Techniques for handling panic/anixiety attacks anyone please?

[SleepyJess]

Just lately, due to stress I am currently under (from all directions) I have been having what are clearly mild panic or anxiety attacks.. in stupid places and for no apparent reason. I had one in the theatre last week during a show I have wanted to see half my life.. how stupid! There was no reason for it!! I managed to keep it to myself but it felt awful.

I know that's what they are.. I have had them to some degree when pregnant when my anxiety levels shoot through the roof. They exactly match sympoms I have found by Googling... pounding heart/can hear/feel blood rushing through my veins.. feeling a bit faint/dizzy.. a feeling of unreality.. out of control feeling.. sheer panic for no specific reason..

But all the sites I have found go on about their wonferful techniques for helping you cope/making it stop.. and then you get to a page where you have to PAY!

So can anyone just tell me, as I can't afford to pay. I know mine are mild.. they don't feel like heart attacks or anything and I have been able to mentally talk myself out of them so far.. but they are silly and inconvenient and make me so cross with myself. They tend to happen when I am not actually dealing with some extreme stressful situation (which I have done quite a lot of lately) but doing something I enjoy.. ! (Often though in a public place.. although once just sitting on the sofa watching the tv. No reason for that one! Managed to hide it from DH and kids tho and it passed.)

Can any advise, oh wise Mn-ers.

SJ x

Firstly I would advise going to your GP about this. They may be able to help with techniques, but it may be that you need some kind of counselling to nip your anxiety in the bud.

IME the worst thing you can do it associate the panic attacks with a particular experience, because the next time you have that experience you'll be so worried about having an attack that you'll end up having one. You'll find yourself avoiding situations you enjoy and that will make you quite stressed so it's a viscious circle.

I found a good site when I suffered an attack, that you didn't have to pay for - I'll try and find it again and link you to it. But please make your doctor aware of it, it's important not to let this spiral out of control. A lot of the coping techniques deal with breathing and thought processes, you've really got to talk yourself round from it.

SJ--techniques that help me but are not guaranteed to work for you:

1. Distraction. Do you do crosswords or have an ipod or discman or something, orthe BESTrubbishy gossip magazines?. . something quite easy to concentrate on but distracting nonetheless can work wonders til the panicky moments pass.
2. Can you buy one of those relaxation tapes from a bookstore? They are not terribly expensive. Or even borrow one from a library? They give you lessons on how to tense and relax every muscle in your body starting with your feet and working upwards. The idea is that after a while you can identify all the muscle groups w/out having to tense them first, and you can automatically relax your whole body, and breathe correctly, without even thinking too much about it, after some practice. This, too, is a form of helpful distraction, in addition to being a kind of treatment for an anxiety attack.
3. When I was in cognitive behavioral therapy for panic attacks on the underground and airplanes, I was told to write down the thoughts that were going through my head simultaneoulsy with the feelings of anxiety. The idea is that you can then identify what it is that is making you anxious, even when you think the anxiety is free-floating & linked to nothing in particular.
4. And I guess my pet peeve in this country is that benzodiazepnes (valium & similar sedatives) are prescribed so very rarely, when really they can be so useful if used infrequently for panic attacks. I have a bottle of them, and it usually takes me 18 months to get through them. For me, just KNOWING I have the meds on hands is reassuring, even if I don't actually use them.

HTH. I sympathize!! x

Here's one which has a bit on self help

I had them for a while and had a brilliant book that I highly recommend

also do try some deep relaxation ( I bought a relaxatsion tape it was a bit hippyish but very good)

bum I cant find it on amazon but will look when I get home

can you take a yoga course and do the meditation bit and deep breathing it is really helpful. i have bad painic attacks and feel awful but find the breathing techniques help if ony because i'm focusirng on somethign else

Thanks to all so far. Enid what is the book?

Novadandypowder (What a name! ) I am waiting for counselling. I know it sounds silly but I don't have the inclination to go to the doctor.. I am the 'healthy one' in my family.. I can't be falling apart publically.. I just want to know how to deal with this quietly on my own. (Stupid perhaps..)

