are panic attacks all in your head?   thanks?
470706
A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than thirty minutes. Symptoms include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), and sensations of choking or smothering. The disorder is strikingly different from other types of anxiety disorders in that panic attacks are very sudden, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling. An episode is often categorized as a vicious cycle where the mental symptoms increase the physical symptoms, and vice-versa.\n\nThe various symptoms of a panic attack can be understood as follows. First comes the sudden onset of fear with little or no provoking stimulus. This then leads to a release of adrenaline (epinephrine) which cause the so-called fight-or-flight response where the person's body prepares for major physical activity. This leads to an increased heart rate (tachycardia), rapid breathing (hyperventilation), and sweating (which increases grip and aids heat loss). Because strenuous activity rarely ensues, the hyperventilation leads to carbon dioxide levels lowering in the lungs and then the blood. This leads to shifts in blood pH which can in turn lead to many other symptoms, such as tingling or numbness, dizziness, and lightheadedness. (It is also possible for the person experiencing such an attack to feel as though they are unable to catch their breath, and they begin to take deeper breaths. This also acts to decrease carbon dioxide levels in the blood.)
449978
Obviously this is a very important question and it \ndeserves the best possible answer.  There are usually\nsome variations among the symptoms; and among the\nreasons, if any can be identified.  Panic attacks can\nbe treated by a wide variety of meds, sometimes even \nmost successfully as a "side effect" of a certain med.\nSo if a sufferer wants the best chance of relief\nas soon as possible, and wants to avoid multiple trials\nof different drugs which aren't helpful, the individual\naspects of the attacks should be discussed with a\npsychiatrist who is clinically skilled and caring.\nAre such doctors hard to find?  Yes, they can be.\nDon't start by listings in a phone book.  Ask other\nhealth professionals or people who have had similar\nproblems, as long as you trust them and can respect\ntheir opinions.  Your question is much too general\nto answer without good medical help.  And even though\nfinding that may be a job in itself, it's worth \nthe effort.
719949
Don't listen to that guy, you are not going crazy.\n\nI have panic attacks it varies from person to person but usually the symptoms are sweating, heart racing, shallow breathing, feeling unable to breath, caulstrphobic, wanting to get away in a hurry, feeling like your going crazy, or feeling very anxoius and nervous all of a sudden.\n\nThere are lots of website that are great for panic attacks and the more you read about them the less frightning they are just type panic attacks into a search.\n\nJust remeber that it may feel uncomfortable but it will end, it usually cos up and up and up (anxiety), but eventually it will go down and go away.\n\nPractice breathing in for 5 sec through your nose, holding it for five seconds, then breathing out either nose or mouth for five seconds, this should make the panic attack shorter or do when you feel anxious, or distact yourself whenever it happens, read something start up a converstaion or sing a song (if your alone or driving) cos this too makes you breath as above!
878949
Hi there,\nMy name is Alison, 21 (22 this Thursday) and have been suffering with Panic disorder/agoraphobia/health anxiety/OCD for four years and have had my fair share of panic attacks!\n\nYou've probably heard about the paper bag technique, breathing in and out slowly until the attack has subsided, I find breathing into my hands as useful too. The idea behind this is that  when you panic you overbreatheas you take in way too much oxygen and your carbon dioxide levels decrease rapidly, casuing you to feel faint, dizzy, insane etc. The idea is to regualte the your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels agin.\n\nWhen you breath into your paper bag it is important that you breath out slowly, so that your carbon dioxide levels increase. Breathe evenly and try not to hyperventilate too much.\n\nThe way you think can make your panic attack worse too. My therapist gave me some information that says that it only takes three minutes for your body to recover from the effects of panic, but when we think wrongly and catastrophise the cycle of panic is allowed to continue needlessley.\n\nDr Claire Weeks advises in her book 'Essential help for your nerves' that overcome you panic attacks and anxiety you have to accept you symptoms and don't add any secondary fear. By that I mean, when your attack first strikes, (primary fear) don't keep adding the classic 'not again!', 'what if' and 'i'm going to die'  thoughts, (secondary fear) and instead think, 'Ok this is a panic attack, i'm going to take control and allow this to pass.' Actually let your body do it's worse to you, don't tense up and think the worst, just tell yourself that the moment will pass.\n\nAccording to Weekes the key to overcomming anxiety is acceptance.\nShe advocates a four step programme to overcomming panic:\n\n1.FACING: When faced with a situation you feel uncomfortable with don't run away, stick with it!\n\n2.ACCEPT: Accept that you feel panicky, by telling yourself you don't want to feel this you makes yourself more tense. Accept all of your symptoms, let your panic 'do it's worse'.\n\n3.FLOAT: Rise above the situation. No matter how bad it gets, tell youself that your going to get through this. Carry on with what you are doing.\n\n4.LET TIME PASS: Of course you want your panic attack to go away immediately, but you can't rush it. If it takes a couple of hours for calm to return again, then that's the way it has to be. Just tell yourself you are going to gain control and get better. \n\nThis technique does take practice, but it does work. I was terrified of choking and so ate alone, since beginning thearpy, and using this technique, I've begun to eat downstairs again. Even when I feel panicky and tight chested, I never run away, I take my time to eat my meal and allow panic to be overcome by confidence.\n\nI've gone on for too long I hope it helps. The Claire Weeke's book is brilliant. Maybe you should get a copy.
