How are you calming from anxiety attacks?

[Bloomingdaydreamer]

For those who go through and have experienced major anxiety attacks, what is it that you do to calm that speedy heart that feels like it's going to explode?

Let's not limit this thread to just anxiety attacks. I think panic attacks and hyperventilation run the same race and personally I have experienced one after the other for one seems to trigger the other in some cases.

I know this isn't a rare thing. So many people suffer with this. So how the heck do we beat this? What do you guys do to fight against this? Pills? Prayer? Natural herbs?

And for you personally, what is the trigger that stirs up these attacks?

 

[38miles]

I've been struggling with this for a while, specifically because I cannot shut my mind off. I over-analyze, over-obsess, and find myself consumed by something to the point where it controls my emotions, behaviors, and eventually my body. I had two very bad panic attacks four years ago where I literally convinced myself I was about to die. I've really found myself caught in my thoughts since then.

I haven't taken pills because I don't want to be medicated and I'm waiting on God to give me direction with all this. Even now, I've just gotten out of bed for the second time tonight because, while I initially lay down tired, I suddenly find myself buried in obsessive thoughts about different issues I am facing in life. I get so worked up and 20 minutes go by and I'm like, "Ahhhh...what am I going on about?" I'm praying, but still waiting on relief.

 

[T_Laurich]

To what severity of anxiety attacks do I have???
-I get anxiety attacks that become so severe I personally think I am having heart attacks... Wore a pocket size ekg machine for a week to make sure I wasn't having heart attacks...

What causes my anxiety attacks???
-The feeling/thought that I am truly alone in this universe... That I am the only thing that exists...

How I calm them and or subdue them...
-Matthew 11:28-30 stopped one attack dead cold... I will never forget that night...

To be honest the only thing that works is God intervening... I know that makes me sound like a mental case that relies on God to keep me as sane as possible... But its the 100% truth...

I tried pills in the past for other things, and they only made stuff like my depression worse... So I refuse to try it for anxiety...

I also tried herbs... No use....



Might want to note: my anxiety is borderline schizophrenia

 

[Karraster]

[h=3]good verses T_L

Matthew 11:28-30[/h]King James Version (KJV)

[SUP]28 [/SUP]Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
[SUP]29 [/SUP]Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
[SUP]30 [/SUP]For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Mine are few and far between, and mild. I have noticed that caffeine and maybe sugar contribute. I just take deep slow breaths, think on pleasant things..

 

[just_monicat]

two things work fairly well for me:

1. deep belly breathing
2. prayer

i have had in the past mild-moderate anxiety, some associated with PTS.

i have also done EFT (tapping) and that has helped some, though i'm not all that faithful in using it. friends who do actually are quite emphatic in its efficacy. you can actually watch youtube videos educating about EFT tapping or read about it, but you need the video to lean the precise points. it's one of those things i don't really understand why it works, but it does seem to be helpful. check it out.

oh, and reading the bible has helped me to stop worrying altogether.

 

[rachelalix]

I am suffering from anxiety/panics attacks alot lately . I started nearly 4 years ago with mine after i had my first child then when i fell pregnant again they stopped but came back again about 5months ago i recently went back to my hometown to visit my dad nanan etc and i felt the best i have in a long time but since ive returned home theyve got worse ive heard drinkin to much caffeine doesn't help. Try drinkin warm lemon water its supposed to help relax u. I also feel alone my husband doesn't really understand that i cant control what's happening i really hope u start feelin itself again soon as i know what ur going through is horrible im always here if you want a chat. God bless and keep prayin

 

[Bloomingdaydreamer]

Thank you all for sharing.

I can usually handle the mild anxiety. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about things.

In December, Christmas week, I had it so bad my behavior scared me so bad. It went from anxiety to hyperventilation then back to anxiety attack. It always feels like I’m about to have a heart attack .

My hands and arms tingly, like numbing, and I can't explain it but my mind goes insane like it can’t think right, rationalize. On that horrible day it went on for three hours. The emotionally pain was so bad and for the first time my fists rammed themselves into my forehead. I remember the pain was so much and I just wanted it to stop. It just makes me so angry sometimes because I thought God wouldn’t give us something we can't handle and yet that day I was turning on myself. It felt like I was self-destructing.

During an anxiety attack, I've never lashed at myself before. When the next day came, I had a nice sized bruise on my forehead. My behavior scared me senseless and here I am wondering if I'll even have an attack like that again. It's like I lose control and I'm afraid if these violent attacks happen again I'll do something stupid.

Anyone here know what I'm talking about? Is this normal?
Any advice?

 

[NodMyHeadLikeYeah]

Thank you all for sharing.

I can usually handle the mild anxiety. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about things.

