Comments on: How To Survive a Panic Attack Part 2 http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/health/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/ A Mental Health Survival Guide Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:04:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Emmanuelle http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/health/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5913 Emmanuelle Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:44:21 +0000 http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/heath/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5913 there's something I want to share, that's helped me tremendously. When I started having panic attacks, I didn't even know that they were panic attacks. to me it just felt like I was dying, stat. At the time I was on a trip with my mom, a vacation.. and it happened just like that. To this day i'm still trying to work out what triggered the first attack, but one thing I know is that there were a few things that helped, and others that made it worse. - Being in a car: definitely made it worse for me. As I said, I didn't know what I was experiencing or why, but being in a car when I wasn't driving made everything worse. - Being in a medical environment: worked fine for me. I went to a couple of different doctors, and spent each time about half an hour explaining the symptoms and everything, and realized afterwards that it didn't occur to me to panic while I was busy explaining stuff to the doctor.. which leads me to my last part: - staying busy. I was as I said with my mom at the time, and she didn't know what was going on either, but she did her best to make me feel better. And sometimes it worked. ONe thing that worked was playing cards. If I managed to get sufficiently involved in the game, the panic just disappeared. Similarly, whatever the situation, just being busy in my mind with something (could be anything, really) was usually enough to defuse the panic attack (or at least make me feel better for a while). Those were times when I had no idea what was going on. Now I know, but I still used the "getting busy" technique. My close family and friends (people that are aware of that particular problem) know all about it, so if I start showing signs of anxiety/panic, they just find a way to keep me busy, be it by talking about something, playing a game, taking care of the kids, anything really. If I can get my mind into it, all the rest disappears. I'm sharing this in case someone could find it useful. It's not really a method - just a tip... if I'm on my own, similarly, focusing on a book or the TV can usually do the trick. I did have one very special person for a while that was able to take my out of the panic attack vicious circle just by talking, but that person is gone now, unfortunately.. so I just rely on my "proven" methods. there’s something I want to share, that’s helped me tremendously. When I started having panic attacks, I didn’t even know that they were panic attacks. to me it just felt like I was dying, stat.
At the time I was on a trip with my mom, a vacation.. and it happened just like that. To this day i’m still trying to work out what triggered the first attack, but one thing I know is that there were a few things that helped, and others that made it worse.
- Being in a car: definitely made it worse for me. As I said, I didn’t know what I was experiencing or why, but being in a car when I wasn’t driving made everything worse.
- Being in a medical environment: worked fine for me. I went to a couple of different doctors, and spent each time about half an hour explaining the symptoms and everything, and realized afterwards that it didn’t occur to me to panic while I was busy explaining stuff to the doctor.. which leads me to my last part:
- staying busy. I was as I said with my mom at the time, and she didn’t know what was going on either, but she did her best to make me feel better. And sometimes it worked. ONe thing that worked was playing cards. If I managed to get sufficiently involved in the game, the panic just disappeared. Similarly, whatever the situation, just being busy in my mind with something (could be anything, really) was usually enough to defuse the panic attack (or at least make me feel better for a while).
Those were times when I had no idea what was going on.
Now I know, but I still used the “getting busy” technique. My close family and friends (people that are aware of that particular problem) know all about it, so if I start showing signs of anxiety/panic, they just find a way to keep me busy, be it by talking about something, playing a game, taking care of the kids, anything really. If I can get my mind into it, all the rest disappears.
I’m sharing this in case someone could find it useful. It’s not really a method - just a tip… if I’m on my own, similarly, focusing on a book or the TV can usually do the trick. I did have one very special person for a while that was able to take my out of the panic attack vicious circle just by talking, but that person is gone now, unfortunately.. so I just rely on my “proven” methods.

]]> By: Scott Davis http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/health/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5653 Scott Davis Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:43:20 +0000 http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/heath/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5653 Hi Jayde, thanks for writing and I'm glad that the article helped you. I love the "roots" technique! Scott Hi Jayde, thanks for writing and I’m glad that the article helped you. I love the “roots” technique!

Scott

]]> By: Jayde http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/health/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5648 Jayde Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:52:32 +0000 http://www.findingyourmarbles.com/heath/how-to-survive-a-panic-attack-part-2/#comment-5648 I am so grateful for your website. Thank you. I am doing a PTSD workbook that has stirred up some emotions that I thought that I had dealt with a long time ago. I have nightmares almost every night. They aren't fun, but it lets me know that I am doing the much needed work. Anyway, I almost always wake up with a panic attack brewing. This morning I thought that I was going to pass out. I managed to get to work, and find your "Square Breathing" technique. It is so EASY and extremely helpful. I also started to remember something that used to help me a great deal. I was taught by a therapist to recognize the panic attack for what it is. To let it wash over me instead of fighting it and raising my anxiety further. Look around the room and see that there is no one dying, no fire, no real threat!!! Breathe deeply and let it pass. An easy grounding technique is to visualize roots coming from the bottom of your feet into the ground. Seeing them and feeling them connect with the earth. : ) Thank you again for your site. I am so grateful for your website. Thank you. I am doing a PTSD workbook that has stirred up some emotions that I thought that I had dealt with a long time ago. I have nightmares almost every night. They aren’t fun, but it lets me know that I am doing the much needed work. Anyway, I almost always wake up with a panic attack brewing. This morning I thought that I was going to pass out. I managed to get to work, and find your “Square Breathing” technique. It is so EASY and extremely helpful.
I also started to remember something that used to help me a great deal. I was taught by a therapist to recognize the panic attack for what it is. To let it wash over me instead of fighting it and raising my anxiety further. Look around the room and see that there is no one dying, no fire, no real threat!!! Breathe deeply and let it pass.
An easy grounding technique is to visualize roots coming from the bottom of your feet into the ground. Seeing them and feeling them connect with the earth. : )
Thank you again for your site.

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