How do you stop panicking?

I don't have panic attacks at this moment, but i realized if i will have again I don't know how to stop it, there's people who say "trying to stop it feeds more" and that's why i get stuck with it cause then i try to sit with it and i just get stuck or go with the panic. Many times when i try to stop feeding itit gets worse, i think that im doing something wrong or i just feel like it does not work cause when i try to stop the panic gets stronger, then im panicking over do I take the danger seriously. I try deep breathing and moving my attention but i know i do that to avoid the panic which makes me panic more. And then i feel angry cause people say "sit with it" and i dont know what they mean, like everytime i get a panic just accept defeat, lay down and wait till all the symptoms just goes away... cause you cant control it. So if i want to face it, accept i might faint, vomit, get taken to the hospital, and just face it. These are the more negative ones I know, but even with others i feel like its defeat cause I have to stop whatever i do and i need to accept that panic will take me wherever it wants... Im open to change my opinion over this, but with the "accept it" menthod i feel like it looks like this and thats why I don't like it. How do you deal with panic? Do you stop it or you always give that moment to the panic?

emma_j_102

Date posted: 10w

Hi! Thanks for sharing this. Panic attacks are probably the worst thing ever in my opinion. They feel all consuming and like there is no future and like the end is here. No one should have to go through it. I’ve been dealing with them for around 10 years and I’ve always wanted nothing more than to prevent them and make them stop. I’ve tried to avoid them or lean into them but they feel just as scary and real no matter what. For me, the thing that I do to get through them is accept that panic is my body’s response and trying to prevent a panic attack doesn’t help. It is literally hardwired into my brain, but can be relearned. This takes time but at least for short term, the way I have learned to manage a panic attack is to not feed it. This means if my brain is screaming at me saying “something is wrong!”, I tell myself that my thoughts don’t mean anything. Even if this feels like it doesn’t help because the feeling feels so real, it can show your brain that there is no real danger. “My thoughts don’t mean anything and can’t hurt me or anyone else”. Also, do not do your panic compulsions. This feeds the panic and makes your brain think “well if I’m doing it then that means I DO have something to panic about”. This can be really hard because your brain truly believes what the panic is telling you and you are trying to shut it down. Thoughts are powerful and if they tell you to panic, they can tell you the opposite too. People always say to take deep breaths which can help, but I always try to follow a guide for myself whenever I feel a panic attack coming. Start by standing up and put your hands by your hips in a “Superman” pose. Say out loud, “my thoughts can’t hurt me”, and put your hand on your chest to acknowledge how your body feels. Then go find stimuli like intense temperature such as ice, or flavors such as sour candy. Get that going and keep saying “my thoughts can’t hurt me” as well as “this too shall pass”. Even if it feels so wrong in the moment, the alternative is suffering in panic. I would rather try something new that could fail than do what I’ve always done and know that always fails. This won’t magically cure an attack, but the more you practice this in your life the more your brain understands reality, that there is no danger. This can make attacks feel less real and shorten their length and intensity. These strategies can work for me and may work for you, but if you take anything away, remember that you have felt this feeling before of panic and fear, but it did pass. It always passes. Learn to accept that panic is not your fault and you will not always feel that away. It will always pass❤️

Someonemaybe

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 10w

I don’t often have panic type situations, though maybe in the past it would’ve been helpful bring s little uncomfortable with what i was doing lol. But in all seriousness, I’m not sure the exact answer. I believe a little part of each response you’ve been given may be helpful given the subject of your panic. Perhaps give each subject a time you will allow the thoughts to happen and face them one by one, if that’s possible. Avoiding will never work, but compartmentalization which will be focused on may help whittle them down one by one. I know when i used to spiral, it would happen with one thought or one word, triggering a gamut of thoughts and memories, sending me way down. Now i know that that was occurring because of the intrusive thoughts. My therapist helps me to allow each thought time and space to have focus given to it, but not when i don’t allow it. They only way to know how to handle a situation is to be immersed in it. A single situation, given complete focus and faced with the knowledge that you are not your thoughts, mistakes, or anything like that. I don’t know if any of that helps, but i hope so. I know it’s a hard place to be and I’m hoping the best for you💯.

