Does anyone else suffer extreme anxiety attacks?
930630
I used to have them regularly.  I would first of all try to refrain from seeing a phychiatrist unless they are severely affecting your ability to function in life.  Try a therapist first.  I always reccommend trying to solve a problem without the use of pills.\n\nI was prescribed Paxil, then wellbutarin, then zoloft.  Sometimes they'd work, but cause other problems.  Eventually I gave up on medications.  You need to find out first of all what is primarily triggering your anxiety attacks.  A therapist can help you with this.  In my case, there was no particular trigger (which was frustrating).\n\nSecondly, you will need to learn how to simply just deal with the attacks in a manner that will cause you the least inconvenience.  (Such as not having to leave work, or be taken to the hospital.)  One of the best solutions I've ever heard was to just go lie in bed, throw the covers over you, and just ride it out.  Don't try to stop it.  \n\nOnce you learn how to handle the attacks, you should move on to learning how to "deflect" the attacks.  You'll basically associate the beggining of an attack with something else.  Example:  You start to feel nervous... you know an attack is coming.  Suddenly, you make yourself start thinking about what your plans are for the day, or the next day, or week.  Think about errands you have to run, or bills that need to be paid, or Christmas gifts, or anything that'll keep your mind busy.   The more  you practice this, the more you'll actually be able to stop an attack before it even starts.\n\nAfter a month or two of this, you'll feel less and less attacks coming on, and you'll find yourself having to work much less at preventing attacks, as your mind will subdue them on its own.  Eventually, hopefully, you just flat out won't have any more attacks.\n\n\nOne thing I will definately suggest in the meantime is walking.  Walk or jog at least an hour day.  The better you become physically, the better you will perform and feel mentally.  \n\nAlso, running is great way to kill or ride out an anxiety attack.  I'd reccommend running at home on a treadmill, as you generally feel "safer" at home than outside when you're having an attack.  If you don't have a treadmill, just run vigorously in place.\n\nI hope this helps.  I know how much anxiety can really affect one's life.  It's hellish.  But always remember this and I know it'll make you feel better - THIS IS NOT PERMANENT.  They'll go away someday.  The more  you work on what I've told you, the sooner it'll happen.  It took me about 2 months to get the majority of the attacks to stop, then another month or two to actually feel like a normal person again.\n\nGood luck!!!
800977
Hi!\nI, too, have severe anxiety. I am seeing a Psychologist weekly, and I am also on medication. I have never heard of the www.ConquerAnxiety.com website before, but it does look sort of hinky to me. If you go to the library, there are a ton of books there about dealing with anxiety, and they're free to check out and read. I am somewhat skeptical of self-help programs like that, at least without supervision from a doc or Psychologist....have you tried asking your psych. about it? Have you talked to your doctor about getting some medication? I found that it's next to impossible for me to begin dealing with my anxiety until I got it down to a "quiet" level, using the medications. With that being said, though, different things work differently for everyone, and this website may well work for you. I don't know, I'm not a doc. Good luck!
221383
Have you been checked to see if you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder? I have it and my symptoms are very similiar to yours. I urge you to see a doctor about this. That's the best way to find out whats up and get treatment.\nTake care.
607351
I have been having fear of that lately also. Im 25 and i have 2 kids, Im in perfect health, but I have alot of anxiety and I know its all in my head. Im making myself "worried sick." Try to think positive, okay. Its hard for me to do that as well, but I try. best of luck to you. Im not sure if its normal, i think that people to go thru fears of different things though. Maybe youre just going thru alot right now. Dont let your mind get to carried away with things that most likely wont happen. 'Cause then you begin to play tricks on yourself and began to feel physically ill. Best of luck and hope I helped.
21942
i personally have panic disorder. i've been told...get help from a mental health professional first and possibly medication. i've tried the medication, but i'm not one for pills. and honestly, talking to someone...doesn't make it go away! i've had to teach myself relaxation techniques. first and foremost, i repeat to myself over and over, "i'm okay, i'm fine, i'm not hurt, and this too shall pass". but it has affected me in everyday life, even when i'm not having an attack. truly it is all about your mind set. changing your way of thinking, and that can be the hardest part. i haven't found a concrete solution, i just take it day by day.
