Anyone suffer from Panick Attacks?

I suffer from panic attacks. I have all my life, but it got really bad about 10 years ago. I am feeling nervous right now, and I am wondering what others may do to calm down?
I take a "panic" pill when I feel it coming. I also always have mints on hand.

I always had panic attacks....but over the past year I have been slowly getting over them......

I never took meds...but i was almost hospitalized a few times......

I always drank chamomile tea when i got bugged out.....also giving yourself a pep talk in the bethroom mirror worked too.....

can I ask....what do the mints do???

Originally Posted by Nebula11

I always had panic attacks....but over the past year I have been slowly getting over them......

I never took meds...but i was almost hospitalized a few times......

I always drank chamomile tea when i got bugged out.....also giving yourself a pep talk in the bethroom mirror worked too.....

can I ask....what do the mints do???

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I am always afraid I am going to vomit So I pop a mint and it does something to calm me alittle.

Yes, I do, and have for years. They are less frequent now.

I stopped driving some years ago because of them.

In my case, mints were on hand because I got insanely dry mouthed during an attack.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I stopped driving some years ago because of them.

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Oh no... That is terrible. Do you take medications for it?

No, I just don't drive, that's the only time I had attacks.

My last one I lost track of everything, made a normally 30 minute drive in about ten minutes, don't remember one bit of it.

I have had them for years to varying degrees. I peer out closed blinds, and pace the floors like a caged animal at my worst. I get short of breath, shake, cry, and get absolutely sure that my whole world is going to come crashing down around my ears.
I take St. John's Wort for depression, and I seem to have fewer of them when I take it faithfully. I took Valium for them when I had health insurance and a regular doctor. I have them really bad when I get stressed.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

No, I just don't drive, that's the only time I had attacks.

My last one I lost track of everything, made a normally 30 minute drive in about ten minutes, don't remember one bit of it.

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Wow... I am sorry to hear that... I am glad you are safe!

I did have panic attacks a few years ago. It was mostly at night, and I would suddenly feel pain in my chest, which made me think that maybe I was dying... which of course made things worse.

One of the thing I read that really worked for me is to not fight the pain. If you get pain or other physical symptoms with you panic attacks don't fight them. What I started doing instead of trying to make the pain go away (which only led to more anxiety if it didn't work) was to try to make it get worse. Sounds silly but it did make me feel more in control. It also made the pain less scary. And if I failed, well, at least the pain was gone.
Either way, it helped get rid of the vicious circle of anxiety and pain.

Of course it all depends on how the panic attacks affect you.

I have had them for about 8 years - The only thing that helps is medication - I currently take Aropax (Also called Seroxat)

I tried to wean myself off it, but about 3 months after I finally got off them the attacks came back really badly...So I just went back to medication.

Stupid brain chemistry!!

Originally Posted by krazy kat2

I have had them for years to varying degrees. I peer out closed blinds, and pace the floors like a caged animal at my worst. I get short of breath, shake, cry, and get absolutely sure that my whole world is going to come crashing down around my ears.
I take St. John's Wort for depression, and I seem to have fewer of them when I take it faithfully. I took Valium for them when I had health insurance and a regular doctor. I have them really bad when I get stressed.

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I do the pacing thing too!

I get very twitchy...like my shoulder and stuff...and I get real figgity......and i feel like my cheast is gonna cave in......

Luckily i havent had one of those in about 5 months..........but at a point i was getting them twice a day

Its a horrible thing to have and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

And even worse is that it is often difficult to describe to other people what you are going through, and they can have trouble understanding why is it that you are like that.

Johns actually pretty good at getting me out of them..........

He kinda yells at me...tells me I am being silly....it works 90% of the time......

I know that sounds mean....he doesnt yell at me cause hes mad....he only does it, cause hearing him say that I am overreacting really hits me and i snap out of it..........

I don't have attacks as a passenger, but I'm not a very good passenger either.
Heavy traffic makes me extremely nervous, and my body has learned to cope by simply falling asleep.

Kind of a 'If I can't see it, it won't hurt me' response.

Yep, sleep is a brillant mechanism - But unfortunately does not solve the problem or help it get better - It only prolongs the inevitable.

Originally Posted by jane_vernon

Yep, sleep is a brillant mechanism - But unfortunately does not solve the problem or help it get better - It only prolongs the inevitable.

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Wow...you guys could sleep.....huh...i never could.....

I have no problem, I don't drive.
I haven't had an attack in 15 years.

Well, There's a problem... I can't sleep!!! I was pacing for a while, tried to lay back down...I am just too nervous.