Feeling insane?!

It is worth a try.:)

S.C.

Often times when we start feeling better we stop doing the things that originally helped us, such as journaling. Its an easy thing to start doing again though :) I'm glad you were able to speak to a phychiatrist on the phone and hopefully he gave you a little reassurance.

As for the night time panic... it happens when you are really stressed out. Its happened to me during high anxiety times. I have awaken from a deep sleep confused and scared and in panic. Its temporary. Once you get your anxiety levels down you will sleep well again.

I know this probably isn't helpful at the moment, but everything that you have described in your posts are all common anxiety symptoms. Accepting that can be hard. Many others here, including myself, are dealing with the same thing.

Hopefully you are having a better day today! :) Take care of yourself and your little one :)

My first attack happened on plane on the way home from Florida. I was 56. The stewardess just closed shut the entrance door. I felt the air blowing from the overhead vents weren't supplying enough air. I felt like a sardine in a sardine can. Great fear. I started to hyper-ventilate. All of a sudden I felt I had to get off the plane at all costs. I felt i could rip the skin off the plane and get out. I remembered some breathing exercises from a book on Buddhist mindfulness and breathed. I calmed down a bit but the anxiety kept returning. I breathed and breathed. Then I was able to settle down enough for the rest of the flight but feeling a bit anxious.

I had other episodes subsequently. Mostly about feeling trapped in the mind and thinking I was going crazy.

I never consulted a doctor about this because I didn' want to take any meds. But I did continue mindfulness practices. They help enormously. They ground you. I would also encourage sufferers to try meditation to get grounded. The trick is to feel the opposite of anxious which is relaxed. Sit down in a quiet place and relax. Let your breathing relax you. Learn the 'relaxing breath' which is akin to a 'sigh of relief'. Keep doing this until you feel better. I keep getting attacks but in a few breaths they are gone. There's a great new book called Mindfulness by Mark Wiliams. A great read.

I agree with the person who said 'quit trying to get better'. I suggest that you accept the anxiety by facing it and looking at it while relaxing and breathing. That's what I do. It works  but it takes lots of practice. 

Post Edited (free thinker) : 4/12/2013 4:17:57 PM (GMT-6)

This definitely helped her at least while I was there coaching her. And this is the way I approach panic or pain or stress or anything else. You get better at it. It takes practice. t's not at all like taking a pill - instant relief, it's more like a change of lifestyle. You practice breathing to relax you. Like taking a giant sigh of relief.  You keep up with the sighs of relief breathing, relaxing, breathing. Keep your mind focused on the rise and fall of the belly while breathing. You keep that up through minor disturbances and it will work. Then try it when things get more and more hectic - it will work but it takes practice. If someone is having severe panic attacks you might forget to do these exercises and feel lost. But if you can remember them then start the breathing. Breathing is what grounds you. When you identify with your breath (focusing on the rise and fall of the belly) you get grounded. But he quality of the relaxing and focusing is important that's why much practice is needed.

I flew back from Mexico last monday. An unexpected panic attack occurred. I felt I had to get in the aisle asap and walk but I stood my ground and breathed. In a few minutes it was gone. I am so greatful for learning this technique. It works.

I don't consider myself cured but as someone with a coping mechanism.