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Ride out a panic attack?

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Posted 6/22/2013 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry for the serial posts tonight! lol

My brother came to visit me the other day and told me that he used to have panic attacks. He didn't know what it was, either, until he went to rehab (long story). Anyway, he's much different than me and much bolder. He says this is what he did, and says he doesn't have any trouble anymore. I believe him, but it sounds scary and I wonder if it's even safe?

He said that after he understood what it was, he felt a big panic attack coming on and decided to just ride it out.

Said he sat down in a rocking chair, wrapped his hands around the arms and said, "Bring it. Let's see what you can do, heart!" and just let it go. Then, he just sat there, sweating, feeling his heart race and didn't even try to stop it.

He says he stopped having problems within a short time after that.

Is that even SAFE? It sounded like a crazy idea to me - but I can tell you this, that brother of mine lives life without limits.

I meant to ask my doc about it, but was so sick I forgot to.

What do y'all think? Does that sound safe?
Posted 6/22/2013 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
That is how I got PAD turned around, I gave mine a good cussin, told it that if I died so did it! Like your
Brother I started getting better, I did have some problems with being blind sided by Panic but I had my
xanax if I was in a place where I could not afford to let it run its course. I will still have occasions when I
will feel anxiety trying to get to me, but I have a repetitious Prayer I say and sometimes I read scripture.
With Your Writing skills and insight into peoples minds and hearts you should have been a Counselor for PAD!
I Pray your life will become filled with Peace!

Larry ***
Posted 6/22/2013 4:56 AM (GMT 0)
Good evening BeRock,

In my opinion, not only is it safe but actually completely opposite...I think it's healthy. It was methods like that, that helped me recover and manage anxiety. Anxiety feeds off of fear and grows from fear. Sounds like your brother faced his fear and it helped.

Facing fear is never easy, but a must if you're going to get the upper hand on anxiety....many would say " easier said than done" and I would agree. Your brother invited fear to give it, it's best shot and it did and your brother was fine after it was all said and done. I'm guessing that now it has gave his confidence a boost and fear tried to control him and failed. Fear would want you to think that somehow that would not be safe but reality is, there was nothing unsafe about it and your brother has the proof that not only was it safe but a cornerstone in putting his life back together and moving on. My experience is, facing fears gives great opportunity for victories, but letting fear control has no rewards and causes more anxiety....to me that sounds unsafe....just my thoughts and kudos to your brother~!

Posted 6/22/2013 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
This is what I did yesterday. I was in the theater watching then suddenly out of nowhere my heart starts racing pounding hard on my chest. 155 bpm for 20-30 mins. I just thought it won't kill me. I demanded for more and said to myself "do what you have to do, try to freak me out if you can, give me your best shot!". It started to beat faster, I was scared for a second but all positive thoughts sink in "I'll not die from this, many other people have had overcome this, I was in this situation before and I can make through this!". I thought of everyone here in HW. It was a victory for me it never became a full blown panic attack with the dreaded impending doom feeling. After my heart slowed down, I was mildly shaking and had some muscle twitches all over, maybe because it's cold inside the theater, my hands were sweaty. Now I'm more confident. Maybe I should ask panic attack to bring her whole army next time? It could scare me I guess but it can't take away my precious life! I have God and HW by my side anyway so I'll be just fine!
Posted 6/22/2013 6:34 AM (GMT 0)
Go Joja!!!!!!

So proud and happy for you!!:)

S.C.
Posted 6/22/2013 6:39 AM (GMT 0)
I agree that facing the fear and thus taking away its power is a great method....for some.

However, for more sensitive individuals, or those who suffer exteme physical symptoms to the point of illness, a more subtle approach may be needed.

That is where coping mechanisms can really help. They feel empowering, and give a sense of pro-active management to the anxiety sufferer.

So what is the best method...the 'barbarian' 'Bring it On!" approach? Or the daily management with breathing/meditation ect.?

One has to find their comfort zone and capabilities and decide for themselves:)

There is no right or wrong way to deal with anxiety...and no 'one fits all approach'.

Treatment is as individual as we are!

