Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

[Bella]

There is a thread on this subject. In all my years of drinking I only started having these dreadful experiences in very recent years. I suppose they are panic-attacks but could anyone tell me what they think? They usually happen when I am out of the house. One example is.....I was in a shop and I came over very hot and literally getting in a panic that someone would talk to me. If they did, I thought that I would collapse. I could not leave because I was buying stuff but I felt I had to get out quickly. I needed to run away. Another was at work and I was in the staff room with more and more people coming into the room. I was getting panicky again that someone would draw attention to me. My mind was racing, my heart was racing and I just had to get up and leave the room. So utterly stupid and un nesseccary but something took me over. I used to blush alot as a child for no reason and felt the similar kind of panic when I knew this was coming on.

Are these panic-attacks? I have stopped having them now that I have stopped drinking huge amounts. I would very much appreciate your imput on this. Bella xxxx

[Keepon!!!!]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Hi Bella

They sound like panic attacks Im like that when waiting in a cue in a shop I shake I sweat I think everyone can see the sweat dripping from my face and the more I think people can notice the worse I get and I keep saying to myself get out of there NOW and as soon as I get out I calm down I think worrying more when you have a panic attack makes it worse!!!

Also when Im at home I could be sitting there one minute then all of a sudden this horrible dreaded feeling runs through my body I carnt sit there I feel like I need to run get away From the room im in then i go into another room and its still there and I look out the window and see people doing normal stuff and I try and get my head together to think rationally again this works not in the middle of the night though when everyone is a sleep and I carnt phone no one I suffer very bad and just ride it through they say panic attacks are FIGHT or FLIGHT when I first had a panic attack I didnt know what it was so i naturally took the FLIGHT option which ment ran which made me worse and now I FIGHT i ride it through and tell myself its just the alcohol making me feel like im going looney the feelings i get from a panic attack is like I carnt breathe properly and I feel that Im dieing and it dont feel real its hard to explain but I know its the worse feeling Ive ever had in my life I can deal with most things but them are horrible.

So bella hope this make a little to you take care Luv Keepon

[Bella]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Yes, that all makes sense to me. I was at home once after a very heavy session on the drink. I was pretending to be normal. I started texting my counseller for help and I began to feel like I couldn't breathe properly. So, I understand when you say you can't breathe sometimes. They are horrendous and I never want to go through them again. Thanks Keepon. Love, Bella xx

[beatle]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

I think there ARE really definitions for these kinds of terms, for whaterver it's worth.

I get them sporadically. Often it's in relation to taking a plane trip. Sometimes, going to a funeral, other times when I have a big social event to attend. I go ballistic. I cannot think straight. One side of my brain analyses the situation, and tries to calm me down while the othe part (which always seems to be much stronger) makes me sweat, panic and lose all reason. My main physical symptom is an extreme tightness in my chest. The only thing that will relieve that is--- you guessed it-- alcohol.

[Guest]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Bella,
Panic attacks have an enormous range of symptoms, both psychological and physical..........many people experiencing such an attack end up in Accident and Emergency as they think they are having a heart attack or going insane.Your experiences were typical panic attacks. Suffering from panic attacks is a difficult condition to try to overcome, and if left untreated, can even lead to agoraphobia, as people become afraid of going anywhere or doing anything which they associate with a previous attack.

Panic attacks happen as a result of us feeling some sort of fear. As Keepon has already said, human beings manage fear by using either fight (facing the fear) or flight (trying to escape from the fear). As we feel the fear, our bodies produce more adrenaline to cope with any possible attack, and it`s this surge in adrenaline which causes most of the symptoms.

Am certainly no medical expert, but am just telling of my own experiences and the little inside knowledge I have acquired through trying to manage my own attacks.

Panic attacks are the kind of thing you wouldn`t wish on your worst enemy..........

Starlight Impress

[gabby]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

I think of mine as anxiety attacks. They are much more sutle than keepon's. For me its more like I think I might be havin a small heart attack. I dont feel like I can breathe good or all the way. Like I cant take a deep breath. And I feel like someone may be squeezing me from behind - like a lot of pressure around my torso area. I just feel weird in general but yet not that bad still. No one would know I was going through this at all.

This has only happened after I have steadly been endureing a LOT OF STRESS but pretend to be sailing through it like I am ok but inside I am hurting a lot.
I need to stop acting so tough and have a few breakdowns here and there. After all....I am a female.

[gabby]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

That is so funny. I was posting the same time as Starlight and Beatle. And they said the same chest thing as me. I am glad to see I have properly diaganosed myself.

[Guest]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Gabby,
Am not much use at diagnostics..............just something of the expert at self-medicating!!! lol

Starlight Impress

[gabby]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

lol....yep me too. Like I said in the other thread. My attacks are all stress related and thats why I drank. I never had the attacks while I self medicated with alcohol.

[sujul]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Yep--had these...horrendous! And, Starlight, you're so right about the agoraphobia...I would get these panic attacks whenever I had to go anywhere outside the apartment...or even if I had to make a phone call...the odd thing was that once I was actually outside I was fine....it was the THOUGHT of going out (or speaking on the phone) that gave me such a panic...

I also thought that alcohol helped--it sure seemed to. But the panic and anxiety always came back--worse! I still have some occasional moments that are similar to those attacks but they're not nearly as bad...I think Campral really helped me get over them for the first few months I was af....

[Breez]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

One of the reasons I drank was because I had a mild case of Social Anxiety-Social anxiety is an experience of fear, apprehension or worry regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. People vary in how often they experience anxiety in this way or in which kinds of situations. Social anxiety can be related to shyness. The experience is commonly described as having physiological components (e.g. sweating, blushing), cognitive/perceptual components (e.g. belief that one may be judged negatively; looking for signs of disapproval) and behavioral components (e.g. avoiding a situation).

Long reasons why I developed it & it wasn't until I stopped drinking that I'm much better handling it. Actually when my drinking got bad I got more depressed & hated to even go out to my mailbox for fear of having to talk to my neighbors. Ugh sujul-phone calls. Hated them!

[beatle]

Can someone define Panic-Attacks?

Ugh sujul-phone calls. Hated them!

huh?