Causes Of Panic Attack and Other Anxiety Disorders

I am still a kid, fourteen turning fifteen, and after I recovered from my panic disorder I had another problem. While I was having my panic disorder, I also had GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and the GAD hasn’t gone away.

For those who don’t know, GAD is an anxiety disorder that makes you pretty much afraid of everything. It’s not that bad though, because my parents trust me heaps, since I won’t get myself into a remotely not-actually-but-possibly situation.

The problem is that the physical symptoms are killing me. The headaches, the muscle pains, small amounts of trembling, restless sleep (I go to bed 1AM. I can’t sleep before then), nausea, a choking sensation that occasionally pops up for no apparent reason, and all these things are starting to get to me.

My mum doesn’t even believe that there’s a problem, because apparently this is normal. Which I don’t really care about, except for the fact that she won’t get me medication to help with the symptoms, or psychological treatment.

I can’t wait for years to pass before I move out and earn my own money to get help. I’ve had this thing for 1 and 1/4 years, and its really starting to get to me. Please help me find a solution that requires no money.
And my dad wants to help, but he simply won’t go up against my mum. As for my mum, there’s no possibility anyone can bring her to reason. I was shaking, barely breathing in my room, a 13 year old kid, her daughter, and she left me and told me to just relax.

So a year later and she’s still making things worse, but I just want the symptoms to go away. The disorder itself isn’t too bad, and its not worth the pain of fixing. It’s just the pain, the headaches, and the occasional trembling that I need to control.

First off, I’m sorry your mom won’t help you get help. There are a couple of ways you can go by this.

First, talk with your counselor at school. By speaking with her "honestly" she maybe able to help and even speak with your mom

Secondly, try to see if you have a local mental health department in your area. I’m not sure they’ll treat you since your a adolescent, but it’s worth trying.

Third and last, if you have a dad speak with him. He may be able to convince your mother.

Best of luck and keep going striving and never give up.

Hello, i suffer form panic attacks which im getting help from the doctor. I get dizzy and numb and my heart feels like its going to explode, i often sweet alot etc. All the symptoms of a panic Attack but last night i woke up with a rushed heart beat and this time i felt like i couldn’t take breaths, it was like my heart was in my throat and it was making me hold my breath, it seemed to take ages to finally gasp 1 breath and that kind of thing happened for about 2 hours. im very afraid it will happen tonight again and this time i will stop breathing completely! Its like i forget to breath but if i try i cant get any air in. What can i do and is this normal for panic attacks?
i know ya’ll say to just breath slowly in and out but how do you do that if you actually feel like you cant inhale air at all?

A full-blown panic attack includes a combination of the following signs and symptoms:

Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
Heart palpitations or a racing heart
Chest pain or discomfort
Trembling or shaking
Choking feeling
Feeling unreal or detached from your surroundings
Nausea or upset stomach
Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or faint
Numbness or tingling sensations
Hot or cold flashes
Fear of dying, losing control, or going crazy
Sweating

Self-help tips for panic attacks and panic disorder:

When it comes to panic attacks, professional treatment and therapy can make a big difference. But there are many things you can do to help yourself, too:

Learn about panic. Simply knowing more about panic can go a long way towards relieving your distress. So read up on anxiety, panic disorder, and the fight-or-flight response experienced during a panic attack. You’ll learn that the sensations and feelings you have when you panic are normal and that you aren’t going crazy.

Avoid smoking and caffeine. Smoking and caffeine can provoke panic attacks in people who are susceptible. As a result, it’s wise to avoid cigarettes, coffee, and other caffeinated beverages. Also be careful with medications that contain stimulants, such as diet pills and non-drowsy cold medications.

Learn how to control your breathing. Hyperventilation brings on many sensations (such as lightheadedness and tightness of the chest) that occur during a panic attack. Deep breathing, on the other hand, can relieve the symptoms of panic. By learning to control your breathing, you develop a coping skill that you can use to calm yourself down when you begin to feel anxious. If you know how to control your breathing, you are also less likely to create the very sensations that you are afraid of.

