What is it?What is it?
The common thread between most anxiety disorders is the panic attack. However, when panic attacks are experienced out of the blue without an apparent trigger, this is classified as panic disorder.
Sufferers of panic disorder often feel fine one minute, and yet the next may feel totally out of control and in the grips of a panic attack. Panic attacks produce very real physical symptoms from a rapid increase in heartbeat to a churning stomach sensation. These physical symptoms are naturally unpleasant and the accompanying psychological thoughts of terror can make a panic attack a very scary experience. For this reason, sufferers start to dread the next attack, and quickly enter into a cycle of living ‘in fear of fear’.
DIY self diagnosis
If you can answer YES to most of the questions it is likely that you are affected by panic disorder. During the past 2 weeks:
- Have you experienced sudden attacks of intense anxiety or fear during which you felt as if you were going to die, or lose control, or go crazy?
- Do you worry about having other attacks of intense anxiety or fear?
- Have you started to modify your behaviour in order to avoid certain situations which in the past have caused you anxiety?
- Do you worry about the physical symptoms (increased heartbeat, breathlessness, shakiness, light-headedness) that the attacks of anxiety cause?
Anxiety UK strongly advises that people seek further information and guidance from their GP who will be able to make a formal diagnosis.
How we can help
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity with more than forty years experience in supporting those living with anxiety. By becoming a member of Anxiety UK, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:
- Access to reduced cost therapy within two weeks of submitting your therapy request
- Access to our helpline (available Monday-Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm) staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety
- Receipt of four issues of Anxious Times, our quarterly members” magazine
- Access to the members only section of our website, featuring regular support surgeries facilitated by anxiety experts
- Access to specialist helplines, including the psychiatric pharmacy helpline and the psychology information helpline
And many, many other benefits that will help you manage your anxiety long term. To become a member of Anxiety UK click here or ring 08444 775 774 today.
Want to know more?
The Anxiety UK site has information on a range of resources to provide more detailed information and help.
Anxiety UK Publications
Anxiety UK publishes a fact sheet and audio tapes dealing with panic disorders/attacks. These are available from the Anxiety UK online shop by clicking here.
Anxiety UK Panic Booklet -This booklet was produced as part of a wider project organised by Anxiety UK which involved delivering panic attack awareness training to frontline A & E staff at Trafford General Hospital. To download a copy, click here.
Recommended reading
Overcoming Panic and Agoraphobia is a complete course to help the reader beat panic attacks and the stresses they cause. The author, who has both researched and taught self-help techniques, describes clinically-proven therapy techniques. This book can be purchased from the Anxiety UK online shop by clicking here.
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How we can help
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity with more than forty years experience in supporting those living with anxiety. By becoming a member of Anxiety UK, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:
- Access to reduced cost therapy within two weeks of submitting your therapy request
- Access to our helpline (available Monday-Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm) staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety
- Receipt of four issues of Anxious Times, our quarterly members” magazine
- Access to the members only section of our website, featuring regular support surgeries facilitated by anxiety experts
- Access to specialist helplines, including the psychiatric pharmacy helpline and the psychology information helpline
- A 10% discount on all products purchased in our shop
And many, many other benefits that will help you manage your anxiety long term. To become a member of Anxiety UK click here or ring 08444 775 774 today.
Personal Experience
Do you suffer from panic disorder and want to share your experience with other people? Post your personal experience in the comments box below where it will be sent to our moderator for approval. Many people find this part of the site very useful when trying to understand their disorder so your comments really do make a difference. Please note, all comments submitted to the Anxiety UK website may be used by Anxiety UK for (but not limited to) publicity and promotional material.
If you would like to make contact with others who are living with similar experiences, you can do so via the Anxiety UK Pen-Pals scheme which is a service available to all Anxiety UK members (in both electronic and hard copy format).
I used to get panic attacks and thought I’d never be able to stop them.