In December, Christmas week, I had it so bad my behavior scared me so bad. It went from anxiety to hyperventilation then back to anxiety attack. It always feels like I’m about to have a heart attack .

My hands and arms tingly, like numbing, and I can't explain it but my mind goes insane like it can’t think right, rationalize. On that horrible day it went on for three hours. The emotionally pain was so bad and for the first time my fists rammed themselves into my forehead. I remember the pain was so much and I just wanted it to stop. It just makes me so angry sometimes because I thought God wouldn’t give us something we can't handle and yet that day I was turning on myself. It felt like I was self-destructing.

During an anxiety attack, I've never lashed at myself before. When the next day came, I had a nice sized bruise on my forehead. My behavior scared me senseless and here I am wondering if I'll even have an attack like that again. It's like I lose control and I'm afraid if these violent attacks happen again I'll do something stupid.

Anyone here know what I'm talking about? Is this normal?
Any advice?

The tingly feeling in your arms and legs is normal for panic and anxiety. That happens to me quite frequently. It's a pretty weird feeling isn't it. The numbness is as well. During an anxiety attack i've felt numb, I've pinched myself before to see if i could feel anything.....and i couldn't.

3 hours is not really that long. I've had them and i know others who have had them for up to 6 hours.

Usually when I'm having one my mind will feel the same way. Out of control, like i can't grasp onto anything real. I can't focus on anything or think clearly.
As to hurting yourself. I wouldn't say what you did was violent. Occasionally I'll get this really......bad loudness in my head and I've grabbed my head and covered my ears to try and make it stop.
Sometimes the feelings can be so intense it's overwhelming and there is an urge to try and feel something...anything other than what you're actually feeling in the moment.

It's critical to remember that the feelings will go away. Write it down if you have to. Then when you're having one look at it. Write down what you want yourself to remember during one.

I know you wrote this a couple.months ago, but i noticed nobody responded to these questions. Anyway hope this helps.

 

[Angela53510]

I do not get anxiety "attacks" but I do experience anxiety when things build up, and I am overwhelmed with life and commitments.

Meditating on God's Word is the answer that has helped me. Now that just mean when I am anxious, it means all the time. Here are some verses I use:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." John 14:27a

“Peace, be still!” Mark 4:39 (I just imagine the storm raging in my heart, and Jesus calming it.)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding,
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Prov. 3:5-6

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

[video=youtube;BgaHaioAjyg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgaHaioAjyg[/video]

And of course, Matt 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [SUP]29 [/SUP]Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, andyou will find rest for your souls. [SUP]30 [/SUP]For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I also listen to the Psalms in music and other Christian songs to calm my heart!

I find that over the years, God is keeping me calmer all the time, and I am not so likely to become depressed because of anxiety.

 

[Bloomingdaydreamer]

Thank you for responding. Thankfully since I wrote that I haven't had anything that out of control. I plan to keep it that way.

 

[John_agape]

I think each of us who suffer panic attacks should assess what type of person we are and adjust our lifestyle to suit our personality and not try to conform to something we might not be suitable for. After all, panic attacks are a warning that all is not right, like a siren sounding an alarm.

I can work well if I have my own space where I can work without unnecessary distractions. When the company I worked for (last employer) moved to a new office complex with an open-plan-office environment I found my efficiency went down. I struggled and spent most of my workday trying to focus instead of actually being focused on my work.

Since everyone else in the company was doing OK, I tried to get a grip of myself. Well it didn't work and I started having anxiety and panic attacks. I still tried to push myself. I had medicine, but that only stopped the symptoms, so the anxiety problems kept developing hidden by the medication. Then I finally had a terrifying nervous breakdown.

Some years later a team of "medical professionals" managed to recreate those feelings again in me and I relived my nervous breakdown again. That was very damaging.

I also became oversensitive to sound and my adrenal system is still super sensitive. I can very easily get into the flight or freeze mode. Thankfully I don't get into the fight or flight mode.

Our solution, I say "our" because my wife lives with my problem, has been to get me to an environment where I can function. My wife is still in town helping vulnerable single mothers, while I live on a plot outside town. I support my wife with her ministry, but cannot be active there on a daily basis.

I can't work in a conventional workplace, and anyway I am too old to be employed, so I work from home. I have a small Internet business. I can work when I am able to, and rest when I am not feeling up to it.

We have a river border to our plot and there is a loop in this river, a place I call Eden. When I am feeling anxiety or need a rest, I go there and surrounded by my goats, pony and dogs I reflect on God and pray.

I don't have panic attacks here, but I know I would if I was living in town and had a conventional job.

This is my solution. Staying in town would mean that I would have to medicate away my symptoms, but would still not feel good.