Practice relaxation techniques. When practiced regularly, activities such as yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation strengthen the body’s relaxation response – the opposite of the stress response involved in anxiety and panic. And not only do these relaxation practices promote relaxation, but they also increase feelings of joy and equanimity. So make time for them in your daily routine.

This has been going on for about two months. Two months ago I dropped into a depression, but was brought out soon after it started. But what I didn’t notice before, was that some nights…I had anxiety attacks. I couldn’t go to sleep until about an hour until I got into bed. I tried music, warm milk, humming myself to sleep, nothing worked because everything around me made me panic, and anxiety surrounded me.
Now I have noticed them, and I have also had anxiety attacks during the day. A friend sent me a website that showed the symptoms of a panic disorder. I have 11/13 of the symptoms. I really can’t deal with this now, I have no reason for annxiety but this is just ruining my life.
I don’t want to take any medication, I am NOT going to talk to my parents about it, and I don’t like to go see proffesionals about it. So…what should I do?

Maybe you could talk me through it, find out my real problem. Email me at queenazooga@yahoo.com.

-Azooga-
I also have been shaking uncontrolably lately. Right now it is hard for me to type because my arms are shaking. It isn’t normal for me to be like this.
You don’t understand! I can’t let my parents know!
*sigh* I don’t want to talk to my parents about it because they think I am perfect in every way. They have done so much for me and I don’t want to tell them I have a problem because they will take it the wrong way and I can’t handle that right now. I can control my anxiety when they are around me and the only thing that happens then is shallow breathing. It’s really confusing…and this isn’t like me.

I know what you mean and I have ur solution! I am like u, I don’t like to reach for help from anyone coz I think it’s a sign of weakness. The best thing to do is to try to clear your mind as much as possible, get rid of any thing that’s holding u down. If Any thing is bothering u or making u anxious, just try to trick ur mind and act that u don’t care about it. Act like who you wish to be and by time you will be that person, it’s all about mind tricking!!

wish you luck

I have always been very self conscious about my appearance as I stand out in a crowd. I have a great level insecurity due to the stares I sometimes get of people, and also because some of the names people have called me in the past which have reinforced how I perceive myself in regards to being ugly and feeling insecure.

My symptoms are panic attacks when I am out in public, this usually happens when I am close to any person because I am convinced that they think I look hideous and due to this I don’t go out anymore

Please no answers telling me ugly doesn’t exist etc, I already know this
The question is basically is it BDD or am I just very insecure about my appearance

you should speak to a qualified professional, such as a doctor, who will give you a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Im from Brasil and i moved to USa a 6 months ago…
A 3 months ago i started feeling very weird in some situation i feel like im going to pass out and its very hard breath too…. That happens when im around a lot of ppl … never at home alone with my husband..
One night we went in a restaurand and when we just got there i started to feel so bad i couldnt even hold my coke glass…. i hold my husbands hand and beg for us to leave…. im starting to think this is panic disorder symptoms… but i never felt like that before, im 26 yo ….maybe moving to another country could help this?
and no, i dont use drugs…..

It sounds like you may be having anxiety attacks. I suffer from them too. You should go and see your doctor and tell them what is happening. They will run some tests to rule out other things first, but more than likely they will tell you that it is anxiety.

I live in country Victoria, Healesville to be precise. Thats in Australia. I was just wondering if there was any EFT Practioners around my area or farther out, that could help me get rid of anxiety and other Panic Disorder symptoms ??? I am currently on medication, Abilify, I am having counselling, this too is also working for me. Anyone heard of EFT Practioners around ???