They were clearly triggered by a specific event in my life, but I thought that they would be with me for ever. When I realised that it was a natural, self-limiting response my attitude changed and I tried my best to swallow it back down. I took myself to the places where I thought I’d get panicky and then forced myself to deal with it. With a positive attitude it’s amazing what you can achieve. Now I no longer get them and if I feel in the slightest bit panicky, I can proudly say that I swallow it all back down. It is possible to overcome your condition.
Rachel
I have always been an anxious person for no apparent reason, but things became really bad when I developed epilepsy in 2000.
Since then I”m always panicky and acutely anxious, and I suffer from insomnia. At the moment I”m seeing a specialist sleep counsellor as my anxiety is centred around my sleep patterns. I”m pleased to say it has brough relief for the first time in years.
Julia
Hi,
My name is Kelly and i’m 24 years old. I am not sure what is wrong with me but having looked at this page I think I might be on the right track. I have attacks on tube trains….I am fine one second and then all of a sudden I am boiling, feel sick, dizzy, feel like I could pass out, thumping chest…it’s horrible. I’ve only had 2 really bad ones where I have been physically sick / hysterical! I’d really like any tips on how to try and calm these situations. My doctor thinks I may be depressed and has suggest a course of counselling to help me find out what my ‘trigger’ is….but I need to try and calm them until I can get seen.
Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Lots of short term coping strategies – mainly focus around breathing, etc. The trick is to try and breath slowly and regularly and pause between breaths, some people use a paper bag to breathe into, or on the tube using an i-pod or something and taking a bottle of water to distract themselves. These may not help long term though – you may be best with CBT. We have a free panic attack booklet to download on our ‘free downloads page’ at http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/about-anxiety/anxiety-uk-free-downloads/. Does anyone else have any they have found useful?
Best wishes
Cat (Anxiety UK)
Thank you for getting back to me…. :)
hi kelly i have a similar problem to you. when im in any type of vehicle panic sets in i have found that reading takes my mind off of it. dont let it get you down i let it get me down and i am just coming back from it i feel better in myself although i do now take 3 tablets a day to control it. but some days i dont feel like i need them :) keep your chin up. chloe
Two years ago I was diagnosed with Panic Attacks and Anxiety about 6 months after my Granny died, and 3 months prior to diagnosis I was attacked in my local town centre at night.
I didn’t know what was happening but my mum did, she is a nurse herself, and took me straight to my doctors who diagnosed me with Panic Attacks, I went to see a Psychiatrist who diagnosed my Anxiety properly.
I was put on medication, which didn’t really help it only made me worse really, I had tried about 6 different types and none seemed to work, they just masked it all. So I went cold turkey last year.
I have found that my anxiety is less and less now after stopping medication but I am seeking hypnotherapy to help me deal with some situations (like eating in public). I used to be on another anxiety help site but it did not help me, it only made me feel worse as the people on there only picked who they wanted to help.
I am glad I have found Anxiety UK though, it seems to have more information about specific things than the other site did, not only that you cannot post what you are feeling for someone else to panic because they have same feelings, so I know on here I won’t be making anyone feel worse :).
Hi Pamie,
Give us a call if you want to sign up for some low cost hypnotherapy – you can check if we have it in your area by going to http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/get-help/therapy-services-in-the-uk/
Good luck with your recovery and let us know if there is anything we can do to help!
Cat (Anxiety UK)
I started suffering with panic attacks about 6 months ago and it would usually happen when I was supermarket shopping. I like supermarket shopping and didn’t feel anxious therefore I thought there was something physically wrong with me. I went to the doctor after they’d happened a fair few times and the doctor was useless; she didn’t suggest it could be panic attcks and acted as though I just couldn’t give her enough information for her to suggest a next step.
It suddenly occurred to me a few months back that what happens to me are panic attacks.
