panic/anxiety attacks

ihmmy

soooo, yeah. I've had these off and on since grade 6, so over 10 years now. Usually I get maybe one every year or two. But between end of Dec and end of Jan I got like 4. And I just had one last night, that last waaaaaaaaaay longer than every before (wasn't majorly strong, but lasted like 10 hours instead of less than 2 like normal).

Yes I went to the hospital's emergency clinic, no they couldn't do fuckall other than have me sit there for 2 hours til it passed and no doctor even saw me. If I'd been thinking, I would have gone to the minor emergency clinic that was in the other direction, but whatever (the first few hours I was trying to a) make it go away and b) get some damn sleep, since it started getting bad around 1am)

Anywho, the stress/anxiety is from lack of job/money post-grad (uni)... but yesterday I was unofficially offered a part time summer position (should be officially offered it today sometime) that, while isn't directly related to my degree, will help me get my foot in the door since a lot of places want at least some office experience.

Anybody know any good tips about getting rid of panic attacks? typically yoga helps me loads but it wasn't doing anything last night... help!

Brocrates

Anxiety and panic attacks are usually the result of some underlying problems. I would try to fix whatever those problems are, specifically the things you mentioned. I used to have these really bad as well until I moved in with a friend of mine and he helped me get over them. Basically you're just letting an irrational fear come to a pinnacle. I would try talking to people, making lists, and trying to just bring your problems into some kind of rational plan of action.

Alternatively, you could try to get a hold of some Zantacs. In my experience it has completely eliminated all my anxiety as well as fucking me up pretty good. Of course I was taking it for recreational fun, not for an illness. They can be addicting and mind altering so I wouldn't recommend using these as a permanent fix, but it could help to have some around for when it gets overwhelming.

Nibble

Have you talked to a counsellor or psychologist about it? Often just talking about what's stressing you out in a safe environment can help a lot. The other (cheaper) thing you can do is buy The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. It's pretty much THE self-help book for panic attacks. It teaches a lot of techniques for dealing with a panic attack as it happens, as well as habits and exercises that help to prevent them and keep your general level of stress down.

Brocrates

Nibble wrote: »

Have you talked to a counsellor or psychologist about it? Often just talking about what's stressing you out in a safe environment can help a lot. The other (cheaper) thing you can do is buy The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. It's pretty much THE self-help book for panic attacks. It teaches a lot of techniques for dealing with a panic attack as it happens, as well as habits and exercises that help to prevent them and keep your general level of stress down.

This is sort of how I got over it. I was going to a counselor but honestly, just living with somebody that logically deals with their problems was the biggest help. My friend showed me that there was always a solution to any problem I thought was insolvable. He also would listen and give me feed back when I was feeling overwhelmed. If you have a good friend of family member that you can talk to, i would recommend that first.

The other thing about zantacs is that if you get some, and you only want to use it to help with stress, make sure you don't take more than half a "bar" or you will be pretty useless for a few hours. I take 1/4 or 1/2 a "bar" sometimes when I am particularly stressed out. It can help greatly.

Daenris

Brocrates wrote: »

Alternatively, you could try to get a hold of some Zantacs. In my experience it has completely eliminated all my anxiety as well as fucking me up pretty good. Of course I was taking it for recreational fun, not for an illness. They can be addicting and mind altering so I wouldn't recommend using these as a permanent fix, but it could help to have some around for when it gets overwhelming.

Are you sure you don't mean Zoloft or Xanax or something? Zantac is used to treat heartburn and ulcers. It's an antacid. It's also available over the counter, so I strongly suspect this is not what you mean.

To ihmmy: I'd suggest trying to find a therapist or counselor to talk to to work on dealing with the underlying issues. If that isn't successful after awhile, you could potentially talk to your therapist or doctor about going on some type of anti-anxiety medication (Zoloft, Paxil, Prozc, Xanax, etc), but this should not be the first step as they really only tend to work on 50-60% of people taking them.

Fellhand

I had some nasty ones a few years ago because the girl I was dating had me wound so tight. I would recommend just trying to relax and think about how this is really just small stuff in your life and years from now you'll look back and it will seem insignificant. If you're having regular attacks you need to talk to a professional doctor and see about getting on a prescription of zoloft or an alternative depending on the severity of your attacks.

Avoid creatine. That will only aggravate your attacks. My buddy weaned himself off of his meds with therapy and excercise, but he mistakenly took some muscle recovery products that had creatine and it brought his attacks back in full force.

Rye

I know this doesn't make all the problems go away, but always keep in the back of your mind that not everything is designed to make you fail. I have friends I constantly have to reassure that the world isn't conspiring against them and that sometimes problems will hit you one after another - it's probability.

So when things are going bad, especially successive things, remember that you have people to support and help you. They can't make your financial problems go away, but they can be a shoulder to lean on and a good mental supporter. Don't ever feel like your problems should isolate you or make you crawl deeper inside yourself. If you have friends and family, they want to help you out and want you to share the bad AND the good. Just keep telling yourself you'll make it up to them some day. When they have a crash or mental breakdown, offer to listen and help them out. It's not a debt - it's something that helps bring people together.

Of all the people I know that have anxiety / panic attacks, all of them are very strong willed and independent people. People won't always see your problems as weakness because you're taking on and dealing with a LOT of responsibilities. People who are casual and unmotivated don't GET stressed about important things.

Brocrates

Daenris wrote: »

Brocrates wrote: »

Alternatively, you could try to get a hold of some Zantacs. In my experience it has completely eliminated all my anxiety as well as fucking me up pretty good. Of course I was taking it for recreational fun, not for an illness. They can be addicting and mind altering so I wouldn't recommend using these as a permanent fix, but it could help to have some around for when it gets overwhelming.

Are you sure you don't mean Zoloft or Xanax or something? Zantac is used to treat heartburn and ulcers. It's an antacid. It's also available over the counter, so I strongly suspect this is not what you mean.

To ihmmy: I'd suggest trying to find a therapist or counselor to talk to to work on dealing with the underlying issues. If that isn't successful after awhile, you could potentially talk to your therapist or doctor about going on some type of anti-anxiety medication (Zoloft, Paxil, Prozc, Xanax, etc), but this should not be the first step as they really only tend to work on 50-60% of people taking them.

Hah yes xanax, it was early, they sound similar.

Zonkytonkman

i've got anxiety disorder, low intensity panic all the time which ramps into full on panic attacks semi frequently.

i'm on ran-citalopram, which has chilled me right out while not affecting me in any other way
(well, orgasms are tougher, but i'm willing to try harder).

Can't recommend the medication enough. Life is liveable again for me, and i'm actually doing stuff, opposed to before, when i just tried to sleep all the time to make up for when i couldn't sleep from panic, which was all the time.

ihmmy

I have seen a counsellor in the past (in Jan), essentially he gave me a pamphlet on anxiety and told me I had to find what best addressed my anxiety attacks, as it's very individual to people. And I thought I had (yoga and occasionally a sleeping pill with valerian). I can no longer see this counsellor because he was through the student counselling services, and I graduated a month or so ago.

They aren't really regular... I haven't had one (til last night) since January. And before the rush of them in Dec/Jan, it had been a bit over a year before one as well. Hence the wanting to avoid a regular med that I'd be taking daily for what is typically a once a year problem

Thanks for your suggestions so far!

Zonkytonkman

i also have an... orange med, that is a quick, one off "panic button" that takes about half an hour to kick in and just mellows you out for the short term. They're addictive for regular use, but great for now and again type stuff.

i'll get the name for you when i go home, if you like.