My Panic Attack Solution

Last night I woke up at midnight after about an hour of sleeping in a panic. I had this awful feeling like I was going to die or that I was going to or had done something really bad. I couldn’t really put my finger on what exactly I was so scared about. I woke my girlfriend up cause I was so scared and I was freaking her out. She couldn’t understand what was wrong because obviously it was all in my head. I was shaking out of control with the most terrible cold sweats ive ever had. This state of panic continued for an excruciating 30 min. I had the feeling of losing my mind which scared me even more. It took me an hour to calm down, and the whole time I was fully conscious. I use to have night terrors as a child, my last one being when I was around 14 and im now 27. But my night terrors were usually in a totally unconscious state. Anyone know what I may have been experiencing?

This sounds like a panic attack. Though of course I couldn’t say for certain. Night terrors and panic attacks are very similar anxiety symptoms. I too experienced night terrors before I started getting panic attacks.

Generally, such overtly physical symptoms of anxiety are due to a build up suppressed stress, pain, guilt or fears we may be experiencing. One analogy is blowing to much air into a balloon to then have it pop. Stress and mental pain take a great toll on the body, for greater than most realize, if you don’t deal with it as it comes, but instead bottle it up, the build up may come out in a ‘pop’. A panic attack.

Some sufferers of panic attacks have triggers for their panic attacks. Either through association with a anxiety causing stimulus or a environmental factor related to a previous attack. eg – it is not surprising for someone who has suffered night terrors to experience a panic attack by waking up with one as the mind already associates this situation with previous fear. Panic attack triggers are not always clear, they can be easily missed. Certain thoughts, or thinking patterns, smells or very particular feelings can trigger a panic attack.

The questions you need to be asking yourself are:

~ What were you thinking about before you fell asleep?
~ What did you dream about if anything?
~ Have you been experiencing greater stress in your life
~ Have you been suppressing your emotional reactions or not dealing with certain things?

The things you need to do if you have a panic attack again are:

~ Don’t fear the panic attack. Fear is the mind killer. You know what it is and how it feels now. You know you are not going to die and that no harm will come to you. Repeat it in your head.

~ Breath. This is no euphemism – I mean it literally. When you have a panic attack your breathing can go up to a breath per second. The intake of oxygen is a key factor for the duration and onset of an attack. Look at your watch or any clock with a seconds hand and force you breathing down to "in 1234 out 1234". This is the normal level. Try if you can get lower as it will help you relax

~ If in public go somewhere private and comfortable, if in company of someone you love let them know not to say much apart from soothing sounds as it can be agitating. You can tell yourself to calm down but someone else saying the same thing can be a trigger. I find that having someone touch or hug me can help.

~ When you feel it coming on do the breathing exercises but past a certain point trying to fight a panic attack off may just make it worse as you begin to fear it and become stressed. If it’s going to come just let it wash over you.

You should also see a psychologist as they can give you pointers specific to your case.

Good luck!!