Quick: panic attack/hypochondria?!
Question: i worked myself up into a panic attack, due to my hypochondria. it is slowly but surely coming on - usually, to get over a panic attack, i need someone around. can anyone give me a some quick tips of how to work myself down on my own?
Answers: i worked myself up into a panic attack, due to my hypochondria. it is slowly but surely coming on - usually, to get over a panic attack, i need someone around. can anyone give me a some quick tips of how to work myself down on my own?
First and Most Important:
Make Sure you are having a Panic Attack as sometimes Heart Attacks can mask themselves as Panic Attacks. If there is ANY REMOTE chance at all that it is a heart attack - get to the HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. It is much better to be safe and wrong, than to assume it is a panic attack and have it be a heart attack and not get proper treatment. Panic Attacks are never "just" panic attacks. They are indeed serious problems and can cause variences in your blood pressure.
With that being said, the people that answered for you to BREATHE and to MEDITATE are giving you very sound and correct advice. These are both wonderful ways to reduce the stress that has charged the attack to begin with. Hopefully you are in a setting where you are able to do this.
You say that you usually need someone around to assist you. This is something you can most definitely work with. YOU can be that someone. What is it that the other person does/says to you? Take a few minutes while you are feeling non-stressed or non-agitated and write these things down. Put them in a place (or places where you can readily get to them). When you feel an attack coming on, go and get your "cue cards". Role Play. Become your friend. Out loud, ask yourself the questions that your friends would ask you; or say the things that your friends would say to you that help you. If it would help even more, either you or one of the friends that supports you, could perhaps record some of these soothing words for you and you could play them when needed.
Ultimately the long term goal is for you to be able to handle this problem on your own. And you are going to be able to beat it. If you have not already sought professional help, I strongly advise it. There are ways of controlling this ranging from desensitation, behavior therapy, talk therapy, and drug therapy.
The following is a portion of what I copied from the link that I have attached. I wish you luck. If it helps you to know this; there was a time back in 1993 that I was not able to leave my house for anything other than to go to the grocery store or to doctors' visits.
My doctor suggested going to the mall once a week. I nearly crapped in my shoes every time I got to the entrance. The first time I went that was as far as I got. It took about a month of weekly trips for me to get to the first booth at the food court and sit down for long enough to drink a beverage. It took me nearly 9 months to be able to walk around the entire mall. After 1 year I was able to not only walk around the mall, I was able to go into any store that I chose, pick up and look at merchandise, make small talk with the clerks, and pay for my purchases. I am 60 years old now, so this was only 15 years ago. It was hard work, but I was determined to beat it. I am now selling Tupperware and going to strangers' homes and having parties! I am wishing you the very best in luck ~Donna
The first step in dealing with panic attacks is to observe the thoughts that go through your head during times of stress. Panic attacks often begin or escalate when you talk yourself into a more stressful mood by dwelling on things that are very scary and depressing.
An example of this would be convincing yourself that you are about to pass out or focusing on the things that cause attacks in the first place. If you