Wow...just had an anxiety attack moments ago...

by FreedomFrog 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  FreedomFrog

  This hasn't happened to me in a very long time.

  I was in the kitchen fixing dinner for the kids not really thinking about anything other than dinner..then bamm I was overwhelmed with a panic feel and very bad thoughts that I'd rather not discuss. I dropped what I was doing and went into Zach's room just to get a bit of peace and recollect myself.

  I hate when this happens. It's frustrating because I feel as if I'm losing control...then I "get over it" and everything is back to my old self.

  I guess I was in overload so now instead of fried chicken and mash potatoes the kids are eating rice with butter. Though Zach asked for rice in the first place but I feel bad not giving them a good homemade dinner...oh well.

  I so hope that was it and doesn't come back for the next "long time"...I hate feeling out of control.

  k, I'm done ranting.
• 

  Stealth453

  I suffer from anxiety attacks quite often. I have no idea what sparks them. Not a good feeling at all.

  Glad your feeling better now. Rice and butter for dinner is quite good. Do it myself quite often.
• 

  FreedomFrog

  No, not a good feeling at all. I have had them before while I was sleeping and they would wake me up. I asked my Dr. how this can be happening since I'm not "thinking" but sleeping...(I can't remember what she said now...I'll have to do research on it)

  I'm still shakey inside and it's been 20 mins..but at least the attack is over with.
• 

  Hellrider

  Yes, anxiety attacks are horrible. I`m on medication for it, so I don`t get it in the daytime anymore. But when I go to bed...that`s when I get them. It helps to just DO something, get up, walk around, go get a glass of water or something. Try it, mayne it will help you "snap out of it", when you have them. I had my first one when I was around 13. Thought I had an aneurism or something (the dizzyness). It`s horrible.
• 

  garybuss

  
  My mother would make my brother and I white rice with milk, sugar, and cinnamon. It was one of our favorites hot or cold. Cold oatmeal the same way was a favored treat too. I still eat oatmeal with sweetener, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mmmmmmm!!
  
  
  
• 

  FreedomFrog

  My mother would make my brother and I white rice with milk, sugar, and cinnamon.

  That's basically how I make it and they seem to really like it. Just when I promise them a certain meal and they are looking forward to it I feel bad. Though they seemed to not mind that much.
• 

  Quandry

  Don't be hard on yourself. You did what was right. Calmed yourself down. Rice is good for us.

  Hope you can get outside in this nice weather, take a deep breath, and enjoy reflecting on good things. The flowers in my yard are beautiful right now, and I have the blessing of a husband, daughter, and two cats.
• 

  FreedomFrog

  http://www.healthtouch.com/bin/EContent_HT/cnoteShowLfts.asp?fname=02401&title=ANXIETY+ATTACK+&cid=HTHLTH

  GENERAL INFORMATION:

  What is an anxiety attack? An anxiety attack is a short period of strong fear that happens for no reason that you know of. An anxiety attack is also known as a panic attack. An anxiety attack can be a one-time event, or can become an ongoing problem. If you have two or more anxiety attacks in a month, you may have a condition called panic or anxiety disorder. If anxiety attacks become severe (very bad), they may keep you from living a normal life.

  What causes anxiety attacks?

  • Caregivers do not know for sure what causes anxiety attacks. Sometimes they are caused by being in a situation that you find upsetting. (my kids were fighting so that would be in an upsetting situation) You may have them due to a stressful life event, such as getting divorced (yep, that's me). You are more likely to have anxiety attacks if you also have another mental health problem. Other mental health problems include depression (I'm on antidepressant, so this factors in with what's happening) (feeling very sad most or all of the time), or alcoholism (abusing alcoholic drinks). Anxiety attacks may happen for no reason. Anxiety attacks can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender.
  • Some health conditions or medicines may cause anxiety attack symptoms. Using or withdrawing from alcohol or illegal drugs may also cause symptoms. Some people have anxiety attacks that are triggered (started) by the fear of having a future anxiety attack(well NOW I'm in a bit of fear...lol). You are more likely to have anxiety attacks if someone in your family also has them.

  What are the signs and symptoms of an anxiety attack?

