Poll How Long Do Most Of Your Panic Attacks Last?

[Friday]

While I'm sure most of us have a bit of a spectrum (short ones where we can recover quickly, or the longest durn one -or six- ever); I'm curious how long most of your panic attacks last for?

 

[ihateusernames]

Hey look, I'm the only vote so far. Most of a day typically, but sometimes less. I also think that sometimes I have them and don't even realize it. That concept seems absurd to me, but there is a lot of evidence pointing toward it maybe being true.

 

[falling_wave]

The initial panic attack is generally about one hour give or take but the I feel kind of like an emotional hangover for the rest of the day or night. I've had longer ones and also much shorter. A lot of times it kind of depends or how well I use my coping skills during an attack.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Generally a few hours, but can be longer and the adrenaline hit lasts for days. Plus there are aftershocks, that keep hitting day after day. Bit like a large earthquake, could probably design a richter scale for them.

 

[digger]

Difficult to answer because I think it depends what you class as still being in the panic attack - for me, the panic attack is only the bit where I'm complete unable to focus on anything other than the panic attack and getting myself out of it - at that point I am unable to function in any other way until I've got the symptoms (physical and mental) back under control. That can be probably up to an hour.

The after effects of it though, and recovery from it, can go on for days with heightened and more unpredictable anxiety symptoms. If it comes back to the point where it tips over from anxiety into full on panic again, I'd count that as a separate panic attack.

If you're counting all the aftereffects as well as the actual panic can't move can't breathe can't hear can't focus shaking in the corner bit, then it can take a day or two to get back to where I was before it hit.

 

[sweetcandy]

My panic attacks last for a few hours normally. Then when its over I feel all "spaced out" for the day / night.

 

[shimmerz]

Mine were like a daisy chain effect. Once I had one I would susceptible to having one after another after another, which made it seem like a day long thing, until I eventually went catatonic. The catatonia would 'reset' me until the next panic attack.

 

[Deleted member 27340]

Mine usually last for about 2-4 hours, but it always takes me a couple days to recover from them were I will be more vulnerable, sensitive and hypervigilant than usual.

Occasionally I have small ones that I can ground myself out of after a time you'd count in minutes, but they are rarer. Last one I had was along with dissociation and regression and lasted for probably 4 hours with a constant taste flashback throughout the entire thing. Makes me really tired and needy of a couple days to properly reset myself again.

 

[Fadeaway]

I choose other because they can be fleeting on one end of the spectrum, on the other end of the spectrum, it could last all day or longer. If you asked me a few days ago, I would have answered a few hours. Today however, was one of those days where I awoke in that state, and just now really feeling the pain from the muscles starting to relax.

Not to hijack your thread but does anyone else get post panic attack pain in the chest, and surrounding area? I know I am over a long one because it hurts.

 

[Mit]

Usually hours but in the last six months days have become more common. @Fadeaway yes I get chest pains during and after, but also only over the last six months or so. It is uncomfortable and I am worried about my longer term health.

 

[jaccat]

I put other because I don't believe I've ever had a classic panic attack. I've come close once or twice, but managed to pull myself back from it. I get startled, and I get anxiety attacks, but not actual panic attacks.

I think the reason I've never had a panic attack is because I'm kind of stuck in hypervigilance, and don't allow myself to ever get in a relaxed enough state to be panicked in that way.

 

[notsurewheretoturn]

A lot depends on the situation and the trigger.

If I've had enough sleep and I'm functioning reasonably well, I can pull myself around in a few minutes. However, if its late at night and I'm over tired, my brain sort of goes 'hey, let's see what we can make you panic about tonight, so you ain't gonna get ANY sleep.'