What Does A Panic Attack Feel Like?
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- čas přidán 19. 12. 2023
- WHAT DOES A PANIC ATTACK FEEL LIKE?
A panic attack is a daunting experience for many. The overwhelming sense of fear, the physiological reactions that mimic life-threatening conditions, and the mental anguish that follows can feel like a real battle for survival. Let's delve into the heart of panic attacks, using both professional insights and personal experience to shed light on this highly impactful and scary experience.
The episode serves as a comprehensive guide for those new to the experience of panic attacks and a source of solidarity for those all too familiar with the struggle.
Anyone who has experienced the racing heart, the breathlessness, and the sheer terror of a panic attack knows that it is as real as it gets. Drew begins by unraveling the layers of a panic attack, explaining how they can strike without warning, turning the body into a perceived enemy and the mind into a prison of fear.
The physical symptoms of panic attacks are just the tip of the iceberg. Heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and sensations of choking are just a few of the manifestations of this complex disorder. These symptoms are accompanied by an intense fear of dying, going insane, or losing control. And despite the absence of real danger, the body's fight or flight response is activated to a debilitating degree, making logical thought nearly impossible.
Episode Links:
The Anxious Truth (my recovery guidebook):
theanxioustruth.com/recoveryg...
Panic Attacks Explained
theanxioustruth.com/panic
Agoraphobia Explained
theanxioustruth.com/agoraphobia
Episode 237 - Most Common Panic Symptoms
• Most Common Anxiety Sy...
Episode 168 - The Panic Attack Hangover
• Podcast Ep 168: WHY DO...
Episode 152 - Agoraphobia
• Podcast EP 152: Agorap...
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It has been just about exactly one year since I found this podcast by accident - I was furiously searching youtube to see if cold feet was an anxiety symptom. I was convinced I had diabetes or some weird form of neuropathy. It could not possibly be that I was working in my basement home office, in bare feet, in December, in Canada🤣. I took the lessons to heart and I am now in a completely different place. I'm not going to say completely recovered, but anxiety calls exactly zero shots in my life now. I go where I want, I go where I am needed. Sometimes I feel like shit while I'm there but that's ok. Thank you so much Drew for providing the path. Your work does a lot of good for a lot of people.
OMG your Canadian basement story made me chuckle. I was SOOOOO in the same place! Chop wood for 6 hours, then assume the pain in my elbow is a blood clot about to kill me. Couldn't possibly be muscle pain or a bit of tendonitis. Nah! Totally a blood clot! I'm so happy you're doing better these days. I know that a bunch of hard work went into your progress so well done!
I still don't know what I went through to this day (started back in late 2017). I felt like I was being possessed. Thank you Drew for posting and sharing your experiences and knowledge. I have your book and it helped greatly. Forever grateful.
One thing you guys taught me over time is that many people experience panic and panic attacks without actually ever knowing what they are. That's super scary! That's one of the reasons I decided to launch this new series.
After 4 or so years of having found you and all your content, I can surely say, I'm not afraid of panic attacks, anxiety depression etc and all of their symptoms. I them now and them. ( like a normal human being ) but now I use them as tools to see what's not aligning positively in my life. I loved the anxious morning episodes. Listened to all of them. I'd love to follow your steps and one day become a ( LMHC ) You're really making a difference in people's lives Drew. Thank you 🙏👍
Love this! I'm so happy that you're in a better place now. I know it took lots of effort to get there so very well done. And if you are heading down that road toward becoming a mental health helper, my hat is off to you. I appreciate that!
my second panic attack I had when my dad got sick. I could not breathe...I thought I was going to pass out, loss of control, out of body experience. I was visiting him in the hospital and had all the doctors run my way when it started...I could slightly say "panic attack" and all but one instantly left...she had me sit down and breathe slowly. Now I get them when something stressful happens that I see no fix and the anxiety will lead to a panic attack. It's so intense...that my chest, heart, breathing are difficult for a few days. On the edge of being triggered. I hate the afterwards....because I feel like I'm going to have another. I had a couple on Sunday and just writing this is difficult.
There is NO arguing about panic attacks. They are scary, they are difficult, and that will rattle us. Do not ever let anyone tell you otherwise. BUT ... they are also not dangerous and we have to be careful about automatically retreating from them because that's where things can get sticky and significantly impact our lives. If you check out the episodes I've done on avoidance that might be helpful. Always remember that it is possible to be afraid and safe at the same time. xx
So grateful for you Drew. Ive been following you for a long time. I didnt realize how much going back to the basic would be so helpful. I really needed this episode to remind me that Im not broken and that there is HOPE!! You are such a blessing to so many! Thank you so much for all you do!
I really appreciate this feedback! Going back to such basic info almost felt like it was a silly move, but there are plenty of new folks that can benefit and even those of us recovered or down the road to recovery can use the foundational stuff now and then. Thank you!
I was diagnosed with GAD in 2011 and my battles with anxiety are much more manageable now than they used to be. I absolutely still have flare-ups (especially when driving.) The point I'd like to make is that in my nearly 15 years since my diagnosis, I've discovered that perhaps literally every type of physical sensation can be attributed to anxiety. I'm not a medical professional, but I've personally dealt with almost everything you could think of in regards to a physical sensation caused by anxiety.
Anxious bodies can and often do all kinds of things we would never expect! Thank you for sharing your experience. I appreciate it.
Thank you for this video Drew!!