I get an overwhelming feeling that I am either going to pass out or throw up and as I am scared of sickness the thought of throwing up in front of anyone is my worst nightmare and perpetuates the problem. I also suffer with IBS and as soon as the attacks come on I need the toilet; I am obsessed with where the toilets are wherever I go. I have been known to drive miles home just to go to the toilet in the comfort of my own home and I know it’s pathetic but having to go to a public toilet is traumatic for me!
My mum suffers from IBS and gets the sudden need to go to the toilet and she will go anywhere! She even knocks on random people’s doors to use their loo which mortifies me. Having said this the fact that she is so accepting has made me chill out slightly about it.
The worst environment for me is any kind of meeting; lots of people sat around a table or the cinema where I can’t get out if I need to get out. Feeling trapped anywhere is awful – on the train for example.
Life has been quite rubbish of late mostly relating to work and I am hoping my mindstate improves when I leave. The problem I have at the moment is that I start a new job in a few weeks and I am petrified that I will have panic attacks there and they will think I am a freak and regret employing me. I was very nervous about having a panic attack during the interview, I had two gruelling interviews and no attacks, yet I can have an attack doing something relatively tame. There seems to be no rationale behind when I get them which is the worst thing. I recently had one in a meeting I was chairing and I kept thinking ‘It will go in a minute, just calm down’ but it lasted for about 45 minutes until I had to bring the meeting to an abrupt close and tell them I was feeling unwell. It’s embarrassing!
I have lived with a fear of embarrassment all of my life although this hasn’t effected me in a hugely negative way. Yet this obviously makes the panic attacks a lot worse. I really wish I could chill out and not worry so much.
It is disheartening to read that some of you have suffered for over a decade; I get them daily now and they are debilitating; I cannot bear the thought of them continuing for so long.
I will definitely try the rescue rememdy; can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it before!
It has really helped to read your accounts and to share mine. Thank you!
Elizabeth
Hi, so reassuring and interesting reading all your stories. I have suffered with panic disorder for about 7 years now.
When my first attack happened i thought i was going to die, but slowly with the help of my family i calmed down and made it to the doctors. They put me on anti depressants and suggested counseling which i didn’t take up.
7 years on and im currently off work with a bad episode of attacks, i find myself crying for no reason and the worst thing for me is the trembling. I have to really fight with my thoughts sometimes and i think the men in white coats will come to cart me off soon.
Now knowing what they are and not to belittle anxiety i feel i am coping with them so much better. I have counseling coming up and am determined to beat it for good.
Good luck to you all.
Just wanted to leave a message,
Panic is a normal emotion, Its cannot harm you.
Remember every time you’ve had a panic/anxitey attack, nothing bad ever happens, no one around you noticed your having these feelings, you didnt make a fool of yourself.
Knowing that nothing bad happens and you are in fact OK, you didnt die or pass out or have a hreat attack!learning to relax takes patience, practice and TIME.
And you are NOT losing control or going mad.
“mad” people dont think “im going crazy”
DONT bottle things up!
Best of luck to anyone going through panic/anxiousness, your not alone.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, and let me tell you, its seriously Bright :-)
Hi,
Please stay positive but i know how hard it can be, the better and longer you are able to stay positive the better you will be moving forward.
Please consider nutritional therapy, stress issues with blood sugar problems lead to feelings of low, negative moods. The body naturally will release adrenaline to increase blood sugar and then insulin to counteract this. As a result of this, it creates panic and anxiety as a by product symptom because the feelings of the body not in a relaxed state I.e. tense, restlessness, shortness of breath, sweaty palms etc…
Avoid alcohol and other stimulants like caffeine, exercise and eat good food, combining protein with (where possible) complex carbohydrates to release sugars into the blood slowly.
Many of you may have unstable blood sugar, once this is addressed you can start to feel more stable and positive and then combat the unnecessary awful thoughts as these should become less and less frequent over time.
Hope this helps.