774405
Something is causing your anxiety.  Speak to your doctor.  Medical or mental, help is available.
709901
I have both generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as well as obsessive cumpulsive disorder (OCD). It's really difficult to cope with at times because I feel helpless and I get pretty severe panic attacks.  I take both medication and I go to therapy which are both helpful. I take Lexapro daily to help me with the anxiety, Neurontin is something I take when I feel a little anxious and need help so I don't have a panic attack. But when I get super overwhelmed and I have a panic attack I take either Xanax or Ativan. I have a really hard time sleeping sometimes because I wake up in the middle of the night anxious and worried. \n\n\nThere are things such as alternative medicine, would you do them?\nYou can do acupuncture, aromatherapy, theres something called the emotional freedom technique, flower essence therapy, and hypnosis hypnotherapy. These thing may sound stange, but deep breathing exercises are good things to do. Daily exercise is really important and helps sooo much. Avoid alcohol and carbonated soft drinks. Eat bananas, broccoli, brown rice, dried fruits, figs, fish, garlic, soy products, yogurt. Try eating small meals rather than three meals a say. Magnesium supplements are useful. Limit your intake of animal protein. \n\nAromatherapy can help try carrying a bottle with you to sprink on a handkercheif and inhale when your having a hard time. Use lavender, rosemary, and valerian. \n\nSometimes affirmations can help. Tell yourself to repeat that you are alright things will be alright etc. If you cant to that daily, record a tape you can listlen to ful lof affirmations. \n\nColor therapy can help with radiating the colors blue indigo and green. \n\nValerian tea can ease anxiety as well. \n\nHypnosis may not be something you want to do , but it can help. \n\nYoga, mediation, and biofeedback can help reduce anxiety as well. \n\n\nIts great you are sick of it controlling your life and seeking help. Maybe you can go with someone to talk to a docotor. Ativan comes in liquid form, a concentrate, that you can put in juice or applesauce, maybe that would be good lots of things come like that if you feel medication may work. \n\nYou can email me if you i want I have a bunch more suggestions. \nGood Luck
69617
I have panic attacks and I don't think it's just now that they are getting worse. They can be pinpointed now, there is more coverage on it now. Things like that. I am a very anxious person. Not anxious excited. Anxious nervous. The smallest things can make me panic. Going to the dentist does. Sometimes just traffic can do it to me. I am however a weakened person. I have other health problems that add to my fragilness. I think that is a big factor for me.
1096089
I hear ya!...I have these attacks sometimes too....but what I do is go out in the country....where no one is around & scream...it is great therapy....& I can just clear my head....after about 10 min's of this...I am good to go for another week or so...unless something really bad happens...lol....I know it is good therapy...I have been told by the Single Parent Groups I go to...that sometimes your brain just needs to let off some pressure...so scream until your heart is content....I used to go to the mountain & scream & have it echo back at me...that was amazing.....
1171677
If you really want to talk about it, you can E-mail me. I've been suffering with anxiety and panic attacks since I was 20 yrs. old.\nTherefore I know alot about it. jaymeadowjay@yahoo
961941
It may just be anxiety attacks, but you should visitor the doctor first of all just to make sure.  If it's anxiety attacks, then stop, take big deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth.  Imagine breathing in calm and breathing out stress.  You should continue this for a few minutes and feel better.  If you try this now and it works, then it probably is just stress, in which case, you can buy some Bach's remedy and put a few drops under your tongue whenever you feel this coming on.  Then do your breathing.\n\nI've just seen your additional notes.  I had an irregular heart beat and this was picked up during pregnancy.  I think pregnancy puts extra strain on the heart.  You really should go to the doc asap.\n\nhttp://www.angelic1healing.com
193390
I suffer aswell..ive tried loads of things. I have refused to go on tablets because they only help the symptoms of the attacks, not the root cause of them.\nIts taken me five years to talk about it with someone. I have gone 3 times to a hypnotherapist / psychotherapist and it has really helped. Ive found out why I feel like this. Im learning what triggers the attacks and the hypnotherapy is helping me to change how i think about myself etc.\nExercise is vital really to managing them. Going for walks and all..it helps the anxiety to subside.\nIve cut out sugar and coffee in my diet aswell, these things kind of make anxiety worse. its true that food has an effect on your mind and body.\nAnyway....if you want to talk then you can pm me or mail me cos i know what youre going through.