Best of luck in whatever everyone decides.:)

S.C.
Posted 6/23/2013 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
BeRock

Absolutely I encourage you to do this. I did this once in a huge crowd of people in Hong Kong, almost lost y marbles completely. Had a massive panic attack in public that I wanted to have and I'm glad I had cause I know well, I survived and all it was turned out to be a wimpy 15 minutes of an adrenaline rush. Big deal I say to myself, I've seen worse. Put yourself in "the worst scenario possible" and ride it out.

You will be totally fine and I think it will help you in some way to feel it and come through it. Feels like winning!

Hope you are feeling better soon,

Joshua
Posted 6/23/2013 12:33 PM (GMT 0)

Jojanxiety said...
This is what I did yesterday. I was in the theater watching then suddenly out of nowhere my heart starts racing pounding hard on my chest. 155 bpm for 20-30 mins. I just thought it won't kill me. I demanded for more and said to myself "do what you have to do, try to freak me out if you can, give me your best shot!". It started to beat faster, I was scared for a second but all positive thoughts sink in "I'll not die from this, many other people have had overcome this, I was in this situation before and I can make through this!". I thought of everyone here in HW. It was a victory for me it never became a full blown panic attack with the dreaded impending doom feeling. After my heart slowed down, I was mildly shaking and had some muscle twitches all over, maybe because it's cold inside the theater, my hands were sweaty. Now I'm more confident. Maybe I should ask panic attack to bring her whole army next time? It could scare me I guess but it can't take away my precious life! I have God and HW by my side anyway so I'll be just fine!

+5,000,000!
Posted 6/23/2013 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
I am still in a state of trying not to give too much attention to my anxiety, even though I am going through a ton of stress at work. However, I slip up and ruminate, worry, etc. That is different than the true panic attacks I used to get. Klonopin helps, but the days I did not have it, I could feel myself fighting off an attack. I used Bach Rescue Remedy during that time.

I do feel I will remain stuck on Klonopin just to keep my job. The reason I went on it was because I was having panic attacks in front of clients, and when giving speeches. You can't very well ride an attack in those circumstances. Also driving on the highway invokes panic, and I had to drive a lot for my last job. So I needed something; highway panic is the worst!

I am in retail bank management now, a entire new level of stress!!! Work with customers and employees all day. We are really short handed at both my offices and I've been fighting off letting it totally ruin my progress. I have a week off in July and I am going to try to back down on meds a bit and see if I can ride out, or use mindfulness, to aid in the attempt to find more natural solutions.
Posted 6/23/2013 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, I should add, that while I never had true panic attacks until 2007, as a kid I was a worry wart and a ruminating fool. I felt my worry always helped me in a way. Took me years, but I was getting so much better about the "what if" type worrying until just recently.

I am in a new job, just 4 months in, and it is truly baptism by fire and a hectic atmosphere. I find myself, as I did my entire childhood, waking up in the middle of the night with ruminating worry already in my brain waiting to keep me sleepless.

It took a while for me to learn that my worry, which I felt helped me with preparedness, was actually doing the opposite. However, I am slipping back into. It is situational. For instance, I had a customer in my office the other day, and the branch was busy all day (very short handed). I was helping the client, but noticed the only 2 people I had on the teller line was back there living it up instead of getting caught up on things in between rushes of customer traffic. I excused myself to the client and out of my office, right in front of him, said "don't you two think this time should be spent getting caught up before the next rush." I apologized to the client, but still, there is no excuse for how I handled that situation. I didn't yell, it was simply asking them to get back to work, but should never be done in front of a customer.

I have a meeting with my boss Monday evening, so I laid awake all night wondering if this client complained. My mind rushed with ways to be honest, own up to it, and how to make sure it never happens again etc..... I don't even know if that is why we are having a 1 on 1, yet I feel the need to worry about it so I can be prepared for it. Amplify that by 100, and that was my childhood! So while this isn't panic, it is still disconcerting. I am overwhelmed trying to think about ways to get caught up with all the business we have as well, so I think my worry is back, and I hope it does not bring with it the panic!
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