Thank you so much for this website. I haven’t been formally diagnosed as yet (why do docs always fail to acknowledge the glaringly obvious?), but pretty clearly have panic disorder, which came on with a vengeance a couple of months ago after years of GAD and depression and has now become completely crippling.
What upsets me more than anything is that it’s the ‘normal’ stuff I find most difficult – work (I’m a lecturer), the hairdressers, and now today at lunch with a friend. My world is getting smaller and smaller as I avoid everthing and everyone, it’s heartbreaking, and I feel too ashamed to tell anyone. I’m on academic hols at the moment but should be back at work in a couple of weeks – at the moment though I’m not sure I can do it, which is the career I’ve worked for years to get gone in an instant, plus no work equals no money coming in.
I can’t live like this and can’t handle a life on drugs. I’ve always relied on holistic therapies in the past, but I’ve have no idea what will really, really work for this. What I get from most comments is that this can’t be fixed, so what’s the point in living like this – it’s not really living is it? I’ve spent my whole life waiting for life to start (stuff in my past) and, just as it seemed to have, I feel like it’s ended.
Please tell me that light at the end of the tunnel exists and some insight into the length of the tunnel might help?
Sad and losing hope…Helen :O(
Hi Helen
I completely get how you feel. I’ve suffered from anxiety, panic attacks and depression since I was a child (undiagnosed until my late teens – I’m now mid-thirties) and it always amazes me how my anxiety finds new ways to make my life hell.
Like you, I often feel like giving up and giving in to my anxiety (at one point I couldn’t physically get in my car to commute to work – a big problem) but I know that I can’t. I have to keep fighting, I have to keep going because otherwise it will win. And I won’t let anxiety win.
You should not feel ashamed. Lots of people have anxiety disorders and there is loads of help out there. You can always email a psychotherapist (like I did) if you don’t feel able to discuss your problems face-to-face.
I think it’s really important for those of us dealing with anxiety disorders to make time for being creative and do things that really make you switch off from the constant fight to keep anxiety under control – and give us a tiny bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks to Jodie (number 16) for listing your symptoms. I
started having attacks in October 2010. Work was very stressful and
one day I had an attack just sat at my desk. I experienced many of
the things Jodie listed – dizziness, nausea, the cold whoosh from
my stomach to my head and the dread I was about to faint – or
worse. I have had 2 more really bad attacks since, but over
Christmas have felt awful. I seem to feel anxious most of the time
and can’t really deal with crowds, as in supermarkets of shopping
malls. I have been to my doctor while at the end of an attack, he
said it was vertigo and could find no physical reason for it and
that I should just learn to live with it! I shall start reading the
literature and hope I can find a way to stop this.
I think GP’s whilst they mean well , unless they or anyone they know has been there , how can they know!! I can no longer stand in queues in shops such as M&S but can do supermarkets so long as I have my comfort trolley!!! lol. I do not know why this is but there you have it. My friend who is a counsellor feels that I have this sort of syndrome where I do not feel ‘good enough’ to be a part of the outside world.!!
Hi All,
So from reading all the above I think I can safely say I’m suffering from GAD.
I’ve been having symptons and episodes over the last 10 years now, progressively getting worse.
My last episode was triggered by my boss at work giving me an impossible task to complete ( and I really do mean impossible), I tried to explain this and suggest some compromises but he wouldn’t take it. So rather than argue the point ( I really don’t do confrontation) I just went quiet. Then spent the weekend in a downward spiral worrying about it, thinking about it and him constantly. I went into the office on monday, and after 10 minutes I just went into a flat spin, and had to leave. I started driving, anywhere, then turned round, and back, my overriding desire was just to run away. I overcame this and managed to book myself into the doctors.
The doctor said I had depression and anxiety, and agreed with my request not to do any drugs, but get on the waiting list for therapy – which is 6 weeks. I emailed my company back, explaining the diagnosis, and that could still do some work, but it would be under my terms, that they’d listen to me etc. The reponse I got was that whilst they agreed my health was important, I was letting the company down, it was a very important job and cient etc. So I endevoured to do the job, it turns out I was right all along, it was impossible, but it didn’t matter now, despite the fact that I’ve just worked again for 5 days doing 13 hours a day. So here I am again, constantly thinking about the situation, worrying about it, and not able to drag myself back into the office.
