Anybody get Panic Attacks?

[mcjeff215]

For about 4 years I thought I had something physically wrong with my body. It didn't make much sense, I'm 24, very low body fat, good diet etc. I could be doing nothing then all off a sudden I couldn't catch my breath. I would get dizzy, cold sweats, tingling fingers, and my heart sounded like it was going to explode. These things just seemed to come out of nowhere. I haven't had health insurance so it took until today for me to say I've had enough and get checked out. Turns out I'm having Panic Attacks.

 

It's a relief to hear I have nothing physically wrong, but I still don't understand this enough to control it. In my case they almost always happen when I'm alone, or with my girlfriend. I can't recall a time I got one in a public setting. Without insurance I need to look at ways to improve this condition without medication. I've done some reading online but was wondering if anybody else has experienced this and if they could recommend books, behaviors, or anything else to either reduce the frequency or strength of these attacks.

 

Thank you so much for anything you can share.

 

 

I had the same problem. Started at about 18 when my parents got divorced. I've had heart monitors, head scans, ENT probes, blood tests... nothing at all physically wrong. They're like clockwork now whenever something that I'm not comfortable with happens. I can handle big meetings at the office because I've done them so much, but 1x1 with a new VP or perhaps driving into a new part of town that has very heavy traffic... that will trigger it.

 

I've learned to deal with them by taking a few deep breaths, remembering it's all mental, and through preparation. Also, whenever you're going into a stressful situation. PREPARE. PREPARE. PREPARE. If you know you're heading into unfamiliar territory or you know you're heading into a situation that may cause the problem, be ready for it. Review it in your head a few times. Plan out how to handle the unexpected. Not only will you remain much more calm, you'll simply handle any situation better and more thoughtfully.

 

I've taken medicine for them in the past. I've got it pretty well cracked now, so I haven't taken any in a while.

 

-Jeff

[Spun]

Don't feel bad, Tony Soprano has em

 

And Tony ended up taking Prozac. And Lithium?

 

One of my sisters and a friend both had them. They were working too much and too hard with everything in their lives. They would come home from work and not shut down the work part. Sometimes something bad happens and it is hard to get it out of one's mind. We try not to think of the situation but we cannot get it out of our mind. I will sometimes have a bad moment with a co-worker or a client and it occupies my thinking. Learning not to take the job home with me helped. Relaxation helps. Whether it be exercise, traveling, watching a comedy or doing what makes me happy, I try to include the good moments in life to bring down the stress and keep the big picture in perspective. In our competitive society, we can be so obsessed with more, more, more. Control what you can. Sometimes when things seem to be piling up in life it is important to do one thing at a time.

 

Do keep in contact with the Doc.