Panic attack during yoga?

[Freida]

I've been doing yoga for many years - but always as an exercise to combat my fibro. I think I missed the whole "relax and feel your feelings" part. Today I tried a new program on chakra yoga and almost had a panic attack because she kept coming back to that. It made me realize how much I fight the relaxation/feelings part of yoga - which is probably why it is not as effective as it should be. Who knew?

Does that happen to anyone else or am I just super special? Anyone else get the feeling of panicking during a regular yoga routine when you start to relax? I've heard a lot about trauma yoga --- but I'm not sure how it is different than regular yoga... thoughts?

 

[Mee]

Frieda, thsys really upsetting.

Yes. I can no.longer do yoga nidra alone ( only with my own yoga teacher) or other quiet meditation and I usually cry through yoga and I have had A couple if panic reactions.

I feel very safe with my yoga teacher and comfortable exploring my emotions and boundaries.

The quieter spaces are more difficult and boundary setting is something I am rebuilding with him.

 

[Sweetleaf]

My trauma sensitive yoga instructor told us, on the first day, that sometimes yoga can cause people to have panic attacks, cry, things like that, and that it's perfectly natural to have that sort of stuff happen.

We don't do anything like what you are describing, in my TSY group. I've never done regular yoga, so I actually don't know what's different, but I know for sure there are some things that they do differently.

It focuses a lot on feeling your -body- rather than feeling any feelings. I think it's more geared towards helping you stay in the present, stay grounded, stay connected to your body, and listen to your body.

One thing that's different - the first part is a talking part, about 45min-1hr, then 1 hour of yoga.

I do usually feel very relaxed afterwards, and I am the type that has a hard time relaxing, as well. In the sessions themselves though, there isn't that much "relax your body" type of stuff until the last 5 minutes. During that, I usually just lay there and have my eyes open, staring at the ceiling. If it were all in silence, then I might have some problems, but the instructor talks during it, instructing which body parts to release tension from, then once she finishes and your whole body is supposed to be relaxed, she reads a poem usually, different one each time of course.

Whether I actually relax or not during that is kind of random. But, when I go home after, I usually feel relaxed, at least in my body.

 

[EveHarrington]

Panic during yoga is not uncommon.

We did yoga once at my day program and five minutes in I was like hell no, must run now.

The group leader said she’s the same way.

It’s funny how everyone suggests yoga as the end all and be all of anxiety management. (It’s not.)

 

[Stephernovas]

I stopped yoga because I was triggered as hell through it and I basically ended up laying there crying through the whole thing

 

[Sideways]

I still do yoga at home, because it definitely helps me be in my body more comfortably now than I used to be. It’s also time out for my brain, moves my body on days where that’s a particular issue with my tension, and gets me breathing.

As a class? I now only occasionally catch a group run by a trauma-informed yoga instructor, because popping in on a regular yoga session at the local studio is too much of a liability.

Maybe take this as a bit of a win, though. It wasn’t so many threads ago that you were coming to terms with actually having to feeeeel your emotions. So, if you spin it around? It sounds a bit like this yoga class achieved exactly that. “Here are your emotions, lady!!! POW!”

This yoga class had a beginning and an end. It had a door you could exit through at any time. You have lots of control there about how you approach this session. So, now that you know that this particular form of yoga helps you get in touch with all those emotions you’ve been digging around for in therapy, what are you going to do? Run like hell, or maybe (just maybe), pencil it in as your “getting in touch with my emotions” therapy session for the week.

It makes sense that you panicked, yeah? Given how much we loathe and avoid emotions? Doesn’t make it necessarily a bad thing. Confronting? Sure. But you’re a pretty tough nut, lady. And if this hour gets you in touch with something you’ve been working your arse off in therapy to try and find...sounds like you’re at a Choice Point.

Make a decision that moves you forward, not backwards. But do it at a pace that is safe:)

 

[Freida]

Thank you all!! I feel so much better.... and worse LOL It's just nice to know I'm not a total freak.

It sounds a bit like this yoga class achieved exactly that. “Here are your emotions, lady!!! POW!”

Yes! just like this!

This yoga class had a beginning and an end. It had a door you could exit through at any time.

The funniest part of this is that it was one I did at home from an on line class so I knew I was safe. All I had to do was reach up and turn it off. But -- y'know I'm to stubborn to do that.

And if this hour gets you in touch with something you’ve been working your arse off in therapy to try and find...sounds like you’re at a Choice Point. Make a decision that moves you forward, not backwards. But do it at a pace that is safe:)

Oh sure - be the voice of reason.....:eek::eek: :grumpy:

 

[Sideways]

Oh sure - be the voice of reason

Lol! Yeah, shut up with all the objective insight already!

 

[Freida]

LOL!!!! :):):):hug::hug:

 

[Sideways]

So, probably it worked because you were at home, and it felt safe. Because yes, you have complete control there.

If we worst case scenario this? You have a panic attack. That’s going to be uncomfortable, and messy if you lose your bowels. But perfectly safe.
You burst into tears? No one has to know.
You need to stop? You switch it off.
Safe.

Good news? You’ve probably already experienced the worst of it for now. Emotions aren’t usually something we get to ease ourselves into in a controlled way. They’re more like waves: Pow! Then slowly easing off. Pow! Then easing off.

Each Pow! Gradually gets smaller, until the emotion has been processed, worked through, and eventually it just isn’t a problem. Till the next emotion comes up in therapy.

But this process? You have control over where, how long, when, how often, plus you now know that you need something in place after your session to move out of that space - something soothing and distracting, or whatever you do to bring yourself back to the real world.

The only things really standing in your way now? Are deciding “Can’t, too hard” (Pfft, that’s just not you), or deciding “Don’t wanna” (which would sound a lot like avoidance, because actually, your T has made it pretty clear that you need to let these emotions out at some point if you want to move on from them), or letting panic about the possible panic attack get in your way (it happens - make a decision not to let the possibility of a panic attack hold you back, because probably, your hardest session is behind you).

Seems like a done deal to me;)

 

[MyWillow]

I've been doing TSY for a little bit. I hate it only slightly less than I used to. I'm still working with the hell that is noticing without judgement lol

If I don't feel like throwing up, running or dissociating I chalk it up as a win. I nearly always keep my eyes open. Being able to co-ordinate breath and movement without feeling panicked is rare.

Pilates or the gym or racing around with my dogs where I'm pushing myself hard and causing muscle soreness and fatigue? Piece. Of. Cake. My T tells me this is not all that unusual for someone who lives in their left brain most of the time. I will persist because I figure I must need it.