First Panic Attack

B

Biddis

Newbie
MBTI
INFJ
Hi everyone,

I just had my first panic attack at a club last night, it's really freaked me out i've had very mild anxiety attacks before but nothing like this. I'm really scared that it's gonna happen again as i think it was because of all the people around me and i got really scared that i wasn't safe or in control. Any body else had a panic attack and can share their experience with me, am trying to figure it out. Also im worried because i got locked on to the idea that i had embarrassed myself and ruined my friends nights and i couldnt let it go. I have this a lot, not bein able to let things go and having a really intense feeling of letting people down, any other INFJS feel the same?

Thanks guys for reading this :)

Laura
 
Hiya. I've had them in the past. Try not to worry about your friends. If they're true friends they will understand and want to help you as much as they can. The more you play mental movies in your mind about your fears about the event, the more you will upset yourself and raise the likelihood of further panic attacks, so try to figure out ways to relax or change your thought process. Cognitive therapy is effective and there are also some effective medications if you wanted to go down that route. I'd recommend trying cognitive therapy on it's own first, just to avoid taking pills and possible side effects, but obviously it's best if you consult with a medical professional about this.

Here's some useful info:

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/How+to/How+to+cope+with+panic+attacks.htm
 
My friends have had panic attacks in the past and have claimed they were "revelations" or "black cold holes".

"You sure you didn't just have a panic attack? The description fits almost perfectly."
"No...it was....a black cold hole."
 
I've had panic attacks before.

Mine are rarely very severe there usually only partial panic attacks.

You could go on medication to help curb them if this happens again.

It sucks indeed it is easy to feel completely out of control and like you can't calm down.

Like your really helpless.

Lastly, do you dislike crowds?
 
Biddis said:
Hi everyone,

I just had my first panic attack at a club last night, it's really freaked me out i've had very mild anxiety attacks before but nothing like this. I'm really scared that it's gonna happen again as i think it was because of all the people around me and i got really scared that i wasn't safe or in control. Any body else had a panic attack and can share their experience with me, am trying to figure it out. Also im worried because i got locked on to the idea that i had embarrassed myself and ruined my friends nights and i couldnt let it go. I have this a lot, not bein able to let things go and having a really intense feeling of letting people down, any other INFJS feel the same?

Thanks guys for reading this :)

Laura
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Yes, I've had them before. I still get a panic attack when I'm late for something I deem important and my reason for being late was out of my control or an accident (sounds stupid, right?). Like missing a bus because it simply did not show up when it was scheduled to. Or accidentally backing over the trash can and recycling bin and having to pick everything up. I end up hyperventilating with my blood pressure shooting through the roof and I feel utterly helpless to do anything about...anything, which makes me afraid. For a while, I was afraid of having them, but now I'm not.

I've learned a few things that help tremendously with reducing that kind of irrational stress:

- Breathe. Just stop for a minute and take some really slow, deep breaths.

- The problem is a million times smaller than it really is. People don't notice even a tenth of the things you think they will.

- Knowing the above, try to forget about what you think will happen and try to focus on the present: Remove yourself from the stressful situation by physically moving away or trying to solve the problem at hand (once you have taken some deep breaths). Making some miniscule effort to solve the problem will shift your brain into a different thinking mode.

For example, I'm late for something and I'm starting to freak out. I'm worried about what the people I'm meeting will think of me. I'm making up all sorts of ridiculous consequences to my tardiness. If I stop thinking about that for a second, breathe, and then think about the best way to keep myself from being any later than I know I will be, I'll relax a little bit and I won't have a panic attack or I'll ease the current one I'm having.

- It helps tremendously to take time out for yourself. A lot of the time, my panic attacks are triggered by "the final straw". If I look back on the past week or so, I'll notice I've already been under a lot of stress and this attack was the culmination and subsequent breakdown of that stress. The stress builds up because I haven't done anything to effectively relieve it. I find going outside for a walk with no goal in mind helps me to reduce stress and recenter myself.
 
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I've had one panic attack, and I thought I was going to die. It's a pretty terrifying experience and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but it does happen.

The best thing you can do is find a place to sit down and try to control your breathing. Don't pay any mind to your thoughts; just think about your next breath. After I stopped concentrating on how I was going to die the panic attack stopped within a few minutes.