202531
I used to have severe panic attacks. Along with the panic attacks was high blood pressure. I was in a stressful situation. My doctor put me on buspar (it only made me feel doped up and gain weight) for about 3 months. Once I got myself out of the stressful situation things slowly went back to normal. It was awful. I could be in the middle of my normal daily activities or in the middle of Wal-Mart and it would just hit me all of a sudden. I still have a panic attack occasionally, but nowhere near as bad as they used to be. If you haven't already, I would suggest you see your doctor.I don't think medication is right for everyone..depending on how severe it is for you. Sometimes a change in lifestyle is also helpful.
981137
Hi, I am sorry to hear this.  You didn't state if this has always happened to you or not?!  If it is something new you are experiencing then I would really speak to a Doc.  Sometimes a load of stress in other areas of your life can make you heart race and do funny things.  It isn't uncommon to have panic attacks when stressed or nervous.  There are probably a lot of options out there to help you with out taking meds. I would really talk to your family doctor as soon as you can, just to make sure there isn't something majorly wrong.  Take Care of yourself and remember you are the best judge of yourself and what you need.  Sending you lots of smiles :) :) :)
774069
Christine, first you must know what is the root cause of your anxiety/panic attacks.   I agree with you that drugs will only mask the root cause and will not resolve the root cause that is still inside of you.    \n\nThere is what is know as "anticipatory", reaction to anxiety.   When you feel an anxiety attack coming on you must do everything in your power to not allow the cause of the anxiety to take over your entire body.  If this happens then you will have a full blown panic attack.   \n\nWhen you feel anxious or a panic attack coming on, your very first action is to try and think of someting beautlful, or do Yoga breathing exercise.. (Just breath through your nose, taking in as much air as you can hold).  Don't allow the the stomach muscles to force the air out.  You want to control the air by letting it out as slow as possible through your mouth.   \n\nPractice this Yoga breathing exercise at home, so that you will get in the habit of doing it right.  (Usualy two or three max., taking in all the air you can through your nose & letting it out very slow through your mouth will make you feel very relaxed.  \n\nI do it myself.  An it works 100%.    \n\nA phobia of any kind, requires behavior modification, reality therapy or hypnosis.  (If say you have been through therapy an it is obvious it did not work for you).   \n\nYou must be conditioning your mind, with your social phobia, becasue you say that is getting better.  (This means that you must be exposing yourself little by little with being around people.\n\nNow you will have to try and find out why your panic attacks are increasing.  As soon as you feel a panic attack coming on look around yourself, or think of what it is that is own your mind at that monent..  (Perhaps what is around you or what is on your mind at that given moment may be the cause of the panic attack).  \n\nThen if you find the cause, you will need to find an alternative solution to resolve the problem.  This is what I do for my patients.   I find out the root cause an I never tell them what they must do.  I provide them with many alternative solutions and they must pick which one is best for them.  If they ask me about the choice, I can tell them what is the light at the end of the tunnel.\n\nWish you all the best, as panic attacks are no fun.  Plus I am proud of you that you will not let any psychiatrist put you on a controlled substance like Aprazolam, Tafil or Xanax. (All the same drug).  Names depends on what country you reside in.\n\nClinical Psychiatrist, France\n\nExcuse my english
887117