You're very welcome. I'm kinda sorry that I haven't produced content like this for newer members of our community. Its been overdue.
Someone recommended your channel to me on an anxiety forum on Reddit and I’ve been sitting here unsure where to start and finally I got a notification for this one, and I was like: screw it, gotta start somewhere.
Agoraphobia and panic attacks are actively ruining my life for about this past year and it’s been hard. Your channel is great and I love that you tell us the specific podcast where something your talking about is elaborated on because it’s a bit overwhelming to come in with so much content readily available already. I have a better idea of where I can start with your videos now so thanks for that, and yes this is so accurate. I might start sending some of these to my mom haha
Thank you for this comment. These recent videos are designed to be exactly this. A fresh starting point for new members of the community who might not know the basics yet. I'm glad this landed for you in that way!
I really enjoy your podcast, coming from someone who started with anxiety and now panic attacks 😫 this helps me understand more
I'm glad you found this helpful in some way. I'm doing my best to get back to basics for a few episodes to help the newer members of the community if I can. xx
Thank you so much for your imformation
You're welcome. :-)
Very useful information.
Sometimes I forget that many are new to this and need foundational, basic info to help them begin to understand what's going on. I'm glad you found this helpful in some way.
I LOVE your vids and recommend them often to others who are learning to face their anxiety disorders. Thank you for your common sense approach. I’m wondering if you’d reconsider the use of all caps and constant captions. Anxious people tend to struggle with reading and all caps in longer sentences are tough to take in. ❤️
The captions thing is such a freakin mess sometimes. Some people love these captions. Others not so much. CZcams seems to think that many people "watch" these videos from inside the scroll (not actually clicking on the video) without sound so the captions are how they know what I'm saying. I can look at different caption styles to experiment. These are also podcast episodes, which means audio only if that helps. You can find the podcast on any podcast platform/app.
@@TheAnxiousTruth
I love your pods. I’m cursed with both anxiety and being a designer. It’s all good. ☺️
Thank you i live with panic attacks and often feel like no one understands 😔
Until you've had one .. you kinda don't understand. That's true! It's one of those really annoying things about being human - never being truly able to experience and understand what another human experiences from a subjective standpoint.
Thanks❤
Is it possible to have a panic attack in the middle of the night when you barely wake up? I can wake up a little from sleep and this attack just comes on suddenly.
Nocturnal panic attacks are an actual thing. I get asked about them all the time, so yes, it is not only possible but more common than you think. If you are afraid to panic (which does make sense because its a really nasty experience), then trying to explain why they happen at any time day or night can get frustrating. Often we start to panic more frequently simply because we are afraid to panic more frequently. Maybe that helps as a way to frame this. xx
That’s literally what just happened to me. So, yes.
I been to the ER so many times have test done and nothing wrong 😢😢😢Once I get there all the symptoms disappear
I just woke up in the middle of the night and had all the symptoms he described in this video. I felt like I needed to call 911 because I didn’t know what was happening to me. And I thought to myself, “This must be what dying feels like.” I instead called my friend who is a caregiver. So I knew she would be able to help me figure out what was happening. She told me, “It sounds like you’re having a Panic Attack.” I’m so glad I found this video. I feel less scared now about what just happened to me.
That's a REALLY scary experience, isn't it? Your friend gets a big fist bump for being so supportive and helping you in that moment. Panic is really terrifying but ultimately not harmful so she really gave you some good advice there.
I just had a panic attack, I’ve been working on my anxiety lately and I’ve been feeling so good lately. But was not expecting this panic attack, it caught me by surprise and it was really scary. I’ve been through so many and they still scare me.
they can only hurt you, if you allow them to hurt you
This is one of those things that makes this so ass-backwards and hard to communicate about sometimes. They can't hurt you when you take the chance on allowing them to hurt you. Paradox, anyone?
I found your book contradictory, the was this episode that is says to do things slower and to think in the present not in the future in terms on anticipatory anxiety, then you say to plan to make a schedule to exposure so you feel the anticipatory anxiety😂😂😂 😅😂😂
Sometimes we work in the present moment. Sometimes we make plans. The context you're in at any given time matters. Making an exposure plan will often trigger anticipatory anxiety. That's practice, just like the exposure will be practice. When practicing, that's when the concept of paying attention in a given moment rather than latching into the catastrophic predictions in one's brain comes into play. Sometimes this stuff can be confusing for sure, especially if an anxious mind is in a frantic search for exact instructions on how to make it stop or go away. I appreciate the feedback!
Is it possible to go,into AFIB from Panic attack?
This is a good question for someone that you know is qualified to answer it, like a cardiologist. I'm not a doctor or a cardiologist, nor do I know your actual medical history, so as much as I would like to help if I could, you would not really be getting solid advice from me on this question.
Is it normal for me to feel like I need to run if I get them ??
Its perfectly normal. The term "fight or FLIGHT" is used all the time because running (the FLIGHT) part is baked into it for pretty much everyone.
Fot people who have higher amount of glutamate in the brain panic attack could be 100 times worse
What about an anxiety attack. I know nothing is wrong with me . I am just loaded with anxiety and feel it in my chest and solar plexus.
I am not a big fan of the "anxiety attack or panic attack" thing. Discomfort or more discomfort. Fear or more fear. I don't really differentiate and don't really have a special approach for "anxiety attacks". Same deal. Trying to avoid it and fix it and make it go away tends to almost guarantee that it sticks around.