YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Ugh. Just had my first panic attack in ages. Took some Klonopin so warded off the worst of it but I HATE those. Now I'm over it but exhausted and I tend to get really down on myself when this happens. Other people have tons of shit to do and manage it just fine, don't they?

What do you guys do to pick yourself up after one of these?

Everyone's panic attacks seem to be different. Usually after mine, I don't need picking up, I need soothing. I do baths, TV and movies that totally engulf my imagination,sleep and rarely actually reach out to someone. I have one friend in my life who's experienced these things, and she's good for knowing how to distract. It's a horrible experience to have, and I'm sorry you go through these things!

funny, i just had one in the car today at lunch waiting in line at the drive-up pharmacy to pick up my anti-anxiety meds... (full disclosure: this was the worst and first one in years -- didnt use to know that what happens to me "counted" -- and almost entirely due to circumstances)

I need soothing, too, a return to the nonverbal part of thought and feeling that is constant and true and doesn't allow negative spiraling thinking a foothold so i can't get dragged down into panic in the first pace.

I am practicing with soothing with (1) meditation in short bursts (2) forgiving myself (3) embracing my negative intense feelings, embracing them like I would hold a weeping child

because these ways of soothing are the ones with the least negative effects - I sometimes self-sooth with food, with internet browsing, with porn, with internet shopping, with wasting time and energy.

please take care, all the best, cheers, we are cheering for your very best today and tomorrow!

I like the soothing ideas. Especially embracing the negative feelings - when you think about where anxiety comes from that really makes sense.

When my anxiety is at its worst I tend to spiral down into this idea of "I'm such a loser. Why do I need drugs to feel normal?" Fortunately my meds are currently working so right now I don't focus too much on that, but those thoughts still creep in from time to time.