New to panic attacks.

I had my first panic attack about a week or so ago. It was terrifying. I was high, and started panicking really badly. I sat in the shower for a good three hours saying to myself “I’m going to die, I’m going to die.” The sensation of dying has only left me even more terrified of when I actually am dying. I now have a great fear of death. Which most people do, I suppose. Anyways, these panic attacks are starting to become more frequent. They are even happening out in public. I just hope this doesn’t turn into a bad case of agoraphobia. Well, to be specific, I was out eating dinner with my mother, and I started feeling scared. I wanted to run out, because I couldn’t breathe that good. I felt like some imaginary person was choking me.

I guess my question is, if you have panic attacks as well, how do you cope with them? Both my parents have panic attacks and gave me some suggestions..but nothing works. I can manage them, but I get really tired if I try to hold them off..but when I sleep, I can’t breathe and wake up scared. Everything is difficult now. I lost interest in all my hobbies and have became even more depressed than before. I feel suicidal, but I am scared to die. I am so lost. I just really need help I suppose.

Category: Mental Disorders asked April 5, 2015

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Veronica Dammit

1 Answer

Hi there! I have been diagnosed with Panic Disorder for a while now and I've gotta tell you, it's really hard to stop the attacks. One of the only ways I can try to gain control is catch it when it's just starting to come on. You can usually feel when you're starting to panic, right? Well, if you can, try to find an activity that requires a lot of concentration but zero actual thinking (if that makes sense). I find games like Temple Run on my phone to be very very helpful. It makes your body move and focus on something while not overwhelming you with separate thoughts or trying to figure something out. Other apps that are good for this are TapTap Revolution or Piano Tiles. The trick is to get good at it beforehand though, so you don't have to think about it.Another thing you can try is the 4-7-8 method. You breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. This is a well known technique to physically force your body to relax. It also helps you not hyperventilate. I will admit, it's difficult and sometimes it can make you feel like you're not getting enough air though.That's all I got! I hope that helped! You can message me if you have any other questions!

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amarahca