Anxiety Attacks?

[Arctic]

Do all anxiety panick attacks get triggered by something? or can they "come out of the blue"?

If someone is aware of the trigger or not is a different story?

Thanks, -Arctic

 

[IvyMillie]

I hope it's okay if I make a comment I don't have PTSD but I do have panic attacks. I began getting them when I was in my mid-twenties. It's now many decades since and I still get them.

I have often wondered that also. Mine is triggered by stress. It does seem like I get more of them when I'm under stress. However, they also come for no reason at all. Since yours may be caused by an incident or more I would guess it would also be triggered by memories.

I can get one for no reason at all. I will think I'm fine and they the next minute I'm in absolute panic and my mind is racing with all those irrational fear driven thoughts.

I get really nervous around people, so mine was a touch of agaraphobia. I read a great book about it and I think it really saved me. It said that you can't give in to your thoughts and feelings. It also said to take baby steps to overcome your fears. It's like you have to face and fight with your greatest fears.

This hasn't been easy, but it has worked for me. I just sort of live with it. I've had to accept it as part of life. I just do what I don't want to do. I realize if I give into the panic it would only get worse and worse. It was so scary to start with. I was petrified to go to the grocery store. Now I do volunteer work with people, but it is very hard sometimes.

I know that many people here with PTSD probably have this to a millionth more degree than what I had. I'm sure others who have PTSD and other severer ailments will let you know their experience.

 

[Nighthawk]

Hi
I have found that there may be pre stressors that have set up the stage for a panic attack out of the blue.

 

[NIKI]

I have panic attacks. Almost every one of them comes out of the blue. I am not thinking about them, just going about my day and the attack hits me like a wave. Which is very, very scary!

 

[kimba]

Maybe this is just me, but when I am in a dissociated state, I second guess everything I do and seem to have panic attacks more easily. Usually when I am driving unfortunately. I can't pin down why.

 

[Gamereign555]

When I first started having panic attacks it was obvious that anxiety was causing them. But it was not obvious what was causing the anxiety, I still don't know but have gotten used to everyday life and the things that are the stresses. There are sure to be some things that cause higher levels of stress, obvious things are driving, walking in crowds, heights, loud noises as these things can be stressful for anybody, being somebody with ptsd you are even more prone to panic in these situations.

There are probably triggers that are related to trauma that might be well hidden, pay close attention as you go through life to figure out what these are but also know that everyday things may seem to be triggers, because you have ptsd these everyday things are triggers also. Through healthy exposure you will get used to it while learning to avoid things that might re-traumatize you.

 

[thinlizzy4010]

My anxiety started up yesterday as I put myself in a vulnerable position by committing to speaking out at a committee meeting coming up. My hands get really sensitive and nervey, adrenaline kicks in I think? Heart rate goes up, I pace the house and funnily enough, when I was on the phone talking about it, I went around and shut all the curtains without realising. Would the anxiety go away if I had more self belief I wonder. I hadn't felt this anxious in awhile, as I had been avoiding society a little lately. I am tired of missing out though and peering through to the outside world. I wish it was easier to jump in boots and all sometimes.

 

[Gamereign555]

That situation is stressful for anybody not just those with ptsd. I think public speaking takes practice to get used to doing without getting nervous. Believing in yourself is not always something we can just 'do' and everything will be easier, but it can help us change the way we live our lives which is important. You sound like you have been avoiding society lately, so I am proud of you for telling yourself that you should get out and do something that stressful. Feel good about what you have done, and don't let the residual anxiety keep you from moving forward. Continue to believe in yourself, it's already paying off.

 

[Anna]

Sometimes I get nervous for no reason at all and start shaking. No idea why. There does not always seem to be a precursor to it either.

 

[Cindy532]

Maybe this is just me, but when I am in a dissociated state, I second guess everything I do and seem to have panic attacks more easily. Usually when I am driving unfortunately. I can't pin down why.

I'm scared of driving and start panicking when I can't find where I'm going etc.But then when my blocked memories came up, I realized I was held in a car and it all made sense. Did something happen to you around a car by chance or is it just isolated incidents?

 

[Nemone]

I get stressed when driving a lot too. A lot has to do with getting lost but I also think it's that if you mess up when driving you could die or kill someone. There's also the issue of being worried about what to do if you are speeding or if you accidentally do something wrong while driving or if you get in an accident. You worry about if you have your insurance card someplace you can find it, being nervous around authority figures and not being able to talk properly if something stressful happens. Also looking stupid if you get pulled over like all those people driving by would be staring at you. Then there's also if a tire goes flat or something with the car gets messed up and not being able to do anything when you're stressed and not knowing who to call. Not to mention while you're driving if you have ptsd you probably have a hard time concentrating and you have to worry about watching the people around you and if you're holding up traffic if you're driving too slow, or if someone is trying to pass you or if you need to change lanes. It's even freakier if you tend to sort of space out while driving sometimes and suddenly realize that you don't remember what you were doing for the past couple minutes. I used to get sick when anxious sometimes too so being in the car far from a bathroom was a bit scary. I would freak out that I would throw up or something in the car so that would make me more anxious until my insides were cramping up to the point that I once had to pull over and thought my heart would explode because it was pounding in my ears. I wasn't better until I got out of the car and rested for 5 minutes.

I think driving is just a bundle of stress personally. Since I started taking my medicine during the day I found driving a lot easier because I space out less and I also feel less anxious and less paranoid about other drivers. Driving at 60 now feels about the same as when I was going 45 before. For some reason it changes my perception of how fast I'm going though I don't completely understand why. I'm glad about taking medicine for it but it's annoying that I have to depend on it. I didn't notice how involuntary my anxiety and panic was until I tried not taking my medicine for a while and after just a few days I could almost feel like something in my head was going in the wrong direction without being able to stop it. It's almost like having a stranger in your head making you feel things you shouldn't. Even when I realize that I feel sad or anxious for no reason at all, I can't stop myself. I guess that's why it's called a disorder, heh. I can only talk about it calmly now because of my medicine I guess.

 

[NutritionNerd]

I've gotten activated from having to slam on the brakes - sudden heart rate etc. Actually driving is pretty dangerous and many people get high adrenaline while driving - witness how competitive everyone is and the people who can't stand someone getting in front of them. We all tend to get a bit more primitive on the road.