Witnessed a crime today and feeling shook up

[ofwarren]

My neighbours house and car got attacked by 2 men with crowbars today as I was just arriving home. I witnessed it all. I was shaky afterwards but I've just had a panic attack which I've not experienced for about a year. I used to suffer with health anxiety and I felt a twinge in my chest and then suddenly felt like I was going to die but it was just a panic attack.
Currently lay under my weighted blanket on the bed with my cats.

What's your method for stopping panic attacks?
I use YouTube videos that talk you down. My heart was racing so bad but the video makes you breathe slower and it really works.

@MNHQ I was supposed to post this in neurodiverse mumsnetters. Can you move it please?

Breathe in and out.

Only just seen this. That sounds terrifying. Are you okay now? Did the police come?

Hope you're ok, OP.

We've moved the thread over for you now.

Sorry you went through that OP, it sounds terrifying.

I try to stop panic attacks before they properly ramp up. So when the panic starts up, I run to my room, on my bed, weighted blanket right up over my head and cocoon myself with my cuddly beluga whale. Then I focus on my breathing. First I focus on getting enough air in and out, so breathe quite fast and deep. Then I focus on slowing it down back to normal (if I get a spike of panic, back to just getting enough air) usually by then I'm starting to calm back down, but if not, I mentally go through my body and focus on what I can feel (feet, legs, back etc etc weight, texture, temperature etc etc) Once my physical symptoms are calmed, I will distract myself until my brain has calmed down. Usually mindless games on my phone. Tetris is good for this. If I try to process what triggered me, while my brain is awash in adreneline and cortisol, I just panic again.

Afterwards, I have to be very gentle with myself, because panic attacks are exhausting.

How are you feeling now @ofwarren?

How awful.

I recite bits of books in my head or replay scenes from films I have watched when I'm feeling panicky - I have a really good memory for that sort of thing so I can do it for ages until my body has relaxed and I can let my brain think again.

I hope you feel better soon and that your neighbours are OK too.

It was a few days ago now so I'm okay thank you.
You can tell I must have been shook up because I posted in the totally wrong place!

Oh god, that's terrible, I hope you're okay.

I find Propranolol is great for stopping panic attacks and helping anxiety in general. Perhaps you could ask your GP to prescribe some to have in just in case.

I hope your neighbour issue gets resolved with no further problems.