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I started suffering panic attacks about 3-4 years ago.
There was a 6 month period of time I was completely incapacitated by these thihgs. It got to the point I was afraid to go to sleep because I thought I would slip off and die.
I didn't leave the house for about a month at one point becaue I was in constant fear of being away from a phone to call 911 etc.
If I did leave the house no one in my family knew this but wherever they took me *I wouldn't drive* I had the trip pre-planned in my head so I'd know exactly where the nearest hospital, or satellite emergency center was.
I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. I was in and out of emergency roooms 2-3 times a week if not more.
They would give me valium, adovan etc and my heart rate would take forever to drop.
Physicians kept trying to tell me that it was more than likely a panic attack because after many ekg's etc they could not find anything wrong with me or my heart.
But I didn't trust anyone, which fed into the panic attacks.
I finally came to a point during this time where I said to myself..."I'm tired of dying."
Because that is exactly how I felt. Everytime I went through this process, and it is proven your body is reacting to a flight or fight mechanism that has basically gone awry.
YOu are responding to something that is not happening.
Another thing you are doing usually is not breathing. And once I learned that I realized how true it was. I still find myself some days when I have a small attack coming on that I am just holding my breath.
Anyway, doctors prescribed Buspar for me. This drug saved my life, because I honestly did not have one.
I have been druf free going on about 2 years now...and of course I'm talking about the buspar.
I find now I know what triggers most of my panic attacks. It's usually a combination of things.
Lack of outside contact, lack of sleep, diet is off, lack of excersise.
If I sit in front of this computer for 10-12 straight hours, I'm more susceptible to a panic attack.
But now they are quite small, and I know what they are so I don't let them blow out of proportion. I usually step back, take some deep breaths, and maybe even go lie down for a nap.
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