Panic attacks during the night

I am waking up 2 or 3 times a night, starting at 3 am, with waves of panic. Sometimes I get up to go to the bathroom & by the time I get back to bed, it is gone & I can go back to sleep but only for an hour or 2 & then it happens again. I take .5 Klonipin at bedtime (around 11:30) but if I take another piece of it during the night to get me through, I feel horrible in the morning.

I also take 5 mg of Lexapro in the am. Was taking 10 for years but it didn't seem to be doing anything anymore, so I decided to get off it. I'm ok during the day mostly altho on edge & tired.

Sound familiar to anyone? What to do? I saw a therapist last month who I liked but I'm not sure my insurance is going to cover enough of her bill. She's $160 per hour!

Hi ppim,

I am sorry to hear of this problem, as it is miserable! Waking up at night is bad enough...but waking up in a panic is just awful.

I agree with Kitt's advice, keeping in close contact with your doctor is a must.

Also, to help relieve the symptoms of overall stress that can cause these nocturnal attacks...practice your coping skills daily, especially focusing on them before bed time.

If you need some breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and meditative/decompressing type exercises, see our Resources.

I hope that you get some relief and some good solid sleep soon!

Keep positng.:)

S.C.

This may be something S.C. was referring to when it comes to self-soothing, or breathing exercises. You mentioned taking another dose of Klonipin taken when you wake up just makes you feel even worse the next day.

So perhaps, instead of trying to "treat" those mid-night panic attacks with medication, you try to "control" them with one, or several, of the various breathing techniques. Some of them, you can actually feel their effectiveness rather quickly.

But the important part, (maybe even the hardest part), is not waiting "until" you're in the throes of a full blown panic attack, and instead make these breath-exercises part of your day, (they don't take very long, and can be done first thing in the morning and before bed)... The more often you do them when you're NOT having a panic attack, the more the effective breathing techniques will become second nature and you'll find yourself doing them automatically.

That's the trick, though....not to wait to try until "it" happens, or "only" do them when the attacks come.

It's really amazing at just how powerful our Breath can be when we learn control.


Merrida

I'm writing this and the time here in England is 3.00am, sleep doesn't come easy most evenings.
When you start to panic put on the T.V, get a book, take a drink, ANYTHING to divert those panic feelings.
Best of luck to you.

PP

If you check the Resources at the very top, you'll find a number of different breathing exercises to try. Since these sound so pervasive and intrusive, you may want to try a number of them to find which one works best for you.

The important thing to remember is: Whichever technique/s you use (and like many others here, I use several),....the way to make them most effective is practice every day. They don't take long, but you see, the key is to do them not only when you're having a panic attack.

Thing of it as "practicing" the techniques when you're feeling pretty good, so you get it down pat and are more aware of your breath. They really are effective, especially when you give them a chance.

Which ones have you tried that you said don't work for you? "Belly breathing" is helpful, it's part of some techniques.... When do you do it, and for how long? What other breathing exercises have you tried? How often do you practice them?


These work! They really, really do!


Merrida