Strange panic attacks?

[hymnless]

Hey guys

So I’ve started having these strange sort of half panic attacks and I wanted to see if anyone else has had this happen.

I’ve had panic attacks for the past 10 years or so and my process/symptoms have stayed pretty steady. Recently I’ve had a couple of these odd instances (twice in couples and then last night in individual therapy) where suddenly everything seems really loud and jarring. Last night I completely fell apart and felt afraid of my therapist. Her tone of voice and volume were completely normal and she isn’t in any way intimidating. I just couldn’t convince myself that there wasn’t a threat.

The noise is the thing that I find most unsettling but also the change in my physical panic was so different. Anyone else had this problem? None of my other panic attacks have felt like this- only therapy.

 

[Freida]

Haven't had that experience but I know some weird crapola can happen during that hour or so while your baggage unpacks. Did you share with your t? Might just need a tweek or two to see what is triggering you

 

[Kay N]

I've had very strange experiences where I wake up and smell my ex abusive partner, I left him 8 years ago now. The smell is so real and I have to wash my bedsheets every couple of days. I also take walks and feel like I have big heavy feet - wish all this would go away.. I've recently self harmed too

 

[hymnless]

Haven't had that experience but I know some weird crapola can happen during that hour or so while your b...

Yeah it was pretty obvious that I was not OK, so she knows about it. I was so paralyzed that I couldn’t even really talk, all I was able to say after a while was “I’m afraid of you.” I’ve been wracking my brain for the past 2 days and I really can’t figure out what the trigger might have been. We weren’t even talking about anything upsetting. It’s so strange to feel something different and the noise sensitivity was really distressing and made it difficult to try to calm down.

@Kay N hang in there friend. I’ve been there and it’s rough, but you’re going to come out the other side.

 

[kelg0831]

This is interesting because over the last couple of weeks, I've had a ton of noise sensitivity. Even to the point that my ears feel like they are swelling up from the inside out of irritation. The other day, the washing machine, dishwasher, and 3 yr old were all on at the same time, and I felt like a plane was crashing in my kitchen. I left my daughter with my husband and told her mommy had to go have a time out. She seems to understand that pretty well when I tell her I have to have a time out. She just dismisses it, like oh ok...you'll be back when you can play better with others. Five minutes of quiet, and I was fine again. Weird.

 

[New]

When I am triggered I am very sensitive to noise. It is like my hearing is increased a LOT.

I just want the noise to stop but can’t turn it off.

 

[hymnless]

Ok I’m glad to know I’m not the only one on this! I still haven’t figured out what made me panic, but the noise was so intense and really scared me.

 

[FragileGlass]

The brain is a messy filing cabinet of experiences, when dealing with PTSD that filing cabinet has compartments full of secret surprises and recalls things you didn't even know were stored and at the revisits at the weirdest time. It could be a scent in the air during that conversation, specific phrase, word or sentence, background noise, or even just the way you fidgeted with the chair, clothing item and it triggered a panic response.

 

[NaeNae75]

I absolutely have experienced the noise sensitivity then it takes every ounce of strength I have to maintain composure and get the hell away from EVERYTHING. Noisy things can compound it for me, but not all noisy things. I work in construction, and it's always noisy...but its loud and dull....sharp noises can trigger me in to a panic. Bowling alleys make me absolutely angry. I can be totally fine, then all of a sudden it all sounds like , well nothing I can explain....I have to leave immediately. Sometimes noisy restaurants make me unsettled and I become angry just from the noise getting seemingly louder and louder.

Usually at home, the kids noisiness is fine, but once in a while, I have to excuse myself to my room. I used to snap first, but have learned the signs, so I just leave and tell them my head hurts. They know to leave me the hell alone until I can calm down.

When these things happen, I often feel other anxiety attack effects....short of breath, racing pulse...but it gets so noisy it feels like I can't see...like I'm suddenly blind to everything but bright light. It's weird.

Once I learned it happens sometimes and I wasn't dying, I learned to isolate myself from everything I could and ride it out.

 

[New]

I absolutely have experienced the noise sensitivity then it takes every ounce of strength I have to ma...

Me too. I have to isolate because it’s just too much.

I usually end of with a panic attack as well and it scared me so much after the first few times.

I just wish I could figure out when it is going to happen so I could be more prepared.

 

[Kay N]

Support is the best thing, not isolation even though that is what you want at the time.
I really try to push myself to do at least one thing during the day, I appreciate that some days you just don't want to do anything though but its worth a least a try

 

[NaeNae75]

Support is the best thing, not isolation even though that is what you want at the time.
I really try to p...

Normally I would agree with you, but if I don't lie down when this happens, the headache that follows is massive.
I also have TBI. I mean isolation from the noise. My s/o will often come in to" comfort" me and see if I need anything. I usually don't, but sometimes he'll just rub my back in silence. That's usually okay.