The problem is a million times smaller than it really is. People don't notice even a tenth of the things you think they will.
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This too. After mine stopped no one realized there had been anything wrong with me in the first place.

v My one and only panic attack was from smoking WAY too much weed.
 
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I've had panic attacks while on drugs and they really can be a terrifying experience if you haven't had them before.

Like people have said before, you really do have to concentrate on your breathing. It amazes me how something like controlling and slowing your breathing can help, but it really does. It slows your racing heart and gives you something to have control over.

Also, personally I always need a change of scenery. When I start to get that feeling, I know I have to get out of there and fast. If you are in a situation like a club again, ask a friend to take you to a familiar place near by. They should understand and will help take care of you. Once you get to a familiar place it's a LOT easier to focus and center yourself.

During a panic attack, rather than focusing on what you don't have control over, focus on what you DO have control over, like your breathing. If you start to get bad thoughts like you're going insane or you'll never be normal again, try to stop paying attention to your thoughts and calm your mind. Focus on your breathing and move out of the situation.

I hope it helps a little.
 
I've never had one, not unless drifting off into a semi-conscious stupor when surrounded by too many people and noise in a confined area counts. I recommend simply steering clear of situations in which you're prone to get them, I may be wrong here but I personally believe 'training' your self out of them is essentially training yourself to not be you.
 
Biddis - why get yourself into uncomfortable situations in the first place? Its like taking a cat and throwing it in water, with a strong jet of air going across the room, and fireworks going off overhead - and expecting the cat to remain calm.
 
To the two posters above me; panic attacks just happen, and they can happen pretty much anywhere. Telling someone to essentially not go out and do things to avoid a possible panic attack is pretty poor advice. You never know when one is going to happen, and if you stay home all of the time afraid of having an attack then that's really no way to live.

I may be wrong here but I personally believe 'training' your self out of them is essentially training yourself to not be you.
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You are. Breathing is a proven and effective way to bring oneself out of a panic attack. It has nothing to do with changing your character or personality. Controlling your breathing will calm down your heart rate and in turn kill many of the symptoms of a panic attack.

I googled this just a minute ago: http://www.anxieties.com/panic-step4.php

I'm also seconding minorityfunk's advice to get someone to step outside with you to get some fresh air. While it's possible to bring yourself out of it in that kind of environment, it would be easier outside.
 
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Hey guys, thanks for talking to me, u've given me some fab advice. Been worrying about it all day. I need to just chill n try n get over it.

Flavus Aquila said:
Biddis - why get yourself into uncomfortable situations in the first place? Its like taking a cat and throwing it in water, with a strong jet of air going across the room, and fireworks going off overhead - and expecting the cat to remain calm.
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It was my friends hen do i couldn't not go and also i've been clubbing loads of times before and never reacted in this way. However i'm not great with crowds, im not scared of them but i don't feel comfortable. Doesn't mean i'm gonna stop goin into crowded places tho. I wanna face it not run away from it. :)

I've been thinking about it and i definately did not feel safe. The bride to be had jsut wandered off and no one seemed to care if she was ok, for example 'she's walked off, leave her she'll be fine, she's not listening to us'. I needed to find her cos i look out for my friends n when i found her she berated me for worrying. I felt stupid but also scared cos i thought none of my friends would care if i disapeared. Then someone threw a drink over me and it was all crowded and i just had to leave n it all went crazy. Neway that's what i figured out. Still need to think why that all happened.
 
J. Cardigan said:
You are. Breathing is a proven and effective way to bring oneself out of a panic attack. It has nothing to do with changing your character or personality. Controlling your breathing will calm down your heart rate and in turn kill many of the symptoms of a panic attack.
Yeah i tried that when i was outside. Eventually it worked enough to a degree where i felt ok to go back inside. I wasn't ok but i managed to keep going by breathing deeply in the club 2nd time around i kept pushing it back breathing deeply to try and distract myself. I think this constant thing meant that when i went outside again it all crashed down on me again and i felt overwhelmed by the amount of effort it had taken to keep in control whilst in the club. I think i was stupid to go back inside the club anyway. But bein my mates hen do i felt i couldn 't leave. i had to stay and i didn't want to cause them any worry or annoy them.
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