Panic Attack

[Gloww33]

I went on a fall season day chair lift ride up the mountain and completely had a panic attacked. It scared me so bad, I had the flight or fight feeling that intensified.....my brain ran through all illogical possibilities of how I was going to die and what I needed to do to live. Completely irrational. I embarrassed myself badly.....I felt so unsafe I started crying. I have been on chairlifts and ski frequently, so not sure what happened. I kept thinking I was unsafe and going to die....I tried to stop myself from thinking it and figure out where I had felt that before or what happened as a kid that I would be afraid of heights.....this chair lift was quite different, it was very high up.....there was nothing else I could think. The last few nights I have had horrible panic attacks....feeling so unsafe all the time, this is not a life is how I feel.....I think my battle won today. :( What can I do for panic attacks? I tried everything.

 

[anthony]

Sorry to hear. To be quite honest, the only thing you can do for panic attacks is use CBT exercises to rationalise, as you did, and if they fail, something like valium or xanax... basically a benzo is what you want to quickly calm yourself. Xanax is the fast acting type for exactly panic attacks. If you're being symptomatic at any stage, then that also makes you more vulnerable to things like panic attacks. When symptoms are low, then you're less susceptible to them.

Maybe have a tab of xanax on hand with you just in case!

 

[Ghostybear73]

I had the same problem yesterday and the only thing that does seem to help is a benzo, for me anyways. After a couple mg of clonazepam, I felt a little more calm and a little more embarrassed and mortified that it happened.

Hopefully this helps with you as I know how horrifying a panic attack can be.