Learn and practise one of the following anti-panic breathing techniques: Breathe in to the count of 4, hold to the count of 4, and exhale to the count of 4. Repeat this 3 or 4 times. See an alternative method at http://deeplyrelax.com/ Some people breathe into a paper bag for 10 minutes, if breathing into an open bag, from close up, but without sealing it. This technique counters hyperventilation, by increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the lungs. I recommend that they also be familiar with one of the other techniques, as that method is sometimes unsuitable, as with driving, for example, or in the rain, or in meetings: you can also use the other methods without anyone even knowing. There is a variation on the first method, using 8, 4, 8, instead of 4, 4, 4. Another method is at http://www.deepsloweasy.com/html/intro.htm Some people recommend nettle tea, with a little honey, but no milk. Others recommend Lavender tea, also, no milk, Lemon Balm, or Valerian (caution: its use may become habitual). Know how these affect you before driving, or doing anything dangerous, and it is far better to use the treatments, rather than relying on herbal remedies. I now advise everyone to take a high quality Omega 3 fish oil supplement daily. Because I am unable to source the Carlsons brand recommended, as yet, in Australia, I take 2 "Herbs of Gold" supplements daily, and a teaspoon of cod liver oil. See: http://www.mercola.com/ there is a daily email which is highly informative on a wide range of topics: he also provides the Emotional Freedom Technique free:- it is at least worth trying for panic attacks, since there are versions for using in public. There is a free online PANIC COURSE at http://www.panic-attacks.co.uk/ and it is also available by email. Another is at http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/ (they are associated companies, so I would expect both to be similar in content). Well worth a look, too, is the section on panic attacks at http://www.mind.org.uk/ which they also have in booklet form. Unlike some other websites, they also recommend letting a panic attack run its course, without doing anything to treat it, so you KNOW you will survive it. The usual maximum is 30 minutes, until symptoms begin to subside. Also see http://www.anxietypanic.com/signs.html and http://www.onestepatatime.com/ (chatroom, and one free email is allowed to their resident expert on joining [free] – more if a paid up member) and http://www.medicinenet.com/panic_disorder/article.htm and http://www.squidoo.com/controlpanicattack/module2485824 and http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/index.cfm and http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/ and http://panic-attack-over.com/ and http://www.anxietynetwork.com/ and http://www.supportpath.com/ has a scheduled weekly chatsite on a wide range of topics. The "fight or flight" adrenaline based reaction served our distant ancestors very well, far back in our distant past, when it was vital for survival. Like the canine teeth, and the appendix, it is a carryover from those times, which is not really useful in today’s modern society. Although people often think that they may die, when experiencing a panic attack, extremely few ever actually do. Of course, if you had a serious, pre-existing heart condition, you would be at considerably greater risk, but if not, you can feel confident that you will survive it. If you have had them before and survived, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t survive the next one. Once you have effective treatments in place, you may find that your panic attacks become less frequent, or disappear completely. This is not to say that you shouldn’t learn and employ the above anti-panic attack measures, because it isn’t good for you, psychologically, to keep enduring them unnecessarily, on a semi regular basis. If you are an older person, have a coronary condition, or one or more previous heart attacks, it is extremely important that you develop an effective coping technique. See http://www.anxietyremedy.info/understanding-anxiety-attacks.html You may well benefit from practising one of the several relaxation techniques on page 2, daily, and when needed. Read the section on anxiety, on page 6 of this website, because it is sometimes untreated anxiety which leads to full blown panic attacks. Other websites inform me that such attacks can result from excessive attempts to please others. It is a good idea to learn how to assert your own needs, and put aside a period of "me time" of at least an hour, daily, instead of running around madly, trying to please the others in your life, all of the time. Examine your personal circumstances, to see if this applies to you. If such is your situation, see http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/improve_assertiveness.html and http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/ and at http://www.mind.org.uk/ When the servers at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris come back online, use the locator in section 1: there are some in Melbourne, and Sydney, from memory. Go to: www.naturaltherapypages.com.au ~~~ Under EFT, I entered Victoria in the searchbar, getting multiple results. Note: although you can try EFT yourself, even Dr. Mercola recommends using expertly trained practicioners, as being more effective. Phone sessions are available, with some. Also try http://www.findatherapist.com.au/

Hi. I’m only twelve and I was recently diagnosed with Mood D/O NOS meaning mood disorder not otherwise specified. It basically means they don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me but they recognize something is wrong. The symptoms have been going on since around the time I was nine. The psychiatrist says its too early to diagnose me with bipolar disorder. I am on 600 mg a day of trileptal which is used to stabilize my moods though it is a medicine for seizures. I am also on 300 mg of seraquel which is an anti-psychotic. (The reason I am so informed of all of this is because I am looking into becoming an adolescent psychologist.) I have a family history of bi-polars and schizophrenics. I have researched bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and panic disorder. the symptoms of bipolar disorder match up exactly while I have symptoms of the other two disorders. So my question is, is there a possibility I could be later diagnosed with bipolar disorder? Again I’m a twelve year old girl and I have had these symptoms for three straight years. I know you probably think that since I’m twelve I am ignorant and don’t know what I’m talking about but I do and I would like the answers I get to be Intelligent and not putting me down because I am young. I have been diagnosed, I am on medicine, I am seeing a counselor, and I am probably a lot smarter than you all give me credit for. Thanks
whats your point?

The NOS specifier is not necessarily because they don’t know what exactly is wrong. The way diagnosis works is that you need to meet a minimum amount of criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). The NOS can be used if there is clear signs of a disorder (affects your social, personal, vocational functioning) but the full number of criteria are not met. So for example, you could have 5 of 9 criteria, but 6 of 9 are needed for the diagnosis.

So to answer your question: Yes there is a pretty good chance that you could someday get a diagnosis of one of the mood disorders. It is good that you are being monitored by a doctor, and hopefully you will get good treatment.

i was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder nearly 7 years ago, and had classic symptoms- a very typical case. Yet recently i have been having other symptoms that haven’t had before- i keep believing that everyone is looking at me and talking about me negatively, and if i overhear something from someone in public or with friends i often think it is a reference to me. Most of the things i think they think or say are bad. i struggle with low self-esteem. What’s wrong with me? am afraid to talk to my CPN or Psych in case they put me back on anti-psychotics again- i was on them before for being agitated, hearing my thoughts spoken aloud (again my own bad thoughts about myself) and self-harming. Although i always had BPD, i did have a very bad depressive breakdown 3 years ago- i couldn’t work or interact normally for 6 months and i had feeling that peopel could read my thoughts. i also suffer OCD and anxiety/panic.

I understand your situation….I was diagnosed with BPD about a year ago, and have the ‘classic’ symtoms as you said. The thing though is, BPD tends to come in ‘ a package deal’ as they say meaning when you have BPD you usually have other mental disorders as well. You have almost the exacts same ‘extra’ symptoms as I do. The self injury is part of BPD, . The other part where you overhear something, is a paranoid disorder. I have this problem also. Hearing your thoughts out loud could be either part of the BPD, or as I have schizotypal personality disorder. Its sort of like a schizophrenic disorder but mild. I also have OCD and anxiety/panic disorder. Its very commom. I’d suggest that you suffer the same disorders as I do ;BPD, OCD, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, anxiety/panic, paranoia and depression. You should get that checked out with a professional. It sounds like you are developing another personality disorder as I did. REmember these things are very common with those who have BPD, recent research suggests that these ‘other’ disorders may not be another disorder rather a part of BPD that wasn’t discovered. Perhaps a progressive disorder. Talk to a professional.

If you were to encounter someone, with psychological symptoms of:
Severe Anxiety (about school/revision/exams; to the point of tears at the idea of failure.)
Mood Swings (up/down yo-yo i.e. happy/jolly one instant, and in tears the next)
Emotional crashes (to point of self-harm, suicidal thoughts)
Hallucinations (primarily auditry of scratching i.e. mice scratching at the carpet at night)
Panic (realisation of exams etc. cause emotional upset)
Anxiety (belief if not working at any time, one will fail/become a failure)

- would you believe they had a mental disorder?
I’m not sure if it would be an anxiety disorder of some sort, or something else. Or even nothing at all?

Thanks.
XxXxX

It depends are your moods swings something you cannot control or do you find you go into a low mood because of the anxiety or feeling bad about yourself or worrying too much?

