Panic attacks

Post Reply New Topic

Since I received my diagnosis a few weeks back, I have been experiencing panic attacks which feel like they come from nowhere. So I could just be sat watching the TV and a panic attack kicks in. They can last for up to an hour every time. I have had panic attacks in the past but recently they feel much worse. I TRY to focus on breathwork as this was a coping mechanism of old, but even that seems to be doing very little.

Does anyone have any useful coping techniques for when that dreaded panic kicks in?

Many thanks

see a doctor and make sure there are no physical reasons for it! They may send you to a specialist to get tests (neurologist, cardiologist, may find causes in testing)
Think about the foods and meds you are taking.
Limit caffeine, chocolate, many antihistamines can cause this, and years ago I found that I get anxiety attacks when I eat artificially yellow colored things... I gave up yellow cheese in all forms and that helped a lot. I have a lot of allergies, and the anxiety was a precursor for full blown allergy attack. Do you have food allergies?

When you have your attacks, does it help to move ? I change location or whatever I am doing. If I am not trapped in a situation surrounded by others, I get up and take a long long long fast walk.

I have tried squeezing ice cubes in my hand, sipping ice water, turning on loud music, turning off all noise makers and going to a dark room with a heated fuzzy blanket.

When the episode has passed, you might consider thinking about the times when it happens... is there something in common with the episodes?
Distress of a particular kind, foods you have eaten, coffee or pills you are taking.???

What has changed since the panic attacks have started coming more often?

I have only had a dozen true deep panic attacks in my life and each time I was in strange circumstances with people I did not know well, somewhere I could not just excuse myself and leave.
Once I stopped putting myself into those situations the attacks all but disappeared.
Try to find the trigger, then you can self accommodate to help prevent them. I am very interested to find out what the others here have to say about this. Good question.

I've had countless panic attacks due to having vestibular migraines,SIBO,C-PTSD and PTSD,phobias,being bullied and many more things.

What helps me with them in the moment.

5.4.3.2.1
Belly breathing
The body scan.
Snapping a rubber band really hard against my arm. I've broken nice wristbands doing that before sadly.

And if I get a panic attack after a panic attack my last resort is taking prescribed diazepam(Valium). I don't like taking it as it makes me out of it,sedated,and I feel high on it.

GAD and health anxiety I find is much much harder to control when you have it 24/7.
I've tried various prescribed meds(5 meds) so far all with severe side effects. Including severe depression,bad thoughts,memory issues and brain fog,libido issues,numbed emotions,extreme anger/rage,aggression, all caused by the side effects.

My panic attacks only last about 5 seconds. But the worst bit is the hangover from them and the fear of when the next one will be.

The neuro I’ve been seeing hasn’t offered much help/advice…just says to ignore them and they’ll go away. But they’ve only become more common

So I googled yesterday and found a psychologist who sounds interesting. Explains why CBT wouldn’t help stop panic attacks.

seems natural that we would be upset over diagnosis, because it changes our perspective on absolutely everything! I finally learned that there were things my struggles with sensory processing just couldn't handle and I don't make me do those things any more!

Were you in similar circumstances every time your panic happened?

I got diagnosed at age 68, and it took quite a while to go through all the old "stuff" from the past and see how autism affected all of it without any of us suspecting. Nobody knew!

If you can find similarities in circumstances or situations that lead to these attacks, you might find some clues to the way processing struggles, sensitivities, etc might cause problems, and that can lead to making adjustments in where you go, what you do, etc that can help keep them from continuing to happen. (self accommodations )

So I saw my doctor yesterday and I am back on medication to try and help with the anxiety/ panic attacks. Also booked for blood tests and an ECG to just check me over due to the palpitations and tightness in my chest area. I had another doctor prescribe me with an asthma inhaler due to the tight chest feeling which the GP yesterday said is likely causing the palpitations as its not needed. The NHS incompetency strikes again. Had nothing bad bad experiences with doctors at my local surgery. I have no doubt the majority are amazing but my experiences are really bad. Giving me an inhaler which is making me worse - great!

Google DBT and watch YouTube videos on DBT.

I recently did a DBT intensive out-patient program.

Google DBT and TIPP - and actually try it.

Talk to your doc about anxiety and meds. I had to change my SSRI dose recently - but it wasn’t obvious at first that that would make the biggest difference.

Walking. Stairs.

For me Prayer helps. (No flames please from the anti-prayer folks)

Trying to recite and recalculate the powers of 2 (2,4,8,16,32…1024,2048,…).

Sudoku

Music

Yes!

Suffered from massive ones, usually caused by other people/situations. One time all the blood ran from my head and I turned blue. I could not stand for 45min

They can set off IBS too.

I also get the smaller ones, like when watching TV that comes out of nowhere.

What has done the trick for me (and really well too) is the teachings of Eckart Tolle (he has plenty of meditation videos on Youtube) His wife Kim is also good.

ET teaches not just to focus on the breath, but the inner body and become very quiet and still within.

It took a few years, but I reckon I have reduced the attacks by about 90%

I still get a few, and the occasional bigger one. but i also recover a lot quicker now too.
And to just add, I have been able to reduce a lot of other issues this way as well, like anger. (I used to be so angry! )

Hope this helps.