Panic attack

[Slifon]

Hello guys, I have a friend that has a problem 5 to 6 years now, he gets panic attacks like anxiety with extreme nausea, he was taking medication but it didn't worked for him so he wanted to do something else, I told him to try some maditation and it didn't do anything, I told him to that it takes time but he wants something more quick. So I told him about psychedelics, he was afraid to take a higher dose so he microdosed, 5mg of 1p lsd, in period of three days, he told me that he understood that he don't express himself and that builds up so this is why he getting this panic attacks, but 1p lsd make it worst so he stopped it. 

If anyone has any ideas about that for counseling it would be great. Thanks. 

[Farnaby]

Meditation is great to prevent panic attacks, but IME it's not so effective as a rescue tool when you're about to have a panic attack or when you are in the midst of it. 

At that point, you need something less "passive". At least a more active meditation where you engage all your senses. Mindfulness for instance wouldn't be a good choice. In that state, one needs something more grounding, whereas meditation techniques such as mindfulness can produce the opposite effect. 

Another counterintuitive method that I found effective is not trying to control the panic attack, because that creates more tension. If he can be with someone who can be present with him and convey a sense of safety, that would be very useful. 

Also, healthy habits in general with enough exercise and socializing protect from anxiety. 

It sounds like he discovered an important contributing factor to his anxiety. He'll have to work on overcoming the feelings that hold him back from expressing himself, so he can avoid the build up that leads to his panic attacks. 

I think therapy would help him a lot in this process.

Good luck! 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Farnaby

[Michael569]

The problem with chronic anxiety (especially the one that has lasted years) is that it creates structural changes in your brain especially in the centers like prefrontal cortex and hippocampus that control your rational side, reasoning, cognitive abilities and memory. Anxiety can become very hardwired if it was poorly managed (antidepressants while being mildly effective make this problem worse). After years their brain will be extremely sensitive to even slightest stimulus and a lot of their subconscious thinking pattern will operate on autopilot such as " this environment has given me anxieties before and it will do again" "the last time I felt this emotion it gave me anxieties "...and it will. 

They need professional support to unwire that. Brain is extremely plastic and can be reshaped and reformed but it is not easy. CBT is pretty amazing for this but they should work with somebody who knows what they are doing. 

Your friends also needs to cut all stimulants out of their life, but also sugar, alcohol and all low GI food. They need to balance their blood sugar very gently. Their diet needs to be rich in zinc, selenium and a good amount of protein.  (these help stimulate BDNF, the key neuroplasticity factor) 

They need to make sure they sleep well. I would cut out all horror and thriller movies as well. 

A lot of earthing with bare feet, tree-hugging, herbal adaptogens and bach flower remedies can help with the negative energy. 

They may benefit from adrenal support formulas. 

In times of worst panic attacks, very very slow abdominal breathing. 12 seconds in 12 seconds out through nose into the belly. And few drops of lavender essential oil on neck, near nostrils and on temples. 

[Vagos]

@Slifon  Hey, is there any chance I can talk to your friend directly? I am suffering from the exact same problem with the exact same root cause.

[Arcangelo]

A panic attack is coming face to face with death. When having a real panic attack you are certain you are going to die, but you don't. Awareness alone is very curative. I don't miss at all having a panic attack but in retrospective panic attacks were valuable lessons, they were like gifts life gave me. It's like conquering death once you make it through the panic attack. It's like being born again.

Breathing deeply, knowing that it is all in your head and that you are in control was how I dealt with them.

I have heard about people getting panic attacks on the daily, for years. That's a whole different ball game, that would be hell.

Hope your friend gets well soon.

[Rdj]

On 25/7/2020 at 3:11 PM, Vagos said:

@Slifon  Hey, is there any chance I can talk to your friend directly? I am suffering from the exact same problem with the exact same root cause.

Im the friend ?

[Rdj]

Thank you guys for all your Answers but i think that i've tried everything meditation;microdose; breathing control;and i began again antidepressants with one lexotanil every morning before i go to work (that's bad) ,the anxiety continues every morning tho and im just waiting...but the biggest problem for me is the intense nausea that i get and i can't eat well and that causes other problems of course...is there anything that i can do to avoid the nausea(i m taking antivomiting pill but it doesn't work good )??

 

Also the only thing that helped me for a while is "samanic breathing" there is a video by Leo gura on YouTube but i cant do that exercise when the panic comes to work..

Thanks again guys

[Nahm]

@Rdj

Where are you headed, what is in your future in terms of deduction of your present trajectory / direction?

What don’t you want about what comes to mind in that?

And much more importantly...what does that bring to the light which you do you want...in your future, in your life experience?

Slow & steady wins the race. A single thought towards wanted, infused with youness...wanted is already unfolding. Good feeling is already the case. 

Resonate? Make any sense? 

[Arcangelo]

Every panic attack that I had originated from me thinking about the future.

[Farnaby]

@Arcangelo yep, there's almost always some worry about the future involved. And this worry gets worse due to the symptoms that feel like you could possibly die. 

But, sometimes it happens without it being triggered by a thought about the future and instead it's some physical sensation that triggers it. 

However, I agree that it's usually an extreme fear related to some event that "could happen in the future".

[TraceyHar01]

Can I please ask: is a panic attack physically painful?  I am currently going through alot of stress.  I had an episode on Friday with pain in my upper stomach and my chest and back muscles very stiff and my heart rate very fast. Hard to breathe. This is the first time it has ever happened so I don't know if it was a panic attack or physical reaction.  It has taken me two days to calm down properly.

[Arcangelo]

On 8/9/2020 at 9:49 AM, TraceyHar01 said:

Can I please ask: is a panic attack physically painful? 

Not in my case.

On 8/9/2020 at 9:49 AM, TraceyHar01 said:

muscles very stiff and my heart rate very fast. Hard to breathe.

It does sound like panic attack ''symptoms''. But again:

 

On 7/27/2020 at 1:32 AM, Arcangelo said:

When having a real panic attack you are certain you are going to die, but you don't.

 

[AlwaysJoggin]

@Slifon yo so i get panic attacks couple times a year not that often if there is 1 thing I recommend is working out and being active high intensity cardio that rams up hart rate to up to 180 beats exercises hill runs, sprints, biking. Maybe try next time he gets the feelings go immediately for a run around the block until he can’t run anymore and totally tired  . Idk i hope this helps him this could be it. This works for me!!!  it makes me engage is survival mode so my brain shift focus to survival I feel tribal. And stoP eating bad food please please.

find a passion, find someone to love and be loved by. Love yourself 

take it easy on yourself it’s ok. Good luck 

@Vagos see if this helps you too 

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by AlwaysJoggin

[AlwaysJoggin]

@TraceyHar01 please go Consult with a Doctor regarding that matter special that you don’t know what it is. 
a Doctor should be more helpful he will tell you if it’s a panic attack or something else. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by AlwaysJoggin

[effy01]

when i had a panic attack , i say to my self all panick attacks dont last more than 30 -20 min and wont cause you to die .... like it appears too , like the kick ass state , so i accept it and make space for it in my body , i say COME ON Eff YOU CAN go through this , then  i ask my self wich part of my body do i feel more in alert ,in my case its my heart down to my stomach so i try to sense it , and it goes away slowly ...