When I had my first panic attack in 2010, I was positive it was a heart attack. I was at the park with my young daughter watching her eat snacks on our big blanket. Then suddenly, there was an elephant on my chest. I was gasping for breath, sweating, yet feeling cold at the same time, my mind was racing and I had no idea what to do.
The park was about two blocks from my house. I gathered up my daughter and we raced home. By then it was probably 10 minutes since the attack started. I sat down to get relief, paced around the house to get relief, took long deaths to get relief, but I knew that this was a heart attack. I called my doctor and made an appointment to come in right away.
My PCP ran a bunch of tests an told me to call for an ambulance if things didn’t calm down. From the time I hd arrived at her office, it ad been about two hours since the attack had started. I was already catching my breath in her office and felt “normal” by the time I left.
The next morning I went back to see her and she told me the good news–my heart was fine, but my brain may not be. She asked me if I’d ever had a panic attack. I told her no and stayed wither while she made an appointment for me with a psychiatrist. What I sadly didn’t realize was that this first panic attack would set off a storm of daily panic attacks, some lasting beyond eight hours, some came in my sleep, some were paralyzing.
It would take years to get the panic attacks to ebb, many doctors giving me all different medications, and even several rounds of ECT. Eventually, they responded to the ECT and my panic attacks are now mostly nocturnal ones, which are still yucky. You may be wondering what I do when an attack comes on. Below are some tips to help get you through a panic attack.
To handle a panic attack, start by taking slow, deep breaths to calm your mind and body. Focus on a single object or thought to ground yourself in the present moment. Remind yourself that the sensations are temporary and will pass. Practice progressive muscle relaxation by tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. If possible, find a quiet, safe space to sit or lie down until the attack subsides. Engage in a distracting activity, like counting objects or speaking with a friend, to redirect your focus away from the panic. I find that having a glass of water to drink distracts me and walking around slowly helps me to get control of my breath.
Comment below on how you get over a panic attack.
