hypochondria / panic attack

i shit and i stink

Hi all,
I was searching some info on the net to help a friend but couldn't find anything and 10C is always the best place for advice. A friend of ours reached out for help today cos she has been suffering major panic attacks and has been hospitalised a few times recently with breathing difficulties and so on.

For a couple of years she has been going on about the end of the world in 2012 and has been worrying about that and about being a mum and what if she gets ill. But recently it has escalated and she has become so hypochondriac that she regularly starts panicking about syptoms (real or perceived) that she finds and it has floored her.

I've expereinced a little of this in the family and I'm prone to thinking the odd cough is terminal but I don't really know how we can help out. Her doctor suggested either therapy for three years (which is expensive) or drugs for a lifetime (obviously not the ideal solution).

So, does anyone know any websites they could recommend as reading? Or perhaps some personal experience.

if anyone would like to share some ideas, but doesn't feel comfortable doing so here, I'd appreciate a PM.

By the way, I don't know how good her English is as I've never spoken English to her but any help is welcome

Many thanks.

starmap3333

Websites will only make your friend panic more. They will, however, reassure your friend that a panic attack cannot and will not kill you. They're a wave you have to ride out. Deep breathing helps a lot and a quiet place to chill. Sometimes it takes a few minutes sometimes it takes hours. The best thing I ever did (after several trips to the ER for what I thought was a heart attack) was to visit your general practitioner and describe the symptoms to him/her. They can provide info and strategies to combat these bastard anxiety attacks. A PRN of xanax in your medicine cabinet is a good remedy unless you have a history of drug abuse. I take a couple once in a while and they help me collect my thoughts. Hope this helps.

adam

green mountain man

The MD stating that 3 years of treatment and/or a lifetime of meds is needed is wrong. It automatically concludes a poor prognosis. People respond differently to various treatments. Some people resolve these issues without treatment.
Look up flooding and exsposure therapy in dealing panic atacks.

CreatingWalls

Therapy and medication are definitely helpful, but start a never-ending cycle of dependence. An as-needed Rx like Starmap3333 suggested is usually best, because you only take it when you need it and it doesn't build up in your system like a daily medication does. Detoxing off of the daily ones is ROUGH, and can set you back a good bit in your progress. :?

The most helpful thing I've found is self-hypnosis; I would start her off in researching that. Once you get in that anxiety/panic attack mode, it just escalates until you are exhausted enough to fall asleep, and no amount of reasoning (from yourself or concerned others) can bring you back down. The conscious breathing/self-hypnosis will kind of reset her body back down to normal heart rate and blood pressure levels, which then enables calm thoughts to be entertained.

I have terrible panic attacks and was able to fly to PJ20 because I've learned over the years how much power your breathing has, and how doing it consciously and correctly can settle the mind and body. I probably looked a little silly sitting there on the plane with a cold water bottle on my forehead and my eyes closed, but hey -- I didn't pass out and I got there! The old me would have never made it or would have driven 13 hours. PM me if you have any questions and good luck to your friend!

*One day...the symptoms fade...

CreatingWalls

green mountain man wrote:

The MD stating that 3 years of treatment and/or a lifetime of meds is needed is wrong. It automatically concludes a poor prognosis. People respond differently to various treatments. Some people resolve these issues without treatment.
Look up flooding and exsposure therapy in dealing panic atacks.

I agree with the random 3 year diagnosis being a problem -- tell her to consult a different doctor. And YES on the exposure therapy, if that's applicable to her. Avoidance can become a real problem when you have panic attacks, and seeing that you actually CAN do the things you have been avoiding and have nothing bad happen to you or your loved ones can definitely help.

faceintheclouds

Panic attacks suck balls. They are horrible. I suffered from them for a long time. I guess it started from smoking weed. Or that was first time I got. So I stopped. But even after I still got them. And it was from relationship stress. They fucked me up good. But my dr gave me Xanax and I took that for a while and they stopped. I keep it on hand now but don't take it.
I think the brain is the biggest problem. Cause I know I could think something bad and could trigger one in myself. Usually about me dying and my Kids not having me. Then it's on, heart races, think I'm having a heart attack.
Fuck I should stop typing
But ya, if your friend thinks the world is gonna end and that's the prob, it's gonna keep happening. Maybe a shrink? Xanax?
Good luck.

i shit and i stink

Thanks for the responses. As I understand her condition, she was always a bit worried about health issue, more than an average person would be. However, her father died suddenly of a heart attack, in his fifties, last year and she was trying to do CPR for 40 mins till the ambulance came but to no avail. Since then it has been a series of panic attacks. I'm not a psychologist so I can't say if there is a certain link but perhaps that is a trigger point that she needs to talk to someone about.

And, as I understand, her usual trigger is very close to the post above. worrying about leaving her kids without a mum and then she thinks a heart attack is on its way

green mountain man

i shit and i stink wrote:

Thanks for the responses. As I understand her condition, she was always a bit worried about health issue, more than an average person would be. However, her father died suddenly of a heart attack, in his fifties, last year and she was trying to do CPR for