How Do You Deal With The Anxiety Attacks?

[aneress]

Hi,
I'm new. I got diagnosed with PTSD about fourteen years ago and decided not to go to counseling. Thought I could handle life on my own. Now diagnosed with C-PTSD. Just started counseling this week. I started writing down how I cope with my anxiety attacks. I have been literally driving around for 20 years. When I feel stress or anxiety I leave my office and go drive for an hour or two. Problem is.... I bet I drive 20 hours a week...and have been doing that for over twenty years. Has anyone ever experienced this? Or have any other type of behavior. I would like to know...how they stopped..or what type of actions to take.

 

[Deleted member 541]

OMG!!! I used to do this for hours on end... Usually during the night though. I would drive around endlessly, with no where in mind, just to calm down from the anxiety.

I can tell you, that it's a coping skill, not a great one, not a bad one either. But it's more in line with avoidance. At least it was for me. The anxiety would hit, I would hit the car, and drive for hours.

Once I started therapy, working on myself, facing things, working on my trauma, the need to drive vanished. I have anxiety on a daily basis, but it is soooooooooo minimal now compared to before..

Once you get this under control, you will feel so much better, and your wallet will too.....Hang in there....

 

[Kunoichi]

welcome!

I go for a walk (saves on gas and I don't have a car lol) I keep someone with me so i feel safe and that helps for me. Or I play video games (distracts me). Your not alone hun.

 

[Yumeko-chan]

If I happen to be at work when I have a panic attack, I can't exactly go out for a walk or a drive to get away (I work at Walgreens). I usually end up just acting like a zombie and go through the motions and let my body go through the process until it's over. If I can, I'll go sit in the bathroom for a few minutes and just try to breathe, which helps sometimes but doesn't make it go away.

On the rare occasions where a panic attack will be bad enough to make me cry, my boyfriend is usually there, so I can use him as a snot rag :smile:

 

[midi]

I walk and walk and walk. Kunoichi is right, you are not alone! :Hug_emoticon:

 

[cragger65]

The one that seems to work for me is breath meditation. I can (usually) get it under control in about 20 minutes, or at least down from a 5 to a 2 or a 3 where I can function again.

 

[kers]

I used to drive, too!

Now, like Cragger, I work on focusing on my breath. My counselor taught me some breathing and relaxation exercises that really help. A lot of times when I am anxious I stop breathing regularly, which makes the anxiety worse. Hiding in a bathroom and focusing on my breath for a few minutes often helps a lot.

I am glad you are in counseling now, and I think you will find the people here on the forum very helpful and supportive of you on your journey.

 

[Salu]

I walk, don´t own a car, can´t drive anyway:smile:

Its coping. Not a bad way of coping.

 

[Auburngirl]

I try to breathe slowly into my belly and talk to myself calmly (you're okay, this will pass - or if possible identify what triggered it "I know that colour reminded you, of this person, and that's upsetting, but it's not him, and nothing is going to happen to you, type of thing...)

Moderate exercise helps, listening to calming music, having a bath, or thinking of a calming image. If I find it's one attack rolling into another throughout the day, then I take medication to stop the cycle.

I often have anxiety attack/dissociation combos, so then I also use grounding techniques, and try to focus on what my body feels like, sometimes have something to eat or drink, or try to make myself hot or cold, etc.

 

[smokeringz]

I shower, sometimes i dont even get in. The tapping of the water seems to do something. i also listen to music at high volumes.