Heres the kind of symptoms / behaviour I’ve been suffering from
Constantly thinking about negative thoughts, what happens if this goes wrong, I’m going to get shouted at for this etc, I’m not going to make a deadline, so I’d better work even longer hours and weekend.
Not saying NO when I really should, or standing up for myself
Going to bed too early, and as result not sleeping properly
As soon as I’m through the door it’s a glass of wine, then another ( the doctor says alcohol and depression really don’t go well together, and it will make it worse),
Constantly checking emails and messages on my phone, even out of hours, and expecting them all to be bad news
Heart pounding all the time, head often feels like its going to explode.
Not eating properly ( I saw the comments above about blood sugar, and I can see there’s some merit in this)
I feel reluctant and embarassed to discuss this, the last thing I want is other people that I care about worrying about me ( eg elderly parents, partner), because I’ll just worry about them worrying ( it sounds so silly when you write it down !).
There are times when I really don’t think I’m going to make it, and then some logic in the back of my mind kicks in, and struggle back. I know what I need to do, but here’s the killer when you feel like this it’s soo difficult to motivate yourself. So, one step at a time, thats all we can do.
I can sympathise with you and most of the other comments and people on this site but so glad I found it. I have had the symptoms you speak of and I agree you end up in a constant spiral of ‘what if’. I would like to know why we end up in this scenario and what more importantly, we can do about it.
Hope tomorrow is a better day
Hi All
I’ve been suffering with anxiety for as long as I can remember. Recently I’ve had a few bad days for the same kind of reasons as Simon describes.
I have found some really useful podcasts by Paul Dooley on iTunes. There is a very good one on how assumption plays a major part in causing panic attacks.
Cheers
Ive been suffering with anxiety for over 2 years now, i used to be a normal, happy man who worked in a very social job, now the thought of going out with friends or having friends come to my house triggers my panick attacks, i am always battling a constant feeling of dread and often feel like im about to drop dead of a heart attack, i hope someone out there can help me.
Know the feeling. Tomorrow is my big day. I have not been able to socialise for years now and have gradually dropped out of all events with my friends . Tomorrow eve I am hosting (i hope) a Bodyshop party and all my old friends are coming. If I can master this then I feel I have something to aim for so watch this space.
I woke up with my first panic attack around the age of 13. It was the middle of the night and to wake up with my heart beating out of my chest was the most frightening thing that has ever happened to me. I immediately ran to my parents screaming to ring an ambulance. Luckily my mother was a nurse and was able to recognise what was happening. I am now 22, and my panic attacks have become worse and worse. My main fear is that I dont have an anxiety disorder, and that something far worse is going on. I live in this fear everyday and usually have panic attacks every day. I constantly fear having one at work where no-one will understand, and fear having one amongst friends for fear of embarrassing them. I really just want tips from other people out there.
Kate
Panic attacks are horrible, it’s just a feeling of dread, I have them at least once a week now and i’m scared i’m going to push everyone away. I can’t talk to anyone about it because i’ve annoyed them enough by telling them i’m going to die once a week when i get into a panic. I’ve had the problem since my dad, who was fighting fit, had a sudden heart attack and now i’m convinced the same fate is waiting for me. The doctors around here really are rubbish, they fob me off with beater blockers which i obviously don’t want to take because i’m sure that will make it worse. i’m at university and i struggle to attend most lectures now or go out by myself to do the shopping in fear of having a panic attack in public. I really feel like i’ve hit a brick wall, i used to be such an outgoing person. I don’t want to start taking tablets because i fear the side effects and it wont deal with the actual issue, but i have no idea where to actually go for help, i’m sure i need councilling or something but there’s no one to ask. :(
Dear Leanne,
Panic attacks are a horrible thing to have in ones life, and actually very difficult for someone that has never had one to understand. Even those of us who have suffered for years usually can’t pin it down to some simple event.
