Panic Attacks

I read an article today about how people who have panic attacks need to just learn how to relax.  I read the entire article but did not process much because of that one line.  Mental health issues are all around us.  We can debate that they are “in your head”; or caused by media, internet usage, lack of social experiences; that they are the Big Pharma response to a modern society.

I have experienced panic attacks for most of my life.  They were masked through yelling or even what we thought was asthma or low blood sugar.  I would ramble on but the fact is that since I was about 16, my heart would start pounding so hard I could feel and hear it.  The edges of everything went fuzzy.  My entire body would hurt.  Breathing became so hard that I would fight myself just to take a breath.  (you know what that means if you have ever had a full blown panic attack). 

About 20 months ago they became full blown and every day.  Have you ever watched a TV show or movie where they show someone in a store freaking out?  Here is what happens: 

• ·         All of a sudden your heart starts pounding and you can hear it and feel it.  However, someone who is with you, if you ask them, will tell you that it is not pounding very fast.  (My blood pressure has even stayed within normal ranges during an attack).
• ·         Everything around you is clear but the edges become fuzzy and then it starts to feel like you are being jostled around on Black Friday, yet no one is around you. 
• ·         Your breathing becomes difficult and the more you fight for air the hard it becomes to breath.  You and your body are working against you. 
• ·         You feel physical pain.  For me, my shoulder starts hurting and my legs cramp up.  But it is a deep pain. 

I have had people try many things during a panic attack.  The worst things:

• ·         Telling me to calm down;
• ·         Telling me to breathe through it;
• ·         Telling me “I’ll come back when you are more calm”;
• ·         Sitting across from me looking like I was a child having a temper tantrum;
• ·         Freaking out and raising their voice, getting in my personal space.  I actually had someone slap me one and say “snap out of it”. 

What is the right answer?  I don’t know, everyone has their own trigger or triggers and everyone has their own way of getting through it. 

Separating myself, water and believe it or not rocking help.  I’ve learned a great deal about what my triggers are and how to walk away but I still manage to have more attacks than I like.  I’ve gotten better about handling them as well.  Whether a person has attacks once in a while or frequently;  gauge your reaction, educate yourself on reputable websites and physicians, talk to the person when they are calm, see what helps them because everyone is different but for the Love of God, please do not tell someone to calm down or relax because they physically can’t.