361350
I've had panic attacks in the past...thankfully not recently. I guess you should just focus on becoming less stressed in general, through whatever method works for you. I've tried hypnosis, anxiety medication, meditation, etc. I wouldn't recommend medication because it's usually addictive and withdrawal symptoms are really bad. Meditating and hypnosis were the most useful tools for me. And don't be afraid to seek the support of others. More people than you think suffer from panic attacks.
437603
I also have a panic disorder.  I totally understand you.   Learn all you can about panic disorder.  There are some excellent books out there that are easy to understand and get through.  The more you know about what your body is doing the more you will come to understand this disorder in time.
898014
I worry so much that I get panic attacks. The best way, for me to deal with a panic attack, is to tell the panic to "bring it on". Use reverse psyc on it and tell it "Is that all the panic you can produce." and in minutes it sort of disolves. Good Luck!!!
660892
well, depends, i have a heart condition and i cant get heart attacks from a simple scare, my heart might beat faster and harder, but thats for everyone else.  I do know someone who if you do scare him, he would have to be rushed to a hospital because his heart would almost fail.  So yes and no, only under the circumstances.
462062
I have had this many times and it sounds like an anxiety attack. You become so afraid that you start breathing fast and hyperventilate. I was told to hold my breath and count to ten, after i had slowed my breathing down I didn't feel dizzy any more. I thought I was going to die when this started happening  to me and it seemed to get worse each time. When I realized I could control it and it was me being afraid that caused the problem, it has not happened again for several years. I am not a doctor, but these same symptoms happened to me.
67167
It actually sounds like you may be having generalized anxiety accompanied by panic attacks.  I'd see a doctor.
194696
I've had panic disorder for 18 years now and I say if the meds help you than stick with it, only speaking from my own personal experience I can tell you thats whats worked for me so If I have to take meds for the rest of my life to relieve the symptoms than I will.  It's kinda like when you get a headache you take tylenol for it...Thats the way I look at it anyways...Good luck with it!
1009067
Most sufferers of panic attacks report a fear of dying, "going crazy", or losing control of emotions or behavior. These feelings generally provoke a strong urge to escape or flee the place where the attack began ("fight or flight" reaction) and, when associated with chest pain or shortness of breath, a feeling of impending doom and/or tunnel vision, frequently result in the sufferer seeking medical attention.\n\nThe panic attack is distinguished from other forms of anxiety by its intensity and its sudden, episodic nature. Panic attacks are often experienced by sufferers of anxiety disorders and other psychological conditions involving anxiety, though panic attacks are not always indicative of a mental disorder, nor are they uncommon. Up to 10 percent of otherwise healthy people experience an isolated panic attack per year, and 1 in 60 people in the U.S. will suffer from a panic disorder at some point in their lifetime.\n\nPeople with phobias will often experience panic attacks as a direct result of exposure to their trigger. These panic attacks are usually short-lived and self-limiting, as they will subside once the trigger no longer present.\n\nIn conditions of chronic anxiety, one panic attack can roll into another, leading to nervous exhaustion over a period of days.\n[edit]\n\nSymptoms\n\nThe symptoms of a panic attack appear suddenly, without any apparent cause. They may include:\n\n    * Racing or pounding heartbeat or palpitations\n    * Sweating\n    * Chest pain/PVCs\n    * Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea\n    * Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)\n    * Tingling or numbness in the hands, face, feet or mouth\n    * A sudden feeling that everything around the person represents a threat. This can cause a person to either behave extremely defensively (perhaps even assuming the fetal position), or to become enraged and lash out violently.\n    * The loss of the ability to react logically to oncoming stimuli, and the loss of cognitive ability in general. One suffering from a panic attack will often only feel the attack and will be unable to assess why they are feeling the attack or what they can do to stop the sensation.