What I did in the theatre was sip a bottle of coke I had in my bag very slowly and deilberately, tiny bits at a time.. seemed to help a bit.. (although maybe not the caffiene..?! I don't drink much coke now.. but when I feel unwell or out of sorts I want it because I know I identfiy it with a feeling of 'feeling better' as it helped me with severe nausea in pregnancy.)

Please add to the thead anyone that can so that I have lots of idea at my disposal. Thanks loads. xx

X posted Enid sorry.

Mud I really want to do yoga but it is so expensive. Thought about buying a video for at home.. (time would be a problem!).. do you think this might help?

(I am quite a hippy at heart so not concerned about the 'hippy aspect' of anything! )

SleepyJess - not any advice as such but just to let you know my experience.
I used to have quite alot of mild panic attacks - the first time I had one it woke me up from a deep sleep, which was really peculiar. I was very scared as I had no idea what was wrong with me - just thought I was dying.
Another I had when I was round a friend's for a meal, I was laughing at a joke, then an attack hit me and he had to take me home.
For a while I couldn't go outside for fear of passing out in public.
The first step that helped me was recognising that it was just a panic attack and it would pass. I've never had any treatment or counselling for them and they did eventually fade out. Although I did have one last year at the theatre in London, I also felt very stupid about it and kept thinking "how do I get out of here?" "what do I tell the theatre staff?" and "how am I going to get through this show?" It was horrible, but the instant I told my friend about it, it went away. Haven't had one since.
For me it helps if I talk about it and if, when having one, I tell it it's NOT going to beat me!!

I hope it helps a little and hope you find a way to beat them too

I think the coke idea is a good one tbh

I still feel mildly panicky in the cinema but always know I can get up and go to the loo if I need to, also slowly eating popcorn AND - a good one- making stupid light hearted convos with dh get me out of it

Luckie that is EXACTLY what happened to me in the theatre! I was trying to surrepticiously look round to see where the Ladies/the Exits were without my friend noticing so that I could escape... not that I actually went anywhere in the end. I didn't want her to know even though she is my best friend in the world.. but I felt stupid because she knew I had waited to see that show forever so why was I panicking???! It was made worse by fact that I needed a wee, lol.. and knew it had to be around the time for the end of the first act.

During the interval I got another coke and took that back to my seat with me and ended up losing myself in the show again.. only to think 'wow! I feel better now..'! and then feel it all coming on again! Luckily I talked myself out if it and is subsided. I felt really mad and so cross with myself.. I was fine later and we had a nice evening in the leisure suite of our hotel and then ordering room service etc (it was a weekend break.. a real treat I had looked forward to for ages.)

Thanks for sharing your experiences folks.. it helps.

SJ x

This is ridiculously simpl but i have had mild panic attacks in the past. If i think im going to be panicky e.g at the cinema, on a plane, at a gig etc I always carry a packet of mints. I tell myself that my breathing is being regulated by sucking one. I dont know if there is any truth in this but it works everytime.

Sounds like your weekend turned out well anyway SleepyJess - good for you!!
So you see, ignoring them or distracting yourself seems to work wonders for you too.
Those pesky panic attacks!!

What is it about the cinema, Enid?. . I get mildly panicky there too. Thought I was the only one.

aarrggh

had just written a huge long post that I lost!!

Caffeine should really be a no-no if you are suffering from panic as in some people it can actually trigger attacks. Having said that, I've always felt coke was slightly medicinal having been given it diluted for almost every stomach upset I had as a child!