However, the one thing I can say is this: the worst thing that can happen to any one of us is that we will actually die…and of course one day we will…but until then we have the chance to experience life in all of its shades, from the most beautiful to the worst, and sometimes hard things like panic attacks happen to us. BUT DON’T GIVE IN. Read through these messages and you will see one recurring piece of advice….FIGHT IT. Everyone has their own way and inbuilt defence mechanisms. You must find yours ! Be strong and don’t be afraid to ask (a REAL friend) for support. Explain to them what you are going through…it does help to just talk about it. But be aware that even the best of friends will lose patience if you don’t try to beat this yourself.
Have faith in yourself ….and don’t let panic ruin your life. From a fellow sufferer.
I am so relieved to read these posts. I have suffered with either GAD or PD since 2000 but have sadly have to give in and have drug therapy namely Seroxat!!! I have gained so much weight that now the anxiety I had before pales in comparison to the way I look and feel about myself .
I am here 24 7 for anyone that would like to respond but ultimately I would like to set up a self help group in the Kent area to address our situation.
Hi just try to hang on to the fact that nothing awful will happen to you . x
hi,
I used to suffer alot from anxiety as a child to the point where i would “freak out” if i didnt have immediate access to a drink and i also associated this with food so i stopped eating properly for about 3 years. I was sent to see a psychologist who eventually helped me overcome the anxiety and got me to start eating properly again. All was fine for the next ten years until about 2 years ago, i just started panicking again all the time and now it is so much worse because i suffer from acid reflux and the two combined have affectively ended my life (I have no job, no girlfriend or any real prospects or ambitions). i find it hard to talk to anyone in my family, as they appear to have very little sympathy for me and its not the kind of thing i imagine my friends been very helpful with. I feel as tho i cant go on much long as i am and as im only 25 im not ready to give up on a normal life just yet. Any advice or help would be welcomed……btw i have spoken to a doctor but he is dragging his heels on contacting a psychologist due to NHS changes in my area
Hi Tim
I feel compelled to reply to you as I’ve looked at this website a couple of times now when I’ve felt low. I was known for being quite a bubbly and confident person and I still try to be even though it as times quite hard and upsetting. No-one, least of all me, ever expected me to suffer from any kind of panic or anxiety, I’ve tried to bottle so many things up so that like you I don’t want to tell my friends stuff and when I do its only a snippet of how I’m really feeling. I’ve had a lot happen in the last two years of my life, some of which I’ve inflicted on myself due to bad decisons, others which I have not. I bottled it all up and put a brave face on and I can only think this might be a reason for my anxiety. I won’t go into all the symptoms as theyve already mentioned but sometimes I’ve felt so trapped because noone understands, I’m 21 and I feel I should have my whole life ahead of me as do you. Recently, I’ve also had acid reflux symptoms and I know exactly how you feel because its so uncomfortable, I’ve been put on omraprazone (i think its called that!) and been told to cut out of lot of things, You’re life isnt over, it hasnt ended, I firmly believe that in the end it will make us all stronger. Sometimes I feel weak and then I think wait a minute we are putting up with so much more than most people. You’re the first person I’ve ever seen to say you suffer from panic and reflux and its really frustrating coz its all in your throat chest and stomach with both things, I know exactly how you feel. If youd like to talk to me, I’d love to hear from you, maybe we can help each other who knows! Keep strong, I’m rubbish at following my own advice but it saddens me to read everything what people have put. I know its comforting to know youre not alone feeling it but at the same time so sad too. I hate the fact I can’t tell my friends how I’m really feeling so just to know one person who knows how I feel would be a massive help.