  • The symptoms felt during an anxiety attack can feel like symptoms of a serious health problem, such as a heart problem. On the other hand, some serious health problems can cause anxiety attacks, such as heart or breathing problems. Have your symptoms checked by a caregiver to make sure they are not caused by a serious health problem.
  • The main symptom of an anxiety attack is extreme fear. Other signs and symptoms are different from person to person. The same person may even have different signs and symptoms during repeat anxiety attacks. Signs and symptoms usually do not last longer than 30 minutes. Besides fear, other signs and symptoms of an anxiety attack may include:
    • Chest pain.
    • Dizziness, or feeling light-headed.
    • Fear of losing control or doing something embarrassing.
    • Feeling of being out of touch with people or things around you.
    • Having a feeling of doom, which is feeling like something very bad is going to happen. You may feel like you are about to die.
    • Heart palpitations (pal-pi-TAY-shuns), which is becoming suddenly aware of your heartbeat. You may feel like your heart is pounding, or beating too fast.
    • Sweating, trembling, or having hot or cold flashes.
    • Stomach discomfort or upset which may include nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) or diarrhea (loose, watery BMs).
    • Numbness (loss of feeling) or tingling in your hands or feet. You may have numbness or tingling of your lips or around your mouth.
    • You may feel like you cannot breathe. Some people may hyperventilate (heye-per-VEN-ti-layte) during an anxiety attack and not even notice it. Hyperventilation means that your breaths are too fast and shallow. Breathing this way can cause numbness or tingling in your hands and lips. Your fingers or toes may have cramping, or even curl up. During an anxiety attack, focus on taking very slow, deep breaths. You may need a friend or loved one to help you do this by breathing with you. Your caregiver may show you how to breathe in and out of a paper bag when you hyperventilate. Never use a plastic bag.
  • With panic or anxiety disorder, you may have anxiety attacks that happen often. These attacks often come without reason or warning. You may be troubled with a fear of having another anxiety attack. You may have a lot of anxiety attacks, followed by weeks or months without having any.
  • Some people become so fearful of having anxiety attacks that they are afraid to leave their house. This is called agoraphobia (ag-or-ah-FOH-bee-ah). People with agoraphobia may also fear being in crowds, or in any place where they cannot leave quickly.

  How are anxiety attacks diagnosed and treated?

  • There is no test that can say for sure that you have an anxiety disorder. An anxiety attack can feel like symptoms of other health problems, so these problems need to be ruled out. For example, chest pain and shortness of breath during an anxiety attack can feel like a heart attack.
  • Repeated anxiety attacks are a real health problem that needs to be treated. You may need to see a counselor. A counselor may help you understand what is causing the anxiety or fear. A counselor may help you learn relaxation techniques (such as deep breathing) to decrease your anxiety. Medicine may also be needed to help your anxiety. It may take many months of treatment to make sure your anxiety attacks do not come back.

  There is a lot going on in my life right now so I can understand why this started. I just hope it doesn't get worse because it's horrible. I use to get the a lot when I was a Dub. I have a 1000 word essay due tomorrow for college and I just looked at it just before I started with dinner. Even though I didn't think I was "thinking" about it, it may have been in the back of my mind.

  You know how some people "snaps" and end up going crazy? That is a fear of mine especially when I go through these attacks. You wonder what makes people go off the deep end. Can they control it? Or do they just "snap"...and how far can a person go under so much pressure that the actually snap?

  hmmm, maybe I've already "snapped" and don't know it just yet...lmao. They say people who does go crazy don't know they've went "crazy".

  Hope you can get outside in this nice weather, take a deep breath, and enjoy reflecting on good things.

  I did go out with my daughter today. We went bike riding, I took her to the park, we seen different animals and bugs on our walking trail...so we, "I", didn't have a bad day. Just this happened so fast out of nowhere.
• 

  monophonic

  i suffer from anxiety attacks, and actually there are times when my only exercise is a good panic attack.

  i can't remember what book i read it in, but it's very common that people who suffer from anxiety attacks were brought up in a strict religious home.

  i was good for a while, then a few months ago, i started to really lose it again, and my world shrunk and now, while i'm better, it still takes xanax for me to get across town to see my therapist....and, i do interviews in downtown high rise hotels as part of my living, there are times i need to bring someone along so i can be stoned on xanax enough to get through the interview and have someone else drive in case things get bad.

  anyway, i feel your pain. anxiety sucks. i'm working hard to get over it....there is added pressure b/c of a project that i'm working on that i'll be able to discuss more in these forums later.
• 

  FreedomFrog

  I use to take Trazodone (which is close to xanax) because I was having the attacks quite often. After I got out of the cult the attacks calmed down and I didn't have to take the meds. so often. Last week I ended up having to take one Traz just to get to sleep. Looks like I'm going to have to take another one tonight.

  i'm working hard to get over it

  If you figure out how to do this let me know because I so don't want the attacks to become a common problem again.