The Panic Attack

Most professionals will tell you that the human body can only stay in a heightened state of panic for a short amount of time. About 40 minutes max. I feel my body didn't get that memo. Just yesterday, I was having a panic attack for 6 hours. Now maybe the attack was settling down after 40 minutes and then starting up again a minute later. Who knows. I'm no doctor. But I know it FELT like a constant attack for 6 hours.

For those of you who have never had a panic attack, let me try to explain how it feels.

Sometimes it's a slow build of anxiety into panic and then right into a total break down. Sometimes it's just anxiety that settles down. Other times, it just suddenly hits as a full blown, all out, freak out.

But for the most part, the symptoms are the same. Rapid heart beat, numb or tingling in my hands and feet, shaking of the whole body or at least hands and arms, sometimes such hard shaking that it's easily visible to others. Also, I get nauseous. Since I have a phobia of vomiting, this causes more panic. I get tunnel vision, dizzy, weak. The body goes into fight or flight mode. Often, I take flight. I flee whatever situation I am in that is making me uncomfortable. Other times, when I'm home and this happens, I can't fight or flight. So I just suffer. Often for long hours that feel like days.

My last 6 hour long attack actually had me considering calling an ambulance and going to the hospital. My heart was pounding so fast, I thought I was having a heart attack. I hear that many people mistake panic attacks for heart attacks. I was so weak, so shaky. I hadn't eaten all day and could barely stomach even a little water.

Of course, I didn't call. I can't stand Emergency Rooms and the thought of going to one, made me more anxious.

I'm out of my anti-anxiety medication for the next few days. I guess I used too many and my psychiatrist does not want to refill my pills until I see her on Monday. So instead, I get to wake up each morning, already shaking like a leaf, weak and dizzy. Lather, rinse, repeat. For the next couple of days.

Wish me the best. I can't stand this all day everyday!