Hi
I was diagnosed with panic disorder 2 yrs ago after coming off of citalopram. I still think this is what caused the panic disorder in the first place. After countless times in A& E thinking was dying, almost passing out, my back & neck seized up, paraethesia in my face and scalp, grinding teeth, jaw pain, racing heart but faint heartbeat, sometimes really slow pulse . I bought a blood pressure monitor and it went between really high and very very low. stomach packed in completely ended up in hospital as my digestion shut down, sever constipation, insomnia, coldness, couldn’t sleep properly for months, night panic attacks in my sleep , flourescent lights really bright, tinnitus and panic & fear constant over and over again daily and nightly. Severe memory loss. Couldn’t even recognise my ex bf when I bumped into him at the park. Gave up food except boiled chicken and rice & black tea and lettuce and vitamin tablets. Lost 2 stone. Thought food allergies must be causing the attacks. couldn’t go to the hospital even though I felt like I was dying because they just kept dismissing me over and over again and ended up in the same situation.
I Gave up leaving the house except to the park to walk the dog which was my saviour in the end. After a few months of no contact with anyone except my dog and my mum and my son I joined and online group and slowly made the way back to society. I didn’t have a panic attack for a year and decided that was it – It’s never going to happen again.
Until a few weeks ago.. I got pelvic pain- got diagnosed with possible PID – they gave me metronidazole – I had a reaction to it – I felt high – this was not on the leaflet – I thought I must be going mad – phoned the hospital who said some people react like this and it would go if I stopped taking them – then the panic attacks started and I didn’t realise they were panic attacks I just thought I must be going crazy due to the metronidazole and went to the hospital where they tried to send me home . I said I need to see a psychologist.
Had an interview with 2 lovely psychologists who advised me that I wasn’t going mad and that it was due to all the stress that I had been under lately – a broken foot , my dad having cancer , my isolation due to the snow , and the pain I was in. I am still very stressed but I am only suffering from the dizziness & tinnitus & the bright florescent lights now.
I may even switch my phone back on tomorrow – I haven’t spoken to any of my friends for about 2 months now as I am scared of stress. I am walking the dog everyday and forcing myself to eat food I am afraid of at least once a week ( Ie Salt) as avoidance seems to make things alot worse for me.
Wish me luck!
Hi, I’m 18 years old and I’ve been having panic attacks for about six months now.
I think it’s due to two things – first of all, i’m moving out in September and I feel as though I am losing control of my life. Second of all, I have had a lot of trouble and worry and heartache recently to do with male attention. I feel trapped all the time and it causes me to panic and lose control to the point where I find it hard to breathe normally, take in too much oxygen and sometimes faint. There is also a long line of asthma in my family and so I have difficulty taking deep breaths anyways and the more I concentrate on my breathing the worse it feels. I feel like I can’t escape it and the more I think about not panicking the more I panick. My life seems to be centered around it, it’s really hard to cope with. I don’t know what to try!
hi my name is kurt,
im 14 and im scared to think im on my own through this i feel like im going to be sick when im in school and i feel i have to take deep breaths i play football for notts county as well an i also had to quit because i have started to panic that much i am also a derby season ticket holder but the only way possible for me to get there is on bus and when im on the bus i have started to feel like i am losen breath once again please can someone help me an talk to me thanks kurt.
I am a sixteen year old girl and have been suffering from panic attacks for quite some time now. Last year i had the worst panic attack on a flight just after the plane had taken off. My thoughts were all over the place – mainly in zone death, i couldnt breathe, my heart was beating so fast i thought i was just going to collapse, my head felt fuzzy and even my eye sight went blury. I have never faced anything so terrifying. My panic attacks recently have become a more regular occurance. I’m not at the point where i can’t leave the house or do anything, but i fear that one day may be me.I do avoid going out on my own away from the town, for example – walking my dog though fields, as i have this strange thought, that if i do have a panic attack, or sudden heart palpatations, i won’t be helped.I was a regular sufferer of heart palpatations, so my docotor has now concluded that i have mitral valve proplapse – which is mainly harmless but i feal my panic attacks on top of this will cause me greater damage. At just sixteen i dont feel i should have to worry about panic attacks or death. My friends and boyfriend are generally supportive but don’t thouroghly understand as they have never experienced it. If anyone has any advice as to what step i should take or what i can do to prevent my panic attacks, i would greatly appreciate that.
