I thougt i got rid of them, but today was hell on earth for me.
The thing is im part of a theatre-group now during the summer and we have been performing now in three weeks, and it worked untill today right before i was gonna be on stage.
Lukily it went well, but im not sure about tomorrow.
If you have experience whit panic attacks, do you know how to make sure you dont get one.
Ive heard that what type off food youre eating can affect, and i will not drink coffe tomorrow, thats for sure.

I have had them.

Controlled breathing was the biggest thing--a great way to relax. But knowing that they get better helped me a lot. Just ride them out. They don't kill you, they just come and go.

Actually, if I'm doing anything like performing, I try to induce a bit of anxiety (think about being onstage) beforehand. For me the first jolt of anxiety is the worst, then I get used to it. So if I'm alone and get anxious no big deal, and then it will have lessened by the time I get onstage.

NDRU said:

Thank you!
I tink about that tommorow, i guess what im affraid of is that it will happen right at the momment im on stage, but luckily it didnt.

Gimmesomehorns said:

That's the hardest part, thinking about anxiety makes us have anxiety! It can happen onstage, or anytime, so I try to make sure I'm okay with being a little anxious. Just remember the breathing--4 seconds in, hold breath for 4 seconds, 4 out, hold for 4 seconds.

I had a friend who told me we were lucky to feel anxious or embarrassed because that meant we really cared about life, still.

I had them and they were related to being sick with apendicitis. I had recurring apendicitis for 5 years and didn't know what was wrong with me. My apendix never burst because it was like a slow leak so It never built up and then exploded, it was like time release poison.

Because I was always feeling sick to my stomach I was a nervous wreck about not eating this or drinking that and I was so psychollogically taxed that at the end before I was diagnosed and had surgery I was having 3 or 4 massive panic attacks where my arms would actually go numb from the elbow down and my arm muscles would ripple even though I was not moving my hands.

Not only that but I felt like I was having a heart attack and like I couldn't breathe and was going to pass out. It was absolutely horrific. During that 5 years, I took St. Jons Wort and I believe that that saved my life. Honestly. It's not a fix for apendicitis but it did help my panic issues and kept me from tipping completely over the edge. I recommend it as it's an herb and not a hard drug like a prescription prozac or something similar

Best of luck with this

I had a few bad 1's in '07 after my marriage ended. This may sound super silly, but it helped me. I was at work and wrote on a post-it note "YOU ARE OKAY" and put in on the wall by my desk. If I felt a panic attack coming (usually feeling like I couldn't breathe), I would stare at the sign and repeat the words over and over again in my head. It really did help.

Other than that, my doctor advise more exercise, which helped as well.

npgmaverick said:

When I would have them I would grab lotion and rub my hands together when they started going numb I would also sit at a sink or a tub and wash my hands something about focusing on a task helped to calm me down

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

id just sit in an arm chair and grip it like I was riding a roller coaster.

NDRU said:

that really helps.

horatio said:

It felt very much like that But falling from a coaster that started at the moon without safety belts
[Edited 7/24/08 17:28pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

yeah, I wonder if they could be fun if we learned how to enjoy them?

horatio said:

I've thought about that. I never liked the feeling of butterflies in my stomach, but when I had them before a show I started thinking about the actual feeling, and that it wasn't totally unpleasant. It's just excitement, really.

I remember a quote from an actor who was talking about fear, and how fear was an energy that you can use in a positive way.

panic attacks are the pits

i dont have full blown ones any more (thank heavens)- just little anxiety attacks- that i KNOW will go away- but its still not fun during one....

in fact i have a mild one brewing now- thank god for the org- distraction helps me big time

and breathing

hold...2...3...4... release 2...3...4...

last time I had a panic attack I left the area where I was and I put on my mp3 player and listened to some music for a while

Then I came back and tried to just relax...it worked for me

what all happens in a panic attack for you? I have had to deal with that before, and you have my empathy.

Gimmesomehorns said:

I have them hear and there from me having OCD

bboy87 said:

i get mild ocd when im anxious. takes 4 eva to leave the house

my sister in law has them



very debilitating when it gets to the stage you are so fearful of having an attack you just stay at home all the time "in case"

prb said:

I was diagnosed last week because I started having anxiety attacks and thoughts of self doubt 2 weeks ago ...just alot of stuff due to stress from school and things and I was freaking out for a week until last Wednesday when I went to my first therapy session. I got to the point where I didn't recognize myself in the mirror I'm doing alot better but ocd never goes away and because this type recently happened, I'm going to have relapses until I can finally move on

I used to have them quite regularly. They started to think I had something wrong with my heart and tested everything they could think of.

They did find some abnormalities with my heart but nothing to cause the symptoms I was having.
Then they sorted out that it was anxiety and panic attacks.

It is a hard thing to live with. Just like any other health conditions.

shanti0608 said:

same with my sister in law! she had no idea, but she went to the doc repeatedly for heart palpitations, and would lay awake at night with her heart racing.

ZombieKitten said:

I eventually had to see a neuromuscular therapist to have her sort out the muscles up in my chest that were tightened up around my heart and lungs. the anxiety and panic attacks caused me to tense up in that area so much that it was causing me to be unable to breathe properly.
I still suffer with my anxiety issues from time to time. It is hard to deal with some times when you cannot control when it is going to come on strong.
I hope your sister in law finds some proper help for her anxiety soon.

4 everyone who has posted on this thread

prb said: