I think I might be on the verge of one, although I have never had one before.
I started a REALLY sucky temp job on Friday. After my liquid lunch with Dinsdale I asked my agency to get me the hell out of here, but I need the money to pay my rent this month so I’m stuck until they do. I’m temping while I pretend to look for a real job in Chicago, and they are a good agency that has set me up with some decent assigments, so I don’t want to leave them in the lurch with their client. But I’m really not sure if I can come back here tomorrow or stay another minute.
My symptoms:
*feeling of panic, accelerates when anyone speaks to me or when the phone rings.
*increased heart rate.
*feeling feverish and a bit dizzy.
*all sounds seem unnaturally loud and there is a buzzing in my ears.
*I’m extra clumsy, knocking things over, I’ll ask someone their name on the phone and then have to ask them 50 times because I forget, having a hard time manipulating the mouse in the documents I’m working on.
I have these from time to time. The surest way to know, according to my Doctor at the time, is if you think you’re having a heart attack, you could be having a panic attack. I had every outward symptom of a heart attack, but didn’t have any internal symptoms. Nerves on overdrive, the whole 9 yards. I also have to get away from crowds, they only magnify the problem for me.
Could very well be, IMO. YMMV, product may settle during shipping, ect ect.
Going to the doctor didn’t do any good, he gave me some dinky tranqulizers and that was it. I haven’t seen him since. But, I do know that if I get it quiet, I can calm down. I don’t know of a good way to help in your situation, but with everyone around here, I’m sure someone has an idea.
Did you explicitly tell them that you need to be replaced immediately? Don’t say anything about your panicy feelings though, approach it from a standpoint of “I feel as though this particular company is not who I feel comfortable” or something like that.
It very well could be a panic attack. I get them a lot but mine are anxiety instead. Similar symptoms but I can usually get them to subside after a sit in the car or when I get home.
The only thing worse that a panic attack is “thinking” about having a panic attack.
Just try and relax and keep your attention on something - read through several postings on the message board, keep your mind on a work project, etc- Breathe deeply. Take several long deep breaths and make sure you are not shallow breathing. Calm down. Keep something with you that can generate a smile.
Dont allow the thoughts of panic to enter your mind, you can overcome it!!
What absoul said. Breathe deeply and evenly. You might want to go hide out in the bathroom a few minutes and use some imagery to calm yourself down. You can control this–you just need to breath and relax. (yeah, I know that is easier said than done, but you can do it.
Stop checking yourself for symptoms. Assume they have gone away and they will.
I get these occasionally when I think about one certain subject, and they incapacitate me for about a minute or so. The comment about feeling like a heart attack is true, except mine feel like an insulin reaction instead - no chest pain. I was able to avoid them by not thinking too much or too long about the Certain Thing, but we all know how hard it is not to think about something.
Lately, I’ve started getting them as a result of the relationship problems I have had - they make me feel trapped, scared, like I’m going to die any second, and they invoke a strong fight-or-flight response in me. I was taking Valium for them, but stopped after a couple days (I hate taking any medication, esp. things like Valium or pain meds) and now just tough them out. I try to convince myself that I don’t have to be scared. I’ve tried all sorts of mental exercises, but they don’t seem to work for me.
If I’m at home, I immediately fire up a PC game - something nasty and violent, like Half-Life, or Unreal, or even good-old Duke Nukem 3D. Playing the game for a few minutes seems to stop my attack very quickly, due to the distractions of explosions and gunfire.
But, of course, one cannot just fire up a video game at work. And the other methods of creating explosions and gunfire at work are not socially acceptable…
Thanks, all of you - very comforting and helpful words.
I’m home, in my jammies, and doing much better, plus I came home to a message letting me know that I only have to tough out “the bad place” for 2 more days.
Gonna settle into bed with Path of Daggers (curse you, Lexicon, I bought it yesterday evening and I’m already halfway through) and maybe a little Law and Order, pet the kitty, and take some deep cleansing breaths.
I’ve had lots of panic/anxiety attacks. The ones I would call panic attacks involved a high pulse rate, shortness of breath. I thought I had asthma because I couldn’t breathe.
The ones I called anxiety attacks (is there even a difference?) were when I would get stabbing chest pains. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. They actually subsided a bit once I realized that it was just anxiety and not a heart attack. One less thing to worry about, anyway.
Meditation helps me. Nothing formal; just controlled breathing and blanking my mind.
And if that doesn’t help I punch a wall.
BTW, for those who care, I haven’t put a fresh hole in the wall in YEARS! It helps that my house’s wallboard puts the rock in “sheetrock,” but I haven’t busted my hand on it fr years, either!
Sounds like an anxiety attack. When you feel one coming on go to a quiet place. Focus on your breathing when they happen, breath deeply and evenly (you may want to try breathing into a paper bag - it sounds weird but does work for many people). Exercise too, this will reduce the frequency and severity of the attacks.
If indeed you’re having “panic attacks,” go to a psychiatrist, he’ll most likely give you a script for some Xanax (the preferred chemical in treating panic attacks).
Just adding my two cents. Breathe deeply and slowly when a wave of anxiety hits you. Pull as much air into your lungs as you can. Release the air from your lungs gradually (I mentally count to ten as I blow the air out). I am an extremely shy person IRL, and I have my own business. I have to get out and sell my products, and breathing exercises can often * prevent* the worst of my anxiety.
I’m glad you don’t have to work in that place for long. Hang in there, magdalene
Well, I’d say it’s a classic case of a panic attack. I myself have anxiety issues so I know where your coming from. Many of these symptoms sound very familiar too. If I were you, I’d run by some websites like msn Health or WebMD and do a search on anxiety. I found those very imformative. Also, I’m not a doc. but you want to make sure this isn’t going to be a long term thing, so you want to try and make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. If your Type A person, you’re more likely to have anxiety issues. Also, I’d stay away from caffine, they can sometimes trigger a panic attack.
If you have another panic attack, that is a great time to sit back and examine yourself: What am I feeling, why am I feeling this way, what caused this etc. etc. This will help you to understand what your attacks are all about.
If you continue to have these attacks, see a doctor and ask them about GAD (general anxiety disorder). They’ll be able to help you from there.
If all else fails…Zoloft works wonders on me!!
Alphagene was right, this really IS the forum of Zoloft and hugs and flowers!!
Thanks EVERYONE. I’m definitely feeling better today, knowing that I have to endure only 16 more hours (14, minus lunch) of this is helping. I figure it give me an incentive to get off my ass and find a real job soon.
[rant] Did you go to an internist/gp? This is one thing that truly frustrates me about the medical profession currently: a doctor who wouldn’t think of treating a heart attack or cancer will treat psychological problems with whatever pill is currently touted, despite the fact that the mind is far more complicated than any other part of the body. :mad: Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals have much more experience and information to deal with mental health issues and a medical intervention is not usually the best approach - not to mention the side effects that come with medicine. [/rant]
GP. The other problem is, I’m a sponge when it comes to painkillers. They’ve had to up my dosage when it comes to my neck every once in awhile. I’ve also had two cases of sprained neck, and I figure one more good one and I’m in trouble.
But to the panic attacks, yeah, that’s what they gave me, and they didn’t do any good. The stronger ones (like my Aunt gave me when I found out GF #1 was screwing around on me, and I had my first nervous collapse) were Wonderful. I also didn’t feel hungry 24/7 for the first time since age 12 either.
