How do you all control your panic attacks???

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 😭

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?

My OCD is relatively tame compared to when it was at its worst, but the other night I found myself having one of, if not, the worst panic attack I ever had. I was completely hysterical one night, and couldn’t breathe too well due to the uncontrollable sobbing. My body was so tense from the anxiety and trying to withhold my rage for that prolonged period of time and my body was responding to it like some overly traumatic experience, as in, I felt like my blood was vibrating all throughout my body and I lost a lot of motor control due to uncontrollable shaking (couldn’t operate my phone efficiently to text or call for help) and my hands started involuntarily opening, all while not being able to catch my breath. It felt akin to where you’re doing extreme resistance training and your muscle memory moves your limbs on their own, but also uncontrollable shaking. Thankfully, this was an oh fuck moment and I eventually got myself to lock in. I attributed this to just be from tensing so much and anxiety induced, and sure enough I looked up my symptoms (these seem to be common with extreme panic attacks) so I’m not going to obsess with it and wonder if there’s something physical going on. I’m wondering if anyone else experienced something similar and how to thwart them off before it gets unmanageable? I found that subjecting your entire body to cold water (cold shower) literally shocks and as resets your system. I always knew that cold exposure was sworn by for muscle recovery, stress, mood, (every UFC fighter does this and it biologically activates your diving(?) reflex which slows your heart rate) but I never thought about doing it during a panic attack, it just never crossed my mind. This is a go to method for panic for me now (and then soothing with hot water after the few minutes of abrupt ice cold water) but I’d like some for when I’m in public, or some place where a shower isn’t available. Deep breathing has helped me in the past but I’m especially out of practice and i find it impossible when I’m unconsolably sad or mad. So yeah, if anyone has some healthy coping mechanisms, some for in panic and some to nip it in the bud. Hope the cold exposure helps for some people just be mindful of falling if you get into an ice cold shower because it kind of takes your legs out for a second 😭