Just Curious....how Would You Describe Your Panic Attacks

[Banjaxed]

My psychiatrist says that I have probably described panic disorder as well as it can be described

For me (I have PTSD and Panic disorder)...for those who don't know what constitutes a disorder as opposed to panic attacks according to my Doc at least is that I have no triggers for my anxiety attacks...I could be walking down the street happy as a lark and boom,,,it kicks in.

I am taking three different meds for anxiety and I descibe my anxiety like this.

It feels like I am constantly walking over a bed of molten lava and the thin eggshell that keeps me from getting burned.in other words the panic is a constant , the meds just cover the panic with a thin layer and the lava bubbles up and burns me sometimes (when a panic attack is on bust)

How would you describe your attacks ...a anything like this?

 

[circe47]

Mine feel like an extremely squeezing fear in my core. Then everything starts to feel unreal, floaty, dissociative. It's really scary because there are times this has happened when simply walking down the street, with no apparent trigger. I've almost been creamed by cars or buses because I'm not mentally present and walk right into traffic. I've left the gas stove on for hours after cooking something. Found my keys, wallet, and other personal items in the refrigerator or somewhere crazy like that. I will go to get something or do something, and forget immediately what I'm after. I can be driving somewhere, forget where I'm going and suddenly everything looks unfamiliar....even my own house and street. I can't grasp the meaning of words, or find words for what I want to say.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Circe, those don't sound like panic attacks. Those sound like dissociative episodes.

 

[Katz2]

Mines are like HELL....I get cold sweats, jumpy feeling, blur vision, sick, and my panics are like the worlds best laxative!!! feel like I'm not really there, and I want to die, oh yes I nearly for got, cant breath and all I want to do is run.

 

[circe47]

Circe, those don't sound like panic attacks. Those sound like dissociative episodes.

Yes, they are. But they usually come about due to the anxiety I experience first....the fear, heart palpitations, nausea. The dissociating comes on the heels of the anxiety.

 

[Loveneverfails]

My heart starts racing and it feels like I'm doing everything wrong, that everything is falling apart, that I'm going to die or lose everything and nothing will change it. Then I have trouble breathing and start panicking about that, thinking 'Oh God, I can't calm down, what do I do? I can't breathe! I can't do this!' and so on until my heart is racing so badly my chest is hurting really badly. I start shaking and feel cold, my hair stands on end like I'm hearing nails on a chalkboard constantly and usually start crying because I'm positive I've messed up so bad this feeling will never go away. Had an episode where that went on for weeks until I finally gave up and got on medication. I feel so much better now that I feel a little silly for waiting this long to admit how much trouble my constant anxiety and panic attacks were causing.

 

[Banjaxed]

Yes, they are. But they usually come about due to the anxiety I experience first....the fear, heart palpitations, nausea. The dissociating comes on the heels of the anxiety.

I have also had episodes like this Circe.It must be a common thread with some sufferers

 

[Banjaxed]

My heart starts racing and it feels like I'm doing everything wrong, that everything is falling apart, that I'm going to die or lose everything and nothing will change it.

Yeah Loveneverfails , that sounds about what I go through as well

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I feel great anxiety, I am on edge, and I feel antsy like I am crawling up the walls. I feel so out of it. I feel restless and cannot get comfortable. I think I have a low grade anxiety every day. I am on medication and some days it works better than others.

 

[Shellbell]

My heart starts racing and it feels like I'm doing everything wrong, that everything is falling apart, that I'm going to die or lose everything and nothing will change it. Then I have trouble breathing and start panicking about that, thinking 'Oh God, I can't calm down, what do I do? I can't breathe! I can't do this!' and so on until my heart is racing so badly my chest is hurting really badly. I start shaking and feel cold, and usually start crying because I'm positive I've messed up so bad this feeling will never go away.

Mine feel exactly like this too. My chest ends up hurting so much, it's like something is crushing me. I can't speak as it hurts so much and can't breathe and my heart is pounding.

Once I have calmed down slightly I end up crying too.

 

[Britt.f7]

A nurse where I went for intense outpatient therapy gave us a definition for what she said a real panic attack is, but, for the life of me I can not remember. I think it did involve some dissociation. Anyhow, today appears to be a bad memory day for me. Everything seems to be on the tip of my tongue but I can't grasp it.

The idea of going out anywhere, as of late, causes me to feel frozen. The same with the holidays coming up. Inside I feel like hyperventilating, my heart begins to race. I don't think someone can tell by looking at me, though I do know my eyes give it away from time to time. I think these are just big anxiety attacks. Whatever they are I hate them because I do not feel like I am in control, even if I am good at hiding them.

 

[Abstract]

Hi Britt,
This may help: http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/understandingpanic/a/anxvspanic.htm