've just lost my thread/my mind's gone blank and someone usually jumps in.

Might be worth checking out iron levels, that can be related to light headedness. And the usual stuff, are you getting enough sleep.

It also sounds like you are holding your breath maybe when it happens.

Next time it happens try and just notice the internal sensations, where you feel them, breathe (if you breathe OUT for longer this is calming) and remind yourself it will pass.

I have a lung disorder, if I think about it I can very easily convince myself I can't get enough air and hyperventilate lol.

@GoldfishGirl Thank you that's good advice.

I think it's definitely just psychological. I feel that awful churning in my stomach just before. Will definitely try to concentrate on breathing next time it happens.