Transport/cinema/theatre/hairdressers/dentists are all key places for panic because effectively you're not in control and are in a position where (you feel) you cannot leave when you want without making a scene. So with the cinema/theatre, it's the feeling of being trapped in amongst so many people - some people find themselves feeling a bit better if they ask to sit nearer the exits - you may find this will make your anxiety levels lower.

no more panic is a good website

Also browse your local bookstore - you would be amazed how many books on panic attacks there are.

sleepyjess, here are the first steps from that website for those new to panic or anxiety

first steps

yoga breathing description here

www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breathing_Learning.htm

I try to sit in the aisle seat if I can, cinema, theatre,bus,plane. I stand near back with exits in view if attending a concert with my mints and a bottle of water. Good distractions!

sleepyjess - sorry to read about your anxiety. I empathise big time. I used to get attacks badly too. On a positive note though there is a reflexology technique you can use which really does help... Make a loose fist with your hand (either one - it works on both) and look where your ring finger touches your palm. Massage that point (on your palm) until you feel better (only takes a couple of minutes max). It is the both the reflex for the centre of your diahragm (which gets tense when you panic) and it is also the solar plexus "sea of energy" point. Bach Rescue Remedy is also great one that I've used. Couple of drops under the tongue and I'm right as ninepence!! Hope it helps!!

Rescue Remedy, from bach flower remedies sold in any good health food shops. Preferably in spray form as is easier to self administer when you're in an anxious state, good luck

Sleepyjess,I had my 1st NLP session yesterday for similar panicky feelings ect.Years ago,I used to have a fear of going out to pubs/resturants ect,in case I was sick.I found that if I had a packet of mints with me,I didn't feel half so worried about it.

One of the things I discvovered when I had my session yesterday,was that my panicky feelings & anxiety were worse when I had 'nothing' to do,ie when I was relaxing (or trying to).I found that I subconsciously made myself busy all the time,rushing from one thing to another,because if I stopped thinking about all the things I had to do,I'd have to think about what was really bothering me.Now I have identified the problem I can begin to deal with it & am hoping that I can put an end to all the anxiety.

The Bach flower remedies are a Godsend too.I hope you can sort what is causing your attacks out soon.

Mirage - have heard really good things about NLP.
Sleepyjess - EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is another good one to look out for. It combines NLP with tapping on various acupuncture points to "cancel" the negative beliefs you have about yourself in certain situations. Boots sell Bach Rescue Remedy (spray and drops) also cream as well - useful for the shock that little ones get with bumps & bruises when they fall over. Have even used rescue spray on my dog at the vets & she gets much less stressed

Carry a paperbag - breath into this - stops you taking in too much oxygen and passing out.
Before you get to that stage, try to work out what your triggers are, what your worries/concerns are - and deal with them.

Having the paper bag is a good crutch - it can give you control over the attack.

Thanks so much everyone. I already have Bach's Rescue Remedy (I need it just to deal with my family never mind panic attacks! ).. I have the drop version and I did use it when I went to the Ladies after act one had finished at the theatre.. but wasn't sure how effective it was in panic attack situations. I was certainly better afterwards but I didn't know how much of that was down to the Bach's IYSWIM.

Thank you for giving me so much info. I am going to print out this thread and keep it in my bag - another coping strategy. It's weird how the mind is such a powerful thing. Last night I was out with DH (our tenth wedding anniversary) having a meal at a quiet pub.. no stress! - and I was thinking how unlikely it would be for me to panic in a situation like that.. and as I thought it I could feel the familiar feelings creeping up!.. but I managed to nip them in the bud straight away with convo etc.

I'm sure this is just a blip.. when I look at it objectively I can see that it is something that happens to me when circumstances are beyond my control.. ie when I was pregnant.. (its a very out of control feeling even if you are happy about it which I was!).. and all the stuff going on in my life at the moment.. scary health probs of family members, lots of responsibility for me etc.. that's all out of my control as well.. so I have this background anxiety feeling all the time... I wish I didn't. One the of the panic sites explained how this constant tension.. seperate from the panics themselves - results in physical aches and pains in the next, chest and stomach - all of which I get on and off and which wase if I consciously relax my body. And the actual panics.. as someone said below.. seem to happen when I stop racing around and my mind can 'relax' a bit. It's no fun is it! I remember reading about Panic Attacks years ago and thinking how awful they sounded - and odd! - panicking about 'nothing' and 'making yourself' feel so ill. I didn't think they would happen to me!

Thanks again. SJ x

I agree with the yoga breathing and the rescue remedy; both work well. Best wishes