Panic Attacks (2 Viewers)

[Thebeard]

Drink and drugs will bring them on alot more and I found smoking a joint used to be the worse for it during the height of it because of the paranoia it caused.

Yeah i wholesale get them after a spliff. its really annoying cause it puts me off smoking it. Mine arent as bad as some peoples here, i usually just try to sleep it off. My mate had to get his girlfriend to bring him to hospital when we were in Oz last year and i reckon it was definately down to the spliff!

 

[Beanstalk]

small piece of advice (if you havent already done so) would be to start encouraging her to read up about panic attacks, to understand the different causes and effects, mechanisms of what happens *under the hood* so to speak.

She's read a lot of bits and pieces about panic attacks herself alright, I guess I'm just curious myself about their workings.

If it's a tablet to calm her down I would imagine it's diazepam(valium) if it's blue and it's not good to be taking these on such a regular basis. People get stuck on them and they may aswell be drinking to solve the problem. Xanax is a cleaner tranquiliser so she should look at changing over if it is diazepam shes taking.

Encourage her to go to the gym and do something good for her body as this helps alot. When I excercised it allowed me to tell myself im healthy and I couldnt possibly be having a heart attack.

I think it is diazepam alright.

Thanks to all for the advice.

 

[Juno]

It was only after years of panic attacks that I discovered my dad had suffered very badly with them too when he was younger which makes me think it's quite possible to inherit a susceptibility to them. Like myself he tried medication but it only diminishes them temporarily. I mentioned CBT earlier. I'm extremely cynical about any kind of therapy but it really was great for me. The ould fella is a devotee of relaxation tapes. I'm not convinced but they've really helped him. Breathing exercises are very good too. I never actually felt like I was going to have a heart attack but I did feel like I was going to go completely insane. I would become obsessed with making them stop using any means necessary and i would end up acting like a total crazy. It's very useful to try and spot your triggers. One of them for me it was crowded places. I'm still not too good with them but much better than I was. It helps to demystify the whole experience for yourself as the more you understand the biological process behind them, the less you fear them and gradually you become less affected by them.
I wouldn't imagine there are many doctors anymore who would prescribe valium or xanax on any sort of long-term basis given how addictive they are. You're probably more likely to be given something like Seroquel or maybe Librium.

 

[BC]

CBT certainly does work very effectively, and with care certain medications can be very helpful: a life saver in some cases.

many doctors do perscribe xanax and other benzodiazapiems (valium, ativan etc). they can be very helpful though they are extremely addictive, both physically and psychologically.

the usual SSRI perscribed (the most ideal one anyhow) for anxiety disorders is cipramil (citalopram). oddly enough, the initial stage of use (first couple of weeks) can include a state of increased anxiety for some reason. i personally am a little skeptical of the readiness of those who perscribe SSRIs, as i believe they can be unpredicatable substances with regard to their effects on the individual, and also since they are intended for long term use. they do help in some cases though.

as for "recreational" drugs which may intensify anxiety, the worst culpret is certainly ecstacy, regular use of which can cause panic attacks in some cases. all stimulants, from caffeine to amphetamine to cocaine, should be avoided by anyone who suffers panic attacks. cannabis works as an intensifier of sensory information, mood and thought processes. so, using cannabis when in a state of anxiety will often intensify that anxiety. alcohol decreases anxiety only during the time it intoxicates, afterward one is suspectable to attacks of anxiety.

 

[theweeyin]

It can be an awfully isolating experience. I'm getting better at dealing with my 'episodes' of this but it can be really disconcerting when you're going through it. It doesn't help that we seem to be pre-programmed pessimists and find it easier to focus on the negative than the positive. I've found that self-reassurance helps a lot and trying to drop the cynicism during the attacks helps too. It is quite a relief to know that there are other people who experience similar things though...helps you feel that you're maybe not as mental as you think.

There might also be more advice on this in the depression thread Beanstalk.

 

[kevin gallen]

For some reason i find reading books about panic attacks and how they work bring on worse attacks - eating healthy and taking lots of exercise is better than any meds IMO though motivating yerself to do it is another matter

 

[Jerry Twig]

I've had two panic attacks in my life, with a space of about 8 years between them, both brought on by general freak-out stress about the present and future.
it's horrible. genuine sympathies to you guys

 

[classic seanc]

A mate of mine get's these.
At first we thought it was some sort of heart condition. It was funny, the doctor wouldn't believe him when he said he didn't use cocaine.
"You're having heart problems? I see. you're in a band? i see. You're a young male? I see. You have a well paid office job? I see. You live in Castleknock? I see. You're from Baldoyle? I see. Do you use cocaine?"
"NO!! Stop asking!!"
But after all the check's on his heart came back clear, the doc started to suspect panic attacks. He's a very "together" kinda guy, so it surprised us.

He listen's to meditation cd's and stuff. He seems to find to them helpful.

He had one yesterday. We'd been burning the candle at both ends since thursday, and yesterday afternoon he started feeling a bit off.
He just sat by himself for a couple of hours before and after the gig chillaxing. We didn't really know how to help him, the idea of saying "just relax man" seemed a bit stupid, so we just left him to it. We didn't know what else to do really, except not to appear worried as well, because then he'd just get worse.
I bought him a teddy bear to help him feel better.

But yeah, meditation helps him. Lots of drinking doesn't.