Robin Westen's article on natural remedies for panic attacks identifies some herbal solutions: http://www.thirdage.com/mental-health/natural-remedies-for-panic-attacks. But there are several other "natural" noninvasive techniques that are used with trauma that might work as well because anxiety and panic attacks often stem from trauma. One is called EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique. Originally developed for trauma victims, it involves a sequence of tapping and affirmations. I learned it from this youtube video and would tap when I began to feel anxious and it worked very well. . Later I found out my sister and son had used it as well and it had helped them, too. There is no down side to tapping that I know of. The other possibility is EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It involves a sequence of bilateral eye movements that reprograms the brain, sometimes in combination with tones and taps. It was developed for trauma victims, but sometimes an anxiety attack can be based on past trauma. Read about it at http://emdr.com, but consult a doctor or therapist before choosing because it is a very powerful treatment and should not be used unless the body and mind are prepared for it. Let me know if you have any experience with either of these treatment techniques.
Other, rather less dramatic, approaches include cognitive therapy, practicing going back into the situation which may have caused the attack, and getting through it by simple methods such as counting backward from 99, counting change and identifying coins in your pocket, wearing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it to get you back to reality -- anything to refocus your attention away from the attack symptoms. These tricks may help you to live through the attack and to realize that if you can stay with it long enough, you aren't going to faint, choke, die, etc.
Those things might work IF, you don't have a partner that screams at you when you are trying to calm yourself, OR you don't have 2 toddlers and an infant all sick that you have to try to take care of or everybody around you saying: Just don't think about it. AND one of your kids is trying to die and your mother just died and you have a toothache. It must be nice to have people around you who actually give you support.
Sounds like your life is a recipe for a panic attack even for someone who doesn't get them. For the record, I have lived through one child trying to die half his life and caregiving parents and having my partner belittle me and being sick. And I wasn't able to take care of myself at those times. It was only getting away from those situations, or taking short breaks that helped me get through -- and a lot of therapy and support groups.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally viewed as the most effective form of treatment for panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the thinking patterns and behaviors that are sustaining or triggering the panic attacks. It helps you look at your fears in a more realistic light.
hi, I think you need to seek a dooctr for your condition, I feel that it's not only the anxiety that you have but its a complicated situation since you mentioned you have other symptoms like feeling weak and anxious when hungry. you need to get some some blood test including blood sugar levels to rule out conditions like diabetes and insulinoma (a tumor of the pancreas wherein the body produces too much of a hormone called insulin) and possibly take a picture of your heart (Xray) and view the inside of your heart (ultrasound) to rule serious conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart condition which may be causing you anxiety too, also rule out pheochromocytoma, a condition where the body releases stress hormones inappropriately and may lead to sudden episodes of anxiety these conditions and others should be ruled out before one can consider it being a psychiatric illness, wherein a complete mental status examination is taken, and before drugs are prescribed. with this, I do not think it is best that you start on any medications such as the ones suggested above. we need to be careful and I bet that your dooctr will explore your condition carefully to come up with the best treatment for the symptoms you have.
Hi.It sounds like you are dpviloeeng a phobia for driving. This is common in people who have anxiety issues.There are loads of people who have anxious thoughts and panic attacks when driving. I am one of them.What starts out as just a mild annoyance can turn into an all consuming fear of the roads, so if I were you I'd see a Counsellor asap. Whatever you do don't avoid driving as this will just make the fear more intense and will make it a lot harder for you to return to the road. Atm the best thing for you to do is to continue driving as much as possible. Take a friend with you who can take over dirivng if it gets too hard. Take water too, I find sipping it helps. Don't overdo it. For example, don't head for the longest, windiest road and try to drive on it. You'll probably drive yourself into a panic attack this way and that will be really detrimental to your progress. Just keep up the driving, whether small or big. Get counselling to suss our your thoughts, why you might be getting anxious etc. The therapist will help you address these issues and put your mind at ease.Personally, I find waiting at the lights the most anxiety provoking. I hate waiting and I keep worrying that for some odd reason I am going to pass out if the lights don't change. I just start to feel trapped. I also feel trapped in middle lanes, busy roads and when the traffic just won't move. The way I combat it is to record myself with my phone. I know this sounds dumb but it works. So I record myself by holding up the phone and talk about the anxiety like I'm doing a talk show or something. For some reason it really helps me to not freak out. Try it. Also, ask your Doc for some Xanax. Xanax, incase you don't know is an immediate relief for anxiety so if you take it with you you'll relax more knowing you have it beside you. You don't even need to take a pill, just have it with you to help you feel more relaxed. Also, take along a cd. I'm lucky cos I have a multi disc cd drive and one of the cd's I have in there is a calming one so if I start to panic I chuck it on and it helps me through my drive. You might also wanna change the way you are sitting, just re angle yourself. This helps the tension to release. I sometimes phone a friend when I'm driving to distract me. Umm What else? Basically, at the end of the day the only way you are going to fully overcome this is by changing your thoughts this can be done through seeing a counsellor and pushing yourself. Keep driving and try some of my tips to help you. I also have the anti anxiety hotline in my phone. I've never called it but I know that if I ever freak out I can call them and they'll have trained pros to talk to me and help me through. I always like to think that other drivers will also help me if I get too stuck too. Good luck X
Not sure where you got phobia for driving from in the previous responses, but I don't think it's a good idea to phone a friend when you are driving if you have anxiety. Sounds like a recipe for a wreck. Also, never heard of an anti-anxiety hotline so I think you are putting us on. I think the best idea is what my son did when having a panic attack while driving: PULL OVER! Get off the road. In his case, he called a friend who took him to the ER where he got some help from medication and they took his blood pressure, etc. But having a calming CD is not a bad idea. I absolutely feel more relaxed when I listen to New Agey music, for instance. And it's always a good idea to have water handy when anxious. Also, sounds like you really do need a friend along to take over. Don't drive alone unless you are only going a short, familiar distance that you are pretty calm about.
Hi Judy K! Wow. I tried the tapping (EFT) technique following the YouTube video. First, I felt uplifted, then (as he said might happen) I felt a sadness. Not sure what that was about but at least I know there is something I'm sad about that needs to be released. Along with the sad feeling came a sense that I could deal with the sadness. I was impressed that all of that came from my first tapping session. I'm going to teach this to my son and husband. It's so easy to learn and remember. Thanks, Judy K! Interesting list of "Ten Things I Learned on Thirdage". You always have lots of interesting topics and tips!