PRIV8

Date posted: 10w

Its hard to challenge every thought cause for some you dont know the answer and for some you will never know, so it just makes you panic more and feel helpless

Someonemaybe

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 10w

@PRIV8 Excellent point indeed. Perhaps take that time then to explore possible answers so you have something to fight back with. I honestly know very little about panic attacks though I’m sure I’ve had something that could be defined as such before, or could be i was just extremely overwhelmed and lost. But i believe taking little pieces of something big and working through those smaller pieces will eventually work towards resolving the big issue and helping you heal in a way that may work for you. I appreciate your honest response, for sure. That is an excellent point that i didn’t think of when i responded. True, some things will never have an answer and it can be extremely troubling to come to terms with that, that i know too well. But what we can find answers for will help. I really hope you are able to overcome this. The one way i know to have a little victory over an unknown troubling issue is to get to know it, explore it, find the why, and fight back with what you’ve learned about it. You may not win always, but you may lessen it’s impact on your day to day well being and sense of self worth. Self worth is definitely one of my toughest battles, for sure. Will probably be life long, but I’ll keep progressing no matter how far i get. It’s all we can do some times.

PRIV8

Date posted: 10w

@Someonemaybe I just want to add an exemple, the one i get stuck with is that its known that stress makes you sick. And everytime im anxious i think that it will make me sick long term, that i will have health issues. Ive been struggling with anxiety for years now, i always have high heart rate, my heart was checked this year and its okay but i was told that if i dont stop being anxious then later it will do problems with my heart. So with this thought i cant outhink it cause its true that stress makes you sick and can give you cancer too. I cant stop anxiety now and probably it will be alot of time when i learn how to decrease it.

PRIV8

Date posted: 10w

@PRIV8 So when i get this thought that anxiety will make me sick, idk what to do and i just worry more

Someonemaybe

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 10w

@PRIV8 Thank you, i get what you’re saying now. I appreciate it for sure. Gives me a whole new perspective of panic attacks. I’ve definitely have had stress and know it’s certainly had a toll on me. But i have never dealt with the level you have experienced, so far as i remember. Perhaps i just never worried about it because of that whole self worth issue i have. I’m more aware of things now since i actually feel a sense of worth these days. Do you and your therapist discuss ways to calm your mind and body down when you experience these attacks? There are methods you can use in the moment. Perhaps some quiet music with no words, just instrumental. Something you’re not used to so you really focus on it and hopefully take some of the focus off of the panic. Have you tried that? Thank you for sharing so much. I really hope I’ve been helpful to some degree since you’ve spent time explaining your experiences to me. I’m sorry i didn’t initially understand the depth to which you experience these attacks. I don’t have any personal experience with this that I’m aware of.

suzie90

Date posted: 12w

Panic attacks leaving home

Hey! Just wondering if anyone else has dealt with something similar. A bit of background: I have POTS and had a horrible flare up in March which led to us calling ambulances; I started on meds which didn’t agree with me; the POTS flare passed and left me with horrific anxiety on a level I’ve never experience before. I was still able to go out and do every day things like grocery shopping and see my nan but nothing more. Fast forward a few weeks my uncle dies and the grief and stress triggered a massive migraine, and bc I’ve never had a migraine before it scared me and I thought I was having a stroke or something. The migraine passed but my brain latched onto the fear of it and how it felt to have one. Long story short since the beginning of the year it’s been one thing after another. A few days ago I had the worst panic attack ever downstairs in my house (felt like I couldn’t feel my arm or face) and it sent me into a spiral. I am now terrified to leave the house in case I have a panic attack outdoors, it just feels so unsafe. I went to the shop with my dad yesterday and felt so bad, but i managed to do it and I was proud. Tried again to go to a different shop closer to home because I was already feeling bad, and it was horrific. I started having a panic attack, felt faint, my arm and face went tingly, so we went back home. I’m trying to challenge myself every day but I am really really struggling and not sure what to do at this point. I tried fluoxetine but had horrible side effects (which included a horrific dip in my mood) so I had to stop them. I’m seeing my doctor tomorrow to tell her everything and explain how difficult it is, but I’m just SO scared all the time. It’s like my body is constantly scanning for danger. It’s got to a point where it’s been going on for so long I’m just desperate to try anything to help me feel just a little bit better. I’m not asking for much, I just want to be able to go to the shop without feeling like I’m going to die. My question is has anyone else dealt with anything like this? The panic attacks are terrifying, and even though I know they’re “not dangerous” it does not help because they’re still so so scary and even worse when I’m out of my bedroom because if I’m by myself I can kinda lie down, do some breathing and talk myself round. I just don’t know how to get over this and I’m so so sad because I’m 31 and scared of being stuck like this forever 😭

