Is there a term for this?!

Is there a term for this?

Last night, or rather very early this morning, I awoke feeling a bit strange. I'd had a sort of dream (the content I don't really remember) but felt quite calm and relaxed. But, within just a few seconds, that did a complete 180 and my heart was pounding, sweat was running down my face and back and I had to get out of bed and found myself pacing around, trying to breathe properly.
After going into the livingroom (a bigger, less claustrophobic room) and apologising profusely to my girlfriend, who was wondering what the hell was going on, I started to calm down a bit, but it took a good fifteen minutes before I was able to get back in bed. Even then I couldn't sleep properly and had to try my best to keep calm. It felt like I was losing the plot or something. I can remember it all quite vividly,and I know I was awake for the duration of it, but what the he1l do you call that? A panic attack? The after effects of a nightmare? The beginnings of insanity? (;-)).

Anyone; any thoughts?

3 weeks ago
Jonnybeanos: it's been a long while since I've had one of those, but I seem to remember them being a fair bit nicer than what I experienced last night... Your teenage years must've been crap, mate!

You're not going mad at all. Sounds like a night -terror, but half the answer's to find out why it occurred. It really is worth a chat with your GP or even the practice nurse initially, if you can.
The trouble is, that if you leave it too long without being reassured that something can be done to help this, you'll get more anxious about it all, which will only exacerbate the situation. So nip that vicious circle in the bud & in the meantime, try to take some relaxtion excercises before you go to sleep; deep breathing etc. Might sound like like rubbish, but can be helpful.
Good luck to you both.