I am 23 and started getting panic attacks about 8 months ago. I got my first panic attack on a train and had to get off, even though I had been travelling into London for 4 years! I saw three different doctors who kept telling me that it was depression as I had a very stressful job at the time. I didnt believe them as I always felt happy.It then started to get worse after I was perscribed beta blockers, they gave me extremely bad chest pains. I refused to go anti depressents. I ended up quiting my job and I took three months out. I couldnt and still can’t go in to restaurants or busy places without having a panic attack. I have a fear that I will be sick in public. During this time, my boyfriend had been great, He took me to supermarkets and bars and just made me face my fear, it has worked to an extent. I still can’t go to restaurants though. I started to cope better after I saw a councillor. She said to me, have you ever been sick or passed out in public and I said no and she said well why are you worrying that you will, I said I don’t know!! I have recently started a new job that is great but I get at least two a day at work, I no longer feel stressed but I was ill a few weeks ago with a viral infection and since then, they have started getting out of control again. I seem to control them to an extent but when they make me feel sick, I can’t handle it and just have to get out of the situation. Its seems that my panic attacks are triggered by a fear of a fear of having a panic attack. Does things like yoga or even hypnotherapy really work.? Its really controlling my life and hope I can get my life back to some sort of normality soon.
i have panic attacks due to having had some severe health problems and i always live with the fear of further illness i am at a stage at the moment where i cant cope with it much longer as it is getting more frequent and severe i have also recently lost my mother it would be wonderful to here other peoples experiences and maybe some advice on how to cope i have read about health anxiety but not sure weather i have this as its not a fear of possible illness as i do have a life threatening blood disorder i need to come to terms with this for my familys sake but dont know how to
I’ve have been suffering from what I believe are panic attacks all my life.
When I was younger, perhaps 7 or 8 I remember hallucinating very vividly during what I think were panic attacks. I would become very upset and unable to deal with it, especially at such a young age. My mum just thought I had an over active imagination and thought nothing of it. But now I realise I’ve been suffering from panic attacks all my life. The only reason i could not work it out before was because over the years my panic attack episodes have begun happening a little differently. I don’t hallucinate any more or get upset of frightened. I tend to know when one is coming and able to stay in control and keep myself calm.
People that suffer from panic attacks I have noticed seem to be really anxious people- but I am the least anxious person you will come across. I am completely carefree and hardly stress about anything! Even when I have exams looming, I tend to be the most calmest and unbothered person! I’m not a bad student! I’m just very stress free and do pretty well in exams.
I’m not scared of spiders, heights or clowns and a truth be told a bit of a thrill seeker at times!- but I’m terrified of the dark and at 21 years old still sleep with the light on. This fear has intensified lately as I have episodes during the night where I’m woken up because I feel I can’t breathe properly. I realise now this could be something to do with my attacks.
I recently booked an appointment with my GP and he agrees that I may be a sufferer of Panic disorder as my panic attacks are triggered for no real reason.
It is comforting to read that other people have had similar experiences and I can now pick up on the ways that they have learned to deal with them and use them myself.
I’m not really sure if it is Panic Attacks! It all started about 6 months ago, every now and then I would get a feeling come up through my upper body and down my arms. I’m 53 years old and first thought of the menopause. My whole upper body and especially my arms feel really heavy and can last for 5 minutes to 30 minutes. They can come one after another or just an isolated one maybe once or twice a day. At night or sitting quietly it seems worse. A little bit short of breath but once it all eases off I feel quite drained of energy. Could these be panic attacks?