neverdealing...

Date posted: 12w

Confused and it makes me feel stupid

I’m definitely having an episode right now. A few times I’ve thought about coming onto this app and writing something but then I spiral further and further and I forget about anything except what’s triggering me. Then I think about this app again and intend to write a post… but again I’m spiraling too hard to focus on anything else. But I finally ended up here because I got an email from NOCD. I opened it and read about someone who ‘overcame their OCD.’ It made me spiral harder, because I genuinely don’t understand how someone can control this. How do I stop? How do I silence my brain? I was told to sit with my thoughts and not try to divert them, but if I do that I have an extreme episode so bad that I feel disconnected from myself. I looked at myself in the mirror and it felt like my eyes were seeing someone standing in front of me and not my reflection. It scares me to think that I will be experiencing these episodes forever. I literally just put my phone down twice because I thought my cat was choking to death because he had a hairball (he’s fine) I just feel like I can’t see a way out of this. It’s not curable, and I don’t understand how someone can ‘conquer’ something that feels so out of control Obviously it’s possible, but unfortunately that reassurance doesn’t always break through the most awful thoughts Sometimes there’s nothing that can make me calm down, I just have to ride it out I hope there’s never a day where it’s so out of control that I can’t keep it in at work, and I ruin my own life by having a severe panic attack while I’m there and being fired. If I had the type of episodes at work that I have consistently at home, I would be so humiliated. It scares me. I’m trying so hard to be normal like everyone else. I just want to be happy. I just want to live.

PRIV8

Date posted: 10w

I might avoid going to get bloodwork done...

2 days ago I decided that I will do my bloodtest, last time i was in 2017 and for some reason when i stood up I started to feel dizzy and I couldnt see anything, I didnt fainted but i was close to it,the nurses quickly layed me down, and then i was fine, but the whole day my body was shaking. I was afraid of blood test, and i always avoided it, but my health anxiety got worse cause i was afraid everytime that i have cancer but i cant check it cause im afraid of bloodtests. This year i had to do other medical tests and now they asked me to do bloodtest too, and 2 days ago i said okay this week i will face this fear. And i felt excitet, motivated and happy that finally i will face my fear. I did not cared if i faint cause it might not happen but if does I can handle it, i will feel good after i wake up. But someone after some hours, the fears came up, and i wanted to face them (cause people say you need to challenge the thoughts) so i tried to challenge them and find ways that i will handle those scenarios, but after time i got stressed cause i didnt know how to respond. If i faint and then vomit and feel sick and vomit alot of times cause im also panicking to the point they have to take me to the hospital... this jist scared me. I dont know how to handle that panic. The body will react to the blooddrown so either way i will feel bad. And im afraid of it and I cant deal with that fear.I dont know what to do if i will feel sick the whole day, if i will vomit the whole day and faint because of stress. This might be catastrophising but now these thoughts comes up, if i imagine myself being there and getting my blood drawned, i imediatelly feel the panic and these scenarios come up and then i dont know what to do so i just panic... Last night i asked help from others and it helped that some said that its pretty rare that you will vomit after blooddrawn, people who do are sick already or they are really scared. And this made me feel good but then i read about it and i found out that its pretty common that people faint, or vomit or fo both after blooddrawn... and now im just thinking about not going... i cant deal with it cause idk what to do. Breathing techniques didnt worked for me, if im panicking and i try to relax by breathing, i get more stressed cause my brain knows i do it to calm down and the panic is a danger so i get more panic... idk what to do.

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