Living a panic attack
Does someone else sometimes feel like they living a panic attack? Like sometimes I just feel like my live is recently just one big panic attack. Because I just always feel scared. Does that make sense?
@Lilachocolatecake I get that, it's how I've been feeling lately. I feel like I'm stuck to having panic attacks in the morning or at night, to the point where I only feel functional in the middle of the day. I recently learned about the 54321 method in a group chat here. It works like this
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
I tried it today and it helped a little, I also do breathing exercises and use worry stones and those seem to help as well. Another thing I use is lavender scented anything; may it be incense, pillow spray, a smudge stick, whatever causes that scent helps me too. My therapist suggested meditation that helps with living in the present as well and I haven't had a chance to try that yet, but if I do I'll let you know what it was like.
@Lilachocolatecake Yes, I can relate to this experience. I have panic disorder, which in my case means that my fear of panic attacks causes new panic attacks. So when I get a panic attack, this scares me so much that it triggers a new panic attack, and then my fear of that attack again causes a new attack, and so on. This tends to go on for many hours, for example throughout the entire night, or even several days in a row. So I know how hard it can be to struggle with this. What helps me is to do a walking meditation. The way I do it is to walk back and forth through the living room, breathing in for four steps, then breathing out for four steps. While I do this I focus on my breathing (trying to breath slowly as I take slow steps) and on my feet (the contact of my feet with the floor helps to ground me). Medication has also been very helpful for me lately, and thanks to it I'm finally sleeping again during the night while I used to have panic attacks every night. I truly hope you will find some methods that are helpful for you, so that you can find some relief and not feel so scared anymore.
@Lilachocolatecake
I get it. As soon as my anxiety gets triggered I start off in a low panic mode, and the more I think about things, the more amped up I get, and it just goes on until I just melt down. Had one of those this week. Today I'm in one, but am hoping it just stays at this middle stage and doesn't get any worse. It's so tiring!
I do like that idea of a walking meditation. I do regular meditation - though I haven't been doing it very well lately. Going to have to try walking... or maybe learn how to juggle or something that forces my attention on something other than my anxiety.
@Lilachocolatecake
Yes, I've had the same experience. I try to go outside and walk or do an activity that distracts me. Sometimes it's crosswords or a book or craft or cleaning. Three times it was so bad that I went to bed, pulled the covers over my head, and just laid there for a couple hours. It got me through as a last resort.
There are more people than I realized that go through this. It still is a terrible way to live. Good luck.
@Booklady
That's the one thing that I've been learning about all of this anxiety business - so many people are suffering with it. It's just that people are afraid to talk about it. Let's face it, when you're having a major panic attack, the people around you are looking at you like you've completely lost it. So, you don't want to really tell anyone for fear of judgement.
But, we have to talk about it. And keep talking. Honestly, it helps. It helps to talk to others. It helps to write it here. Journaling is a HUGE help to me. Every time I start feeling anxious I open up my journal and start writing. About how I'm feeling, or about how the day is going, or whatever I'm thinking. It's a way to talk to someone when no one else is available to listen.
