Panic attacks

tips on how to cope: dealing with your feelings, dealing with the consequences of self-harm in your life. share your ideas and maybe pick up some new skills, too. you don't have to want to stop to learn something new here.

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Candy
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Panic attacks

Post by Candy » Fri Feb 09, 2007 1:05 am

I had a rough night last night,cause I had such a bad panic attack and I wanted to SH,so bad that I made myself go to bed,it was scary and there was not one here to help me get through it,but writing on the bus helped me alot. I take my medication for it,but I am so anxious all the time,cause I want to do SH,it is getting so hard. I hate when I feel like that,cause I start feeling like I am going out of control.I am just getting through this and it is not easy for me,I hope I get through tonight,cause last night was not easy for me.Any suggestions. I like the Hello Kitty picture that is being sent to me. I wish I was feeling better and I am tired of feeling like this.You are weclome to PM me or write to me on the bus.Just taking it one minute at a time and that is not working sometimes either.I wish I could relax,but I am having a hard time. :star:
I am in a dark place like a turtle afraid to deal with the pain that I do not want to feel,but eventually I will slowly face my pain,like the turtle when he comes out of his shell.

To find yourself,think of yourself first.

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Enola
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Post by Enola » Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:39 am

Have you read this book - it's called Mastery of Anxiety and Panic - MAP3

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookse ... 1358&itm=2

My therapist recommended it and I'm working through it. It is helping so far. It's for coping with panic attacks.

What meds are you on and how long have you been on them? Do you know what is triggering the PAs?
Enola


<a href=http://enola-survivor.blogspot.com/ target='_new'>My Blog</a>

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StevieLynn
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Post by StevieLynn » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:09 am

Hi, Candy. I hope you're doing ok.

Panic attacks are scary, and not easy to deal with. I also have panic attacks, and they frequently make me want to SI to relieve the anxiety. I commend you for fighting so hard. Well done on getting through last night.

Are you able to recognize when a panic attack is coming on? For instance, I can tell when I start getting butterflies in my stomach and I need to have my back against a wall so I know no one is behind me. When I start feeling like that, I know I may end up in a full blown panic attack if I don't do something.

I try to make myself as comfortable as possible, feel as safe as I possibly can. Sometimes it's as simple as putting on my pjs and making a cup of tea. Sometimes that's not possible. I might be at work. I'll lock myself in the bathroom for five or ten minutes and tell myself that I'm safe and I'm ok. I've left work because of it. I've gone to bed in the middle of the day because of it.

The important thing when dealing with a panic attack is to feel safe. And if you feel safe, it may lessen the urges to SI in order to relieve the panic.

I hope this helps, and I hope you feel better soon.

Love,
Stevie
In Which Something Oooh Occurred

And it felt like a winter machine that you go through and then you catch your breath and winter starts again, and everyone else was springbound. And when I chose to live, there was no joy, it's just a line I crossed. I wasn't worth the pain my death would cost, so I was not lost or found....But when you live in a world, well, it gets in to who you th ought you'd be. And now I laugh at how the world changed me. I think life chose me after all.
--Dar Williams

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Candy
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HI

Post by Candy » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:28 am

I do not know what brings on the panic attack,sometimes I feel it is the need to do Sh,and I am trying very hard not to do it. I am taking Clonopin for my anxiety and it is 1mg four times a day,it makes me tired,but the attack makes me more tired. There are times that I do not know what is going on,my heart starts to go to fast and i feel soo anxious and I can not relax and my thoughts are on SH,that it makes the anxiety worse. I do not know what is happpening to me,and it scares me alot. I do not like feeling this way,even when I am alone it is bad,or when iam around other people. I am going to try my best to hang in there tonight and focus my thoughts on other things if I can. I am taking it one minute at a time. :star:
I am in a dark place like a turtle afraid to deal with the pain that I do not want to feel,but eventually I will slowly face my pain,like the turtle when he comes out of his shell.

To find yourself,think of yourself first.

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StevieLynn
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Post by StevieLynn » Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:35 am

One minute at a time is good, if that is what you need to do. I used to take Klonopin; it really helped me. But yeah, it does make you drowsy. I found this helped me sometimes because I could go to sleep when things got to be too much. Not the best coping mechanism in the world, but better than SI.

I would suggest trying to listen to your panic. I know, that sounds weird. But if you do, maybe you can hear what is causing you to panic? Maybe I am not reading you right, but I use SI to relieve the panic, sometimes, even though I start to feel extrememly anxious when I fight urges that come from elsewhere.

I wish you luck in this. It's hard. But have faith, you can do it.

Love,
Stevie
In Which Something Oooh Occurred

And it felt like a winter machine that you go through and then you catch your breath and winter starts again, and everyone else was springbound. And when I chose to live, there was no joy, it's just a line I crossed. I wasn't worth the pain my death would cost, so I was not lost or found....But when you live in a world, well, it gets in to who you th ought you'd be. And now I laugh at how the world changed me. I think life chose me after all.
--Dar Williams

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Enola
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Post by Enola » Fri Feb 09, 2007 1:46 pm

I got caught up (am caught up) in the panic attack/SI cycle. My homework based on the book I mentioned above is to track and chart my panic attacks, anxiety, depression, physical symptoms and mental state. I thought it might make things worse having all this information laid out before me. But really it's helped me see patterns. Then I guess (not that far in the book yet) that I'll figure out how to avoid triggering situations or coping skills.

I take xanax which makes me kind of drowsy too. But like Stevie said sometimes a nap is a good thing. Hope today is better.
Enola


<a href=http://enola-survivor.blogspot.com/ target='_new'>My Blog</a>

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