Night-time (only) anxiety/panic attacks, please I need advise?
Initially, I’m not sure where to start as far as problems that I need advice on. There are a couple of things in my day to day life that I could be doing less of/eating less of that may help, hmm well I’ll start with what it feels like.
Like I said, it’s only at night, later in the night, or even earlier, mostly when everyone is in bed, but there have been rare occasions where someone has been right next to me and I was just really tired.
I for the longest time have had issues with death, the fear of me dying, the fear of the inevitable loss of my loved ones, if my mind isn’t occupied at night, and I catch even a hint of a thought like that, I just begin to spiral. My mind races, and it all happens within about a minute, it feels like a black hole, or a pit opens in my chest and starts to suck the life out of me, my brain literally feels like it completely freezes over, and then I just sort of burst, mostly yelling, just because I don’t know what else to do to make it go away.
Nights are terrible for me. Every terrible thought in the world, every unlikely horrible event that could happen to my family or the things that I care about possess my mind, and falling asleep is more or less an all out brawl between my body’s desire and will to sleep, and my brain’s ceaseless racing.
I said earlier that there are a few things that I can change that would help, it’s just a matter of addiction/bad habits vs what’s best for me.
I just feel like I’m the only person who’s had this problem, almost like I’m crazy because no one I’ve known has had this problem, no one in my family either. Feels as if I’m the only person in the world and that no one could truly understand what those attacks are like.
What’s strange is, the following day/morning, I feel like a complete ass. Like, "how could I be so weak?" And, "What’s my problem, just control myself and get over it?" Never do I have this problem in the day-time.
Negative emotions (like sadness, stress, anger, etc.) causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc.
Medication like Antidepressants (SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication. There’s this herb called "St John’s Wort" – it is said to be more effective than Prozac. No, it is not for mild depression only and ignore those sayings. In fact, it does help anxiety and panic-attacks as St John’s Wort works like prozac. Other natural ways will be exercise, diet, more exposure to light, etc.
If you’re unable to take St John’s Wort, you can substitute it with Siberian Ginseng or Licorice Herb.
The problem is that, even if your Serotonin is balanced… you have that "learned behavior" in your mind. You need to break that initial cycle to destroy that learned behavior – Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) does this. A technique that you can use without CBT will be Distraction… There are several other techniques to help cope them!
Ok, to use Distraction: Firstly, try to….
Extracted from Source.
Comments
Comment from EMMA H
Time January 7, 2010 at 1:30 pm
omg at last i have found someone with the same as me,i have this and is only at night my worst fear is dying loss of family ect i ain’t kidding it has ruled my life for years,i am also ok in the day i guess it is a dark thing that sends our minds crazy,i have had so many attacks lately like i thought i had a tumor so needed to go and have a brain scan i thought i had a problem with my heart so i needed to be checked when of course there was nothing wrong with me it was my anxiety problem and fear of dying.i am thinking about joining yoga and a meditation class as i have been told i need to learn to relax,my heart goes out to you and i hope we can find some peace as it is very sad to live our lives like this i have also just joined counseling for it to see if it helps you never know ay!email me if you want to talk some more maybe we could help each other good luck what ever you decide xx xx
References :
Comment from Alice B
Time January 7, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Negative emotions (like sadness, stress, anger, etc.) causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc.
Medication like Antidepressants (SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication. There’s this herb called "St John’s Wort" – it is said to be more effective than Prozac. No, it is not for mild depression only and ignore those sayings. In fact, it does help anxiety and panic-attacks as St John’s Wort works like prozac. Other natural ways will be exercise, diet, more exposure to light, etc.
If you’re unable to take St John’s Wort, you can substitute it with Siberian Ginseng or Licorice Herb.
The problem is that, even if your Serotonin is balanced… you have that "learned behavior" in your mind. You need to break that initial cycle to destroy that learned behavior – Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) does this. A technique that you can use without CBT will be Distraction… There are several other techniques to help cope them!
Ok, to use Distraction: Firstly, try to….
Extracted from Source.
References :
http://PanicAttackResearch.blogspot.com
Comment from shaneris5
Time January 7, 2010 at 12:49 pm
View the techniques for control of anxiety/panic attacks, in section 8, at ezy build, below. Begin, on this first occasion, only, by holding your breath for 5, or 10 seconds: this will give you the confidence to realise that YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR BREATHING, but not pass out, or die (your autonomic nervous system resumes breathing, if you become unconscious).
Advice from a published psychiatrist on controlled breathing. (1.) Get a clock, or watch with a second timer. (2.) Practise for 5 minutes, 4 times daily, until proficient. (3.) Take a small breath in, and hold it, for 6 seconds. (4.) Think to yourself: "RELAX", just before breathing out. (5.) Try to feel a sense of releasing tension, as you breathe out. (6.) Breathe in for 3 seconds, then out, for 3 seconds. Try to make your breathing very smooth, and light, as you breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, or nose. (7.) For the next minute, continue to breathe in, and out, every 3 seconds. (8.) Go back to step 3, at the end of the minute, and proceed through to step 7, doing this for 5 minutes. Use this at the very first sign of a panic attack starting, or any time you feel anxious, or tense.
Similar, but simpler advice, from a clinical psychologist is to breathe in to the count of 3: (one thousand one; one thousand two; one thousand three) each takes around a second to say to yourself, in your mind. Then breathe out to the count of 3. Repeat, until it begins to take effect. Understand panic attacks, and what triggers them, in your life (if it is unresolved anxiety, or stress, see sections 6, [page N first] or 42, [page i first] respectively). The paper bag method also works for most people, but is not suited to all circumstances, such as driving, or playing sport.
Another alternative is psychotherapy, to address its fundamental cause: read section 1, and examine the http://1-800-therapist.com/ & http://www.metanoia.org/choose/ websites, and use the locators to find a therapist, (and/or phone book, but only if necessary). I used to suffer from panic attacks, until I questioned what had changed in my life, at, or just before that time, to trigger them. For some people, this is enough. These days, I have instilled the habit of, whenever a situation occurs where panic is likely, I visualise a large, flashing, red "STOP!" sign, as vividly as possible, followed by repeating to myself: "stay calm" in my mind. You could try the same method. It usually takes 30 – 40 repetitions, for most people, to establish a new habit. I also suggest that you learn, then practise the controlled breathing technique, until competent, then employ it, at the very first sign of a panic attack.
Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer: "Even though I sometimes suffer from panic attacks, I deeply and completely accept myself." Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms (as do medications/herbal remedies): you need to address the underlying cause, and this requires some form of therapy, and Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy has been shown to be effective.
Because many people can’t access/afford professional therapy, I include the EFT, and EMDR variant for them to try, free of charge. Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy is generally available in most areas, but EMDR (see section 33) may well be worth trying, and is becoming more widespread.
A variant of Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing therapy, which has been used successfully for those people suffering from anxiety: it is easily learned, quick to use, yet can be very effective, is on page N, of section 6, and I use it before the relaxation techniques, because I have found that it makes them quicker to employ, and more effective. If you are fairly suggestible, (40% of people are) you could also try the searchbar at: http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/ "panic attacks"
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