13year but surviving.

[suzannec]

Hi, I have suffered panic attacks for 13 years but guess what. you an live with them. My psychiartrist taught me some really great techniques to help deal with them. They wont ever go away, and the odd one does still catch me offguard, but there is hope.

[punkbaby]

There is hope they are horrible things to deal with but like you i have learnt to control them and beat them sometimes....there is still always one there though that puts me back in my hole again just when i am feeling good they hit me for 6

[natasha]

Hi, I have suffered panic attacks for 13 years but guess what. you an live with them. My psychiartrist taught me some really great techniques to help deal with them. They wont ever go away, and the odd one does still catch me offguard, but there is hope.

Can I ask what techniques he taught you?? Mine are not as often as they used to be, however I don't really have any tools to deal with them when they come on...... I just freak out.....

[TwoBlue]

I also suffered for years, I still have some issues but most people who know me now wouldnt have a clue !

Does anyone else use the "elastic band on the wrist" technique??
This was awesome for me

[punkbaby]

Does anyone else use the "elastic band on the wrist" technique??
This was awesome for me

That was one of the best things i was taught plus the pen in the hand click click trick that works for me too plus counting to ten as silly as it sounds these all help me

[TwoBlue]

Counting also helped me... but the elastic band was the best

Nash you wear a band around your wrist and snap it when you start feeling an attack coming

[stellaj]

The slow breathing thing works best, I don't get them anymore but I think I still 'suffer' from a panic attacks because I still do things to avoid getting them if you know what I mean. Like I don't like going far from home without my own car, don't do elevators, still sit near the door of cinemas etc so I guess it is always with you even if you are coping better.

[TwoBlue]

I think I still 'suffer' from a panic attacks because I still do things to avoid getting them if you know what I mean. Like I don't like going far from home without my own car, don't do elevators, still sit near the door of cinemas etc so I guess it is always with you even if you are coping better.

So true Mel, I am the same

[suzannec]

the first thing my psychiatrist taught me was that panic attacks arnt going to kill me. He made me repeat over and over that "its just a panic attack, your not going to die". silly as it sounds, it helped.
The next thing was a technique to calm my thoughts and make me think of something other than the panic i was feeling.
I had to name 5 things i could see, then 5 things i could hear , then 5 things i could touch/feel. then repeat it for 4 things, then 3, then 2, then 1. (naming each thing in your head). if it hadnt helped the first time, do it all again.
It felt really strange and if your mind wanders when you first start trying it, start again, re-focus. Eventually it becomes so effective that i could do it while walking around the shops.

The best thing he taught me was positive re-inforcement. Each morning i would tell myself that i am happy, i am healthy and i can deal with anything.

(instead of the rubberband, i find that if i rubb my fingers together it works the same.)

[mumofprincess20]

Another thing that used to help me was using distraction techniques. I'd look at a sign or words somewhere and spell it out in my head. To stop those negative thoughts flowing through.