Panic attack

Health and Recovery
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Just had a panic attack. Didnt last very long but it has me feeling depressed. They significantly affect my quality of life.

I hate being out of breath and having a racing heart.

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Does anyone else here suffer from panic attacks? Aside from medication, whats the best way to deal with them?

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Grounding techniques.

Say things you can taste touch and smell around you.

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Good idea, thank you!

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I get panic attacks. I focus on my breath or focus on a word like peace, or love, or kindness. I count my breaths up to ten. I try not to freak myself out. I had a racing heart for an hour last night. I wondered if it might be serious, but I am ok.

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Sorry to hear that. They are horrible :frowning:

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I had my first panic attack 3 weeks ago. I’d never had one before then and it scared me so bad that I called 911 cuz I thought I was having a heart attack. I got so wound up my heart rate hit 160. It left me anxious and sad cuz I kept expecting another one. My doc gave me a plastic mask to wear that works like breathing into a paper bag when I start feeling one but I haven’t had another one since. I’m still scared, tho.

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I’ve done that before, multiple times. Each time I go to the hospital all my tests come back normal and im sent home.

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Yeah, my EKG and labs all came back normal. I’ve been trying to get my pdoc to give me some benzos or other antianxiety meds but he won’t cuz he’s worried I’ll overdose. I felt like a fool when the ER doc told me nothing was wrong with me.

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I have some Ativan here but I try my best to not take it. I was addicted to it in the past and benzo withdrawal is living hell.

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11

I get panic attacks and can’t do anything to help myself when I have them.

Benzos don’t even help at that point.

Just gotta ride it out.

Sorry that happened.

It’s very scary and unsettling.

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I’m sorry. They fu-cking suck.

Thank you and yes I agree!

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13

I’ve had problems with anxiety for a long time, but it doesn’t really come in sudden attacks. It’s more a long, slow grind.

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14

Risperidone gives me panic attacks, so I take a little abilify every 9 months to stop them.

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I beat the anxiety and fear of panic attacks through therapy…I use no meds for my panic disorder…learned to"unplug the fear" associated with panic attacks by diverting my mind to a calm, memory and focusing on slow breathing and holding something in my hand like a polished stone for focus…good luck.

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I too have panic attacks, but I have found myself a good grounding technique I have a metal mint box in my pocket that carries cigarettes in it , but the box while under a panic attack i tap on it in my right front pocket. This gets me thru the attack …
When this doesn’t help I have another way to try to ride it out, and that is to take a very deep breathe, and slowly breathe it out while trying to focus on a object with in my eye sight.
I hope this helps someone .

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