Panic and anxiety attacks

Hi @Neelix
Nell, Chearbear and Utopia have given some really good recounts and suggestions here on what helps them and their symptoms.

i feel like the odd one out but but when I have my anxiety attacks and panic attacksthey are very much the same and its hard to distinguish which one of mine are which but are similar to Utopia's where I have to get out of the house because it feels like its smothering me and its really hard to breathe at all. However with mine my natural instincts are to freeze so my initial response isnt to get up and move despite knowing I should and thats what I have to do. I literally freeze and cant move, like being glued to where I sit or stand until everything really builds up and literally explodes out into moving. Until then I use the breathing and the 5 senses activities to help myself then I find being productive helpful such as clenaing the house, or doing something physical like exercising. It still takes me a long while to be able to control these anxiety attacks so its about keeping busy for as long as possible until it passes.

Both of these however have almost the same physical symptoms for me such as the adrenaline rush, chest tightness, breathing difficulties, shaking and trembling, nausea, headspins with blurred vision amongst other things.

its really about finding what works for you in these situations. before i type up which sort of coping strategies and going off on a tanjent is there ny that your specifically after such as the breathing exercise ( @utopia has a good one for this) or things that uses the senses or distractions, i dont like to use mindfullness as a word but any of those sort of strategies just so i get an idea of what sort of stuff your after...

hi @Neelix not a problem

ill take a look and see what i can find in amongst my coping startegies. be back in a sec..

Slowing down breathing

1. Work out the pace and speed that works best for you

2. Breathe in for the count of three.
3. Breathe out for the count of three.
4. Continue to do this and each time slow the count to three very slightly.
5. Don’t force the slowing down process – just allow your counting to gently keep time with a minor slowing down or the breathing for each time you repeat the exercise.
6. When you have slowed your breathing down and notice that you have come to a pace that feels comfortable then stay at that pace, continuing to count your breath in to the count of three and out to the count of three.
A variation to this exercise is instead of counting the breaths in and out you may wish to spell them in – you might wish to spell “c-a-l-m” or “r-e-l-a-x”
1. When you breathe in, spell the letters – “c-a-l-m” (or “r-e-l-a-x”).
2. When you breathe out, spell the letters – “c-a-l-m” (or “r-e-l-a-x”).
3. Each time you repeat the exercise slow the spelling down a little.
4. When you get to a slower pace that feels comfortable then stay at that pace, continuing to spell your breath in and to spell your breath out.

3-3-3 method.

Breathe in for 3 hold for 3 release for 3 then keep repeating it

Quick tense and release
Focus first on your hands.
Clench your fists tightly for a few seconds -hold for the count of 3 seconds, counting them out – 1, 2, 3. You may wish to progressively hold for 4 seconds, then 5 or even more. Make sure you are able to do this reasonably comfortably.
Release the tension all in one go – make sure that the tension is released all at once with a feeling of floppiness at the end.
Repeat this with your hands and lower arms.
Repeat this with your hands and your whole arms.
Repeat this exercise with your feet, then feet and lower legs, then feet and whole of legs.
Finally hold the muscles of your entire body tense, hold for the count of 3 and at 3 release all tension from your body.

Hi @Neelix,

I've been convinced I'm having some type or cardiorespiratory breakdown 100+ times around a panic attack. That's exactly what it seems like - localised pain due to nothing, difficulty breathing etc. Doesn't make any sense but your brain is capable of reproducing these feelings by funneling out adrenaline.

There is pretty substantial evidence positing that heaps of the triggers that get us are either so small we can't consciously acknowledge them or they're a consequence of nothing. Literally nothing. It's called "free floating anxiety" and results from nothing in particular. Just being alive and having a predisposition to anxiety.

It sucks but it's a commonplace feature(s) of anxiety attacks.

hi @Neelix wondering how your getting on with your panic/anxiety attacks? have you been able to manage them abit better?

im happy to hear that youve been practicing, its hard when the panic comes and its painful to do so maybe instead of doing deep breaths you focus on jsut doing shallow breathing but slowing it down as well and slowly. @Neelix

im going ok thanks