You are definitlly having too much stress in your life at this point and maybe too little number of ways to vent....so it resulted in anxiety attacks. You have to calm down or talk to some specialist who could help you get back in your "old you". \nSymptoms of anxiety are:\n\nBody\n\nBurning Sensations throughout the body \nChronic Fatigue \nElectric shock feeling \nExcess of energy, you feel you can’t relax. \nFeel like you are going to pass out or faint \nFeeling cold or chilled \nHyperactivity, excess energy \nIncreased or decreased sex drive \nMuscle twitching \nNeck, back, shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness \nNo energy, feeling lethargic, tired \nNumbness or tingling in hands, feet, face, head, or any other places on the body \nPersistent muscle tension, stiffness \nSore or tight scalp or back of the neck \nStartle easily \nSweating, uncontrollable profuse sweating \nThe floor feels like it is moving either down or up for no reason \nTrembling or shaking \nUrgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom \nWarm spells \nWeak legs, arms, or muscles \n\nChest\n\nChest pain or discomfort \nConcern about the heart \nFeel like you have to force yourself to breath \nFind it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath \nFrequent yawning to try and catch your breath \nHeart – beating hard or too fast, rapid heartbeat, palpitations \nHeart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough \n\nEmotions\n\nDramatic mood swings \nEmotional blunting \nEmotions feel wrong \nFrequently feel like crying for no reason \n\nFears\n\nA heightened fear of what people think of you \nAfraid of being trapped in a place with no exits \nConstant feeling of being overwhelmed. \nFear of being in public \nFear of dying \nFear of losing control \nFear of impending doom \nFear of making mistakes or making a fool of yourself to others \nFear that you are losing your mind \nFears about irrational things, objects, circumstances, or situations \nFears of going crazy, of dying, of impending doom, of normal things, unusual feelings and emotions, unusually frightening thoughts or feelings \nHeightened self awareness, or self-consciousness \nNeed to find nearest washrooms before you can feel comfortable \nNeed to seat near exits \n\nHead\n\nDizziness or light-headedness \nFrequent headaches, migraine headaches \nFeeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness \nHead, neck or shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness \nGiddiness \nShooting pains in the face \nShooting pains in the scalp or head \nWhen you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards \nSore jaw that feels like a tooth ache \n \n\nHearing\n\nFrequent or intermittent reduced hearing or deafness in one or both ears \nLow rumbling sounds \nRinging in the ears, noises in the ears, noises in the head \n\nMind\n\nDesensitization, depersonalization \nFear of going crazy \nFear of losing control \nFear of impending doom \nFeelings of unreality \nFrequent feeling of being overwhelmed, or that there is just too much to handle or do \nHaving difficulty concentrating \nObsession about sensations or getting better \nRepetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’ \nUnderlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear \nYou often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders \n\nMood\n\nAlways feeling angry and lack of patience \nDepression \nFeeling down in the dumps \nFeeling like things are unreal or dreamlike \nFrequently being on edge or 'grouchy' \nFrequently feel like crying for no apparent reason \nHave no feelings about things you used to \nUnderlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear \nYou feel like you are under pressure all the time \n \n\nMouth/Stomach\n\nA ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’, or unusual smell or taste \nChoking \nConstant craving for sugar or sweets \nConstipation \nDiarrhea \nDifficulty swallowing \nDry mouth \nFeeling like y
1157327
I agree with that whole nasty cylce thing above.  It for sure is.  It is not easy to deal with.  If your PCP(primary doc) knows you better, it is probably better to take the medication they prescribed.  Those anxiety attacks are hard to deal with, they are scary.  The sooner you start taking it the sooner it will start working.  \n\nYour working out and eating healthy should have helped keep you on track, but sometimes extra stresses in life will bring this on.  Stress can do so much to a body physically, even when you are healthy.  \n\nMaybe try to meditate.  Just take a few minutes for yourself each day to clear your head of the stressful things in your life.  try to picture something nice during this time a relaxing beach, or nothing at all.  something right for you.  good luck.