 

[ladybugg]

Yes i know about the pain of this condition. I am a teacher so have a very stressful job. I have just got re married after 16 years of div and its not working very stressful at my age. I have panic attacks every day and all the muscles in my chest constrict and i cant breathe. I now take a herbal product called stress away which relieves the symptoms within 20 minutes so i can carry on with my life. Life is crazy i am not sure if one has the time to sort it out any more. Take care

 

[John_agape]

I have a cure for a racing heart that is available in Europe and North America. I had a problem with my pulse rate, and the effective solution was hawthorn berries. Every year I eat the fresh berries during autumn/fall and make hawthorn jam for the rest of the year.

Another herb that helps me is stinging nettle seeds. I pick them when the seed-head is full and dry them in a basin. Dried they store nicely for at least a year. I find that after the first frost something disappears from the seeds and they lose some of their efficacy. Good antidepressant effect.

These work for me with my metabolism.

 

[rainin]

My panic attacks stopped immediately after I removed myself from the situation that was causing them. I know that isn't always possible. I don't think we are designed to endure the amount of stress that is put on us these days and eventually something has to give. It has been 3 months since my last attack and I thank God for that.

 

[Shava]

Tell yourself that it will stop soon, and remember that in the past you always got through it, yes you are exactly right about the feeling of being the only one around, completely alone and no one can hear me is a common side effect from anxiety. Feeling like you're going to die is another common side effect. Paxil is the best medication on the market for panic attacks. Stay away from herbs unless your Dr. gives you the ok to use them. You're not alone as I to have suffered from them also, and many people do also. The chemicals in your body get a little out of whack and causes these frustrating feelings to occur. Serotonin, and other neurotransmitter can cause rapid heart rate and an overwhelming feeling of impending doom. But most of all it isn't caused by evil spirits or because you're not being good as some actually believe, it's just your body reacting to stress. Less caffeine and less sugar is a start to helping the problem. Again, anxiety is what causes depression, so be sure and get help because there are many wonderful drugs on the market and this is something God would approve of if in need.

 

[ServantStrike]

Excercise!


It helps. Though I've never been a major panic attack person, I am usually completely at ease if I have gotten some decent excercise within the last 24 hours.

 

[savedandIknowit]

Ive been through this, it was because of the crashing down of my life after i entered into gross sin, I knew it was because of sin i was getting hyperventilation, deep anxiety, depression, I ve been in 5 mental hospitals, but nothing beats confessing sin to the Lord in prayer, sometimes you might have re-occuring thoughts that wont go away, In the Lords wisdom God showed me that I needed to face and follow that memory for sin in either thought ,word or deed, it will not go away until you search that memory out. God will show it to you, sometimes its a lot of mind work depending what you have gone through, those attacks will get lessor because Satan wont have the hold over your life once it is confessed. He will try but you need to live in the memory that it is confessed once you have confessed it because its under the Blood of Jesus. no pill can fix something spiritual. Its a true spiritual journey. youl be blessed to see how far you come, Also try to make any known wrongs right with man as God puts it on your heart, whatever re-occuring thoughts, sins committed, deal with the Lord as He leads you, you need to get into his Word daily, feed off the scriptures dear to you to help you with your thinking as you confess sin replace those thoughts with the Word, dont let your heart go idle and untaught, something good needs to fill its place, The Word should be first choice and renewed relationship with The Lord, listen to good christian wholesome music also helps, and to top it all off, get some sun.
Blessings
Julia

 

[savedandIknowit]

.Scripture to back my words
1 John 1:9King James Version (KJV)1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
King James Bible Psalms 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

King James Bible Phippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Blessings
Julia

 

[hazelli]

Hi, lately my panic attacks became rather frequent. I used to have it once in a very long time when I first joined the publishing industry. It went away after l got better at my job. But 2 yrs ago, I got stressed at a new writing job and would feel unusually panicky during a facial therapy if my eyes are covered and worse if a gauze is placed tightly over my face before a face mask is applied over. I thought it is because of my sinusitis problem. I never had this problem before. I also get panicky in enclosed, dark and warm spaces like on the plane, undergroung or in a spa without windows. I usually try to stay calm, stay (temperature) cool in order to recovrr calmness. Then recently I realised that perhaps I may be starting to menopause with hot flushes and irritation with warm weather and higher body temperature... I have started taking cold showers and felt less warm. But I am concerned with why my claustrophobia seems to have gotten worse recently.

 

[BeanieD]

The tinglin and numbness is when our muscles get so tight they cause pressure on nerves. When my mind gets to running off in weird directions, I have to stop and pray, and remember that God is as close as a breath.