Causes Of Panic Attack and Other Anxiety Disorders

Hello,

Im a 21 y/o female and have no previous medical conditions or diseases to date. The past few months i have ot been myself at all. I lost my job at the end of January, OD on on a combo of Dextromethorphan / Acetaminophen… I was sick for a 3 days and then fine. Since then i have been havin all of these "issues" with myself. I have been to the hospital and they cannot find anything wrong with me. They have done blood work and chest x-rays and they inform me that they can find nothing wrong at all. I have also been to my DR on 2 occasions and he also ran blood work and EKG and NOTHING came back as anything being wrong with me. The only 2 things that were options told to me for my symptoms were: Muscle pain, and Panic Disorder.

For me, these symptoms happen randomly. Some days more so than others. Some days my chest will get very tight as if i cant breathe and my heart will pound so hard i feel as if im having a heart attack…along with this, i will get "chills" or "spazims" where i cant control my legs and they shake as if i am cold, but i am not. ***These types of symptoms typically occur at night, more so before i fall asleep in bed***

Then there is the other set, where i feel sick to my stomach like i will vomit, but dont. I never get any fever, but i get light-headed or just bad stomach pains… and whenever i get these feelings, i always feel like im dying, and then this creates a fear of dying for me. Its a vicious circle for me once that happens.

Please, can anyone understand this? or does anyone else experience these as well? If so what do you do to resolve it? I DONT WANT TO FEEL THIS WAY ANYMORE!!! i miss the old me, and want me back!!!

Please Help!!! as i am feeling as if im going crazy… b/c people are telling me "its all in my head" but i KNOW what im feeling… How can i be told that im not feeling it???

–Thanks,
Confuzed girl
I was given a RX by my DR for Clonapan, or something to that spelling… to try to take when i get an "attack" to see if it will stop it. I’m not sure if it does ot doesnt work, as when i’ve had the bad attacks its usually before i go to sleep… and when i feel it, i just take the pill and try to go to sleep… so im guessing it does work, and enables me to get to sleep ??? But i wonder if there is ever a way to STOP them, as i never had them before, why now? you know? ***PS- Thank you Abby, and everone who offered advise and support, im very upset with this situation and yet am glad to have such understanding people reply… i was worried i would just get made fun of on here or called crazy instead of taken serious…

you know this is hard for anyone to understand that havent been there. so telling you this i think i can help you alittle. I think its anxiety/panic attack disorder. In which i also suffered more many years and it is not fun by far. you do feel as if your dying or something is wrong. The more time that passes the worst they will become. most likely you are healthy. But these feelings make you feel otherwise. me personally i tried everything….phycs, books, movies you name it. what worked for me and took the edge away was xanax. ive tried so many others..none worked. know when you feel that way the more you think about it the worse the symptoms will become. You need to train your mind. When you feel the feeling coming on try to focus on something you enjoy. I know its gonna be hard and at times it may not work. but the more you try the better you will become. Good luck.

Since yesterday, I’ve been experiencing MAJOR panic attacks (it’s been about a year since I had them like this)…

I’m pretty sure these recent attacks all stem from this terrorism crap, but I don’t know how to make them go away…

I’m very familiar with thought-stopping techiniques, etc. as I’ve been through ten years of extensive therapy. I know what to do to feel better and none of it is working…

Should I consider going back on meds? I’ve been med-free for two years and HATE to go back to medication since I’ve been able to be fine without them until now.

What to do???

I completely understand what you are going through. I have suffered with panic attacks since I was 17. The first thing I would do is talk to your therapist if you are still seeing one. They might be able to suggest something other than thought stopping techniques, etc. I have found that getting together with others who are experiencing the same anxieties I am and talking about them helps. If you aren’t seeing a therapist, talk to you family doctor. He/She may be able to suggest a short term anxiety med such as Klonapin or Xanax that can be taken on as as needed basis. That’s what I am doing right now. I don’t feel like I need the meds to handle everyday stress but I know that they are there if I need them. That fact alone has helped ease my panic attacks. Hope you start feeling better soon.

just wondering?