I would get yourself to the doctor just to be sure, they are the only ones who can get you the help you need/if you do need help! Good luck

i was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder 2 years ago, my psychiatrist also accepted that i have ptsd traits to.

at the moment im worrying alot do i have other disorders co existing with the borderline personality disorder ? like bi polar , ADD , OCD , GAD ?? AND THEY HAVENT BEEN DIAGNOSED ?

i lived as a reclusive for many years, developed agoraphobia , and only go out to pay bills do shopping etc – i have bad anxiety and panic attacks when i go out, hyper vigillant , cant venture far from my neighborhood anymore etc. i stay in my apartment most of the time etc.

basically im 31 now, suffered a very hard, tough life, years ago i was diagnose with borderline personality disorder and my psychiatrist accepted i have symptoms of PTSD disorder to.

in the past my symptoms have been :, mind racing, cluttered, scattered thoughts, forgetting what i was thinking minutes before —obsessive worries— repetitive asking questions on yahoo about same life circumstances —– impulsive outbursts of rage in public, difficult controlling aggression and rage ; antisocial anger towards people ; spacing out ( dissociation ) – persecutory paranoia , agoraphobia , intense panic and anxiety feelings when outside , palpitations ; a feeling of feeling abandoned and out of control : always found it difficult to concentrate and absorb information : ( although ive read books and understood them ) : keep having to re read sentences to understand them : mind drifts off whilst reading a page of words.

always had low self esteem, difficulty interacting, forming and maintaining friendships . im very intellectual and are often told im very intelligent, understand things well, talk well , and have a good mind. have a good imagination. can converse very well.

as a kid was quite hyperactive, always running around , but calmed alot into teenage years.

my mind always races every day, racing thoughts, keep forgetting things , my mind feels scattered with thoughts, difficulty trying to organise and structure.
have obsessive worrying thoughts about physical, mental health.

now those are all the symptoms i can think of that ive always experienced.

iam presently working with the mental health services although the therapy i want is not available ( psychotherapy ) because of lack of resources and funding, i have to accept what theyre offering which is an OT worker to go out into society to help me get integrated because ive been reclusive a long time now..

my moods fluctuate from being deeply depressed, despairing, abandoned, lonely, to feeling ok again the next hour , then the next hour to feeling ANGRY, ENRAGED , full of anxiety , mind racing constantly . see thinks in BLACK and WHITE etc. unstable impulsive moods…

this is why i agree i have Borderline PD .

ive been told i probablly dont have aspergers or bi polar or autism or ocd which came as a relief recentley.

but i scored high in an online adhd test recentley, and a GAD test , general anxiety disorder –

as well as my borderline personality disorder diagnosis , im also worrying at the moment do i have other possible disorders with it, for eg – GAD — OCD — bi polar — ADD — im worried i may have these other disorders undiagnosed, even though my psychiatrist said i dont have bi polar or ocd .

inspite of this ive NOT been diagnosed with ADD , aspergers , autism , ocd or bi polar – and my psychiatrist was adamant i dont have those disorders. just borderline .

The behaviors and sympoms are very similar. How ever the main differnce is Bipolar is a mood disorder, and the sympoms arise from the mood epiodes. BPD is a personality disorder…..and the moods arise from their learned way of thinking.

They can be missdiagnosed for eachother if not looked deeply into or by a dr that is bias towards diagnosing one or the other…..but they are distinct from eachother, and can coexist even.

Pretty much as an example…..impulsiveness in both. In bipolar, it is typicly only in the manic episode, where the mood is so high, thoughts are racing, ton of energy, and perceptions are distorted by this so things seem great very quickly, and will for the duration of the manic episode. In borderline it is due to a more black and white thinking, where at one point something will seem like the best thing in the world, until either something happens that causes it to become horrable in their eyes, or until something else takes their interest in the same manner.

And as far as moods, moods in bipolar IS the illness. Moods will change to being depressed or manic no matter what is going on i life. Could have everything going wrong and be manic and feel like everything is great, or could have everything great, and be depressed as can be. Could cry over nothing when depressed, or get angry quickly over something small when manic because that is how the brain is running. In borderline the mood problems are a result of the thought prossess. They have a very black and white thought prossess, so you could go from being their best friend in the world, and do something relatively small that they take as a insult, and suddenly you are the worst person in the world and hate them and so on. Because of this thought prossess, someone with BPD does get angry or upset very easily over little things, because they see things as very black and white, so its everything is great, or everything is horrable and falling apart.

I guess simplest way to put it is bipolar, moods cause the distorted thought prossess and other symptoms and BPD distorted thought prossess causes any mood problems and other symptoms.

If you have the very clear mood problems that are not caused because of of how you percive things, and also have very clear distorted perceptions of things that is not mood dependent, it is quite possible you have both