These are a few of my favorite things

[darkemeralds]

So. Panic attack this morning. Whee! First one in six weeks or so, and on the panic attack Richter Scale this one was about a 5--which means you have to sit down and hyperventilate for a minute, and you have only a minor adrenaline hangover afterwards, and not the ravenous sugar-hunger of a Richter 7.

You'll sometimes see one coming half an hour or so before it hits, and try to turn it aside, but these suckers are sneaky. Just when you stop singing ("Loooook around, we're living with the lo-o-o-o-st and found...") or concentrating on a task (mascara--every single eyelash...) for a second, wham! Weird shit starts going through your head, images that feel like memories, but aren't and you know it.

Images like...something to do with an advertisement for epoxy. That was this morning's, what I can remember of it. Epoxy. WTF. And Sandra Oh. Go figure.

Then the dread floods in and a thousand thoughts lance through it, each one tainted with a horrible physical feeling of hopelessness and terror, and you wonder how you'll go on living like this.

There's a part of you standing there saying, "It's not real, it's not real, it's not real," and another part of you that recognizes that that part of you isn't the part having the seizure and you're not gonna die of despair.

And then it passes, and for a few minutes--fifteen at most--your thoughts continue to rear up a bit and show you the whites of their eyes as they settle.

Half an hour later you're on the bus on your way to work and almost normal, and then you're getting off the elevator on the 14th floor and trying not to think: I thought these were over. When will they be over?

Comments

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

That's possibly the first description of a panic attack - from the inside - that I've read. It sounds hideous. And very tiring.

[kispexi2.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I thought they were over too. I guess you can take comfort in their being less frequent? *hopes*

[roseambr.livejournal.com]

Oh Man!!! Sorry I missed this post yesterday and that you were in no place to call me! I so had anticipated that these were behind you. Interestingly, they all seem to have some TV or advertisement component in the beginning. When we are most susceptible to the brain washing of commercials is when we are really tired or in a hypnotic state after being sucked into one of the mind boring television programs. I wonder if yesterday's had anything to do with how tired your brain must be after your intense work assignment. You've been at this horrible work hours and push for a couple of weeks now. I know my brain would be worn out!

Anyway, I'm sorry you experienced another one when we were so hopeful that they were over.

[llaras.livejournal.com]

*big hugs*

[vampirefan.livejournal.com]

i was looking through your lj 'cause i was sure you had mentioned having panic attacks - because someone on my flist mentioned that someone else posted some links about coping and other useful stuff.

http://ladybug218.livejournal.com/674019.html

honestly, i haven't read the links yet, i'm headed to bed now, but i wanted to pass it on to you in case they links help.