I’d say that yes, it’s possible.
I take Darvocet for pain due to a car accident I was in several years ago. As you know, it not only eases pain, but produces a very pleasant feeling of well-being. Take away that feeling, and it’s possible that a panic attack could result.
I would never recommend quitting this product cold-turkey; best to gradually wean one’s self off from it.
If your panic attacks continue, please seek treatment from a mental-health professional. There are MANY good products on the market that effectively deal with this affliction.

I developed OCD, Social Phobia and severe Panic Disorder, following the birth of my little girl. I’ve always been very anxious, shy and prone to perfectionism, so I guess I was pre-disposed to these conditions. But having my first child sent this anxiety sky-rocketing.It didn’t worsen after having 2 other kids, and was probably that initial adjustment to being pregnant for the first time, and the anxiety associated with the unknown…motherhood! All of my OCD behaviours are related to the safety of my children in some way. A couple of them – Putting a nappy on takes me up to 20 mins, because I fear if I do it too tight, it may constrict their breathing and It can take me up to 4 hrs to make their bed, fearing them becoming the victim of SIDS due to something I could have prevented…I just Love them all so much, and am just curious if other people have OCD behaviours that all relate to a specific issue, or theme. Anyone’s experiences with OCD is of interest, thanks.

I wash my feet up to 20 times a day, if my bare feet touch the floor without the protection of socks I have to wash them straight away. I wont put my feet on the couch, I wont let my partners feet touch me, I make him wash his feet all the time. Basically I think I am obsessed with clean feet…..

I got a feeling of like adrenaline im scared that im going to go out of control and kill people thats the feeling i start going to depression i keep thinking im crazy i have no chest pains my heart is pounding very little and it occurs like every minute of every day makes me wanna kill my self please help me!!!

i keep getting scared that im going to kill someone that what cause my panic attacks i got a feeling of that im so scared!!!

do i have a panic attack?
i also shake and feel like something is inside my chest no pains!!!
holy shut guys its not that bad that i wanna do a fucking complete suicide just sucks!! plus i do suicide im in hell so i will never do a suicide!!

Honey, it sounds like a doozy of a panic attack! First and foremost, you won’t go crazy! (It just feels like it!) Now, because you’ve sucked in so much oxygen and over breathed, it’s makin’ you feel out of control. Do this at next attack: Take deep breath, Hold it to sloooooow count of four, now release sloooowly… Do it for at least a minute. Now that may sound a little "nutty", but it works! And after using all that adrenalin during your attack, you may feel depressed! Your mind’s been thru a fight or flight work out!….I have had em since I was a kid. No one told me what they were. Maybe they didn’t know. But today, be rest assured, your not going to nut up or go freaky on somebody else! Your’e NOT gonna have a heart attack or die! Let yourself accept the scary feelings. It’s just an anxiety attack! It will go away. Breathe the way I said. And don’t worry. My body and mind had been thru a zillion of these before I knew what to do, and I’m still alive, as sane as I choose to be (ha!) and haven’t "offed" a single person!

He is always sleepy, yawning always and I have no partner at all. He is 49 years young. Now the doctor puts him on anti depressants as well. I feel like a nurse that is always on duty. I do love him a lot. I am afraid to get married, will it get better or just worse. I do not want to get depressed as well because of his problems. Please give me advice!

Hey, I understand how you feel…

The uncomfortable symptoms like sweaty palms, "jelly" legs, extreme alertness, "impending doom" feeling and the fight-or-flight response.
I’ve been there. I’m an ex-victim. Sometimes the deep breathing or distraction techniques doesn’t work – a full-blown panic or anxiety attack happens later.
Sometimes you experience panic attack out of the blue and such.

Do NOT buy Panic Away, Linden Method, EasyCalm or the Panic Puzzle. They do NOT work – I’ve tried them and their solutions are similar – it DOESN’T WORK.
Medications do NOT work – I was under many antidepressants (Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil and Zoloft) and anti-anxiety medications (Ativan, Klonopin, and Xanax) but my condition was the same – no improvement at all.

The only program that really work is The Panic Attack Solution. It’s found by an ex-victim. You can check out his old blog in his official website to read up some useful tips.
But the package is the best – it teaches 17 powerful techniques and the real solution to panic attacks. I’ve bought it and it really helped me – it’s the BEST anti-anxiety package or book I’ve read.
His theory really makes sense and it works effectively!

