My cure to panic attacks

I'll start from the beginning!

I got up to go into bed one night and the next minute I had fainted. I came to a few minutes later. My body felt really heavy, I got up to go to the window and my vision was blurry. All of a sudden I couldnt breathe, my boyfriend was trying to hold me and calm me down. I ran out of the room into my housemate's room and I was screaming that I was dying. The only way I can describe it was my heart was beating so fast I thought it was about to pop. I could hear it beating so loudly in my ears. I had to try so hard to keep my focus and not pass out. I was so scared. I really thought I was going to die. I felt like I was taking a heart attack. I had hyperventilated so much. I was sat on the bed with my friend holding one hand and my boyfriend holding the other, they couldnt let go of my hands or I'd start panicking. Even if they asked if I wanted some water I'd go into a panic. My movements were very slow and I couldnt speak properly. This went on for a few hours until I began to calm down.

It was so out of the blue. And after that, they happened alot. The initial feeling of panic rushing through your body is the worst. Once you become aware of your heartbeat you automatically start to panic. I had to come home a few times from work and I felt being social and doing simple things like being on the train or walking in the street were causing me to panic. I had an extreme fear of taking another panic attack and I still do...

What I can say is, the advice which you will probably have heard already really did help me. This only happened a couple of months ago, and even now I can still feel the panic rush over my body, I cant even drink coffee or Red Bull because I am so aware of my heartbeat and my breathing.

The golden rule is CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE!

As soon as you can feel that first wave of panic rush over your body, give yourself a reality check. Tell yourself, \"dont be so ridiculous! You are in control and you are worsening the panic on your own\" \"this is not a fatal condition, this is all in your mind\" \"do not let yourself rise to the panic\"

Do not make a big deal out of the fact that you are panicking. Instead of thinking \"Oh no - I can feel the symptoms coming on\" and making yourself worse - shake your head and tell yourself to stop being so silly!

Keep yourself busy. Just do not let yourself slip into the symptoms that come along with panic attacks.

The second step is to sit straight and relax your muscles. Keep your mouth closed at all times! Breathe through your nose, inhale for 3 and exhale for 6. Keep repeating and you will automatically feel calmer. This will stop you hyperventilating.

It may not cure you but the best thing to do is not to act the part - do not let yourself get caught up in the panic.

As I said - even now I still feel the rush of panic come over me. I'm still very aware of my heartbeat and my breathing. But the best thing to do is to keep breathing through your nose and the panic will vanish from your mind. I havent taken another panic attack since I started doing these things and I hopefully wont take one again.

I am also now taking fluoxetine to help treat the depression and obsessive compulsive disorder aswell.

I really hope that my advice will at least help one person out there!

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