\n    * Flushed face and chest\n    * Chills\n    * Dream-like sensation or perceptual distortion (derealization)\n    * Dissociation, or the perception that one is not connected to the body or is disconnected from space and time (depersonalization)\n    * Terror, or a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it\n    * Vomiting\n    * Tunnel vision\n    * Fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing or going crazy\n    * Fear of dying\n    * Feeling of impending doom\n    * Trembling or "shivering"\n    * Crying\n    * Heightened senses\n    * Loud internal dialogue\n    * Exhaustion\n    * Vertigo\n\nA panic attack typically lasts from 2 to 8 minutes. More severe panic attacks may form a series of episodes waxing and waning every few minutes, only to be ended by physical exhaustion and sleep.\n\nThe various symptoms of a panic attack can be understood as follows. First, there is the sudden onset of fear with little or no provoking stimulus. This leads to a release of adrenaline (epinephrine) which brings about the so-called fight-or-flight response where the person's body prepares for major physical activity. This leads to an increased heart rate (tachycardia), rapid breathing (hyperventilation), and sweating (which increases grip and aids heat loss). Because strenuous activity rarely ensues, the hyperventilation leads to a drop in carbon dioxide levels in the lungs and then in the blood. This leads to shifts in blood pH which can in turn lead to many other symptoms, such as tingling or numbness, dizziness, and lightheadedness. It is also possible for the person experiencing such an attack to feel as though they are unable to catch their breath, and they begin to take deeper breaths, which also acts to decrease c
661150
no its not anxiety its just normal stuff going on in your head.  Every one has it and as you get older you learn that you can filter the thoughts, also you will find that your peers will also speak to you more openly about how they have weired thoughts and you will wonder why on earth you worried so much.\n\nJust dont get caught up in listening to your inner voices and then thinking that you need to act out on them, you can choose not to.\n\nI hope this helps
955661
You need to examine WHY you are anxious. This is sometimes difficult to get to but figuring out what triggers you and why is the first step to getting control over it.\n\nThe most important thing to remember, is that YOU are in control.\n\nI used to have terrible panic attacks and then one day I realized... i am doing this to myself?? WHY?? After that I began to really look at things and see what was going on and how I could find ways to change it. \n\nUltimately, I gained control over myself and my panic attacks and thus, my life. \n\nI think too many people get to thinking they are out of control and all of these things become self-propagating problems (we think they are getting worse, so they do). \n\nI strongly believe that life is not about getting RID of our neuroses, it is about learning to live with them and appreciate them for making use the unique people that we are! \n\nGood luck my friend...
278007
They absolutely do NOT "view you as a mental if you have panic attacks."  If you think you are going to end up with him, then by all means tell him.  I would be willing to bet you that he will understand and probably look out for you. :)  Don't be afraid. By the way, being afraid of telling him this will probably cause you to have a panic attack!  Go with the fear, fear is NOTHING. only what you make it.  Good luck to you.
547602
Heart attack symptoms? hmm...rather vague here. but it could also be that the stresses in your life are making feel anxious? Anxiety and/or panic attacks frequently present as somewhat similar to having a heart attack. In fact, up to 30% of patients who complained of having heart attack symptoms actually suffer from anxiety disorders instead.\n\nTo have peace of mind, do consult your local doctor. He/she will be best positioned to advise you :)
40617
Lots of people with many responsibilites feel the way you do. It's normal to feel stressed out when you have so much going on, and untreated stress can escalate into panic attacks (sounds like that may be happened to you, since shortness of breath is one of the symptoms).\n\nNow is the time to take steps so your stress won't progress any further. If possible, talk to a therapist who can help you. At the very least, you need to list and sort the priorities in your life and make a sensible plan for carrying them out. You also need to schedule time for yourself; make an appointment for "you time," and KEEP IT!\n\nThere is no easy way out of your situation, but if you can prioritize your life and break down your tasks into managable chunks and work in some time for yourself, it should help tremendously.\n\nDr. Barb Nefer, http://www.bnlifeskills.com