You will learn why your panic attacks can happen without warning sometimes; why having stimulant causes panic attacks; and many-many other useful tips!

Check out his official website:
http://www.ThePanicAttackSolution.com

My friend has recently told me she has Panic Disorder. I’m not really familiar with it so I’ve decided to do some research on it to try and understand what she is going through. If you could tell me your experience with panic disorder, for example when you first got it, what happens to you during a panic attack (symptoms), what effect it had/has on your life, what help you have received/are receiving, anything like that would be great. I’d also like to know if you felt like you were weird and not normal because that’s how my friend feels. She says nobody understands her. Anything at all that you can tell me would be so helpful and I would really appreciate it.

Yes, I had panic disorder for many years. The first episode happened while hungover, dehydrated and with too much coffee one morning. I was on a very long bridge and all of a sudden I felt real nervous and it led to feeling like I was having a stroke or a heart attack. I was a healthy 33 year old. I pulled over to the side and hit the call box, and it got worse and worse. The paramedics finally came and they took me to the hospital and gave me a tranquilizer. From then on, I could not cross that bridge. Then it started happening in other places. I began avoiding more and more places, mostly associated with driving. Some times it happened at home. I began to carry small bottles of whiskey with me everywhere because a couple shots of whiskey makes it go away instantly. Just knowing I had them made me not have panic attacks, but I still felt nervous and anxious all the time. You feel like you can’t breathe, your heart races, your palms sweat, and then you begin to hyperventilate. Sometimes you feel like you will go crazy. I was always afraid I would hyperventilate while driving and pass out. I sometimes had a shot or a quick beer before I went over a long bridge, or a section of freeway that did not have exits for a long while. Then I discovered that meditating for about 20 minutes achieved the same result of calmness (although not as fun as drinking). I did not feel like I was weird because I knew it was a common condition. There are only two ways to get rid of it. Always carry zanax or some other tranquilizer with you, or shots of booze. (They work quicker than pills). The other way is to meditate twice daily. Finally, I found a class that I took of cognitive therapy, which taught you how to relax and how to control your thoughts so you won’t end up in an attack. They are truly frightening. The class helps you to not be afraid of the next one. Once you lose your fear of them, and know they won’t kill you, you learn to try to bring them on actively, and then try the new thought patterns and relaxation techniques to make it go away. Many people have at least one or two panic attacks in their life. The disorder occurs when you start to fear them coming on all the time. Answer: Tell her to find a good class of cognitive therapy. Drinking or pills only cover the problem temporarily, and if you get drunk, the hangover combo of lack of B vitamins and dehydration will help bring on more of them. Also avoid caffeine. Hope this helps.

I am a disabled person that when I go out in public around a lot of people it can throw me into a panic attack, but when I have my little (21/2 lbs) I don’t suffer near as bad .

If you use it in public for a specific function it is not considered a therapy dog — You are interested in a service dogs qualifications. If you want your pup to travel with you in public as a service dog you will need proof of your disability. CGC is a good place to start. I certify Service and Therapy dogs in Texas. I think you can email me through this site. If you have more questions.

http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/diagnosisofpanicdisorder/f/panicdiagnosis.htm

Many medical conditions can cause panic attacks. Stress can cause it dehydration and many more things. Good Luck!!

This is been going on for months now, depresion, anger, fear, i also had a big episode of panic attac in november last year, drepression pretty much thru winter, been dignosed with ADHD but i am not so sure about it, i really tought i was loosing mi mind, including some visual allucinations,lost of reality, the thing is that drs an even my husband dont really believe me been given antidepresants but i am not sure about them, i even tought i had squizofrenia as my father suffers from it but i got told it was just my imagination, i have a cousin that is studing neurology and he mention borderline personality, and after reading got most symptoms,got most for bipolar aswell iwant to be ok,not sure what i have but this is not normal,but they think i am hipocondriac and even baned me drom internet, but i really need a solution, i can carry on angry, depresed, sad with mood swings is not fair specially for my children. So am i going crayze or is there something to it? Any suggestions

I’d get a second opinion even if you have Hypochondria that needs to be medically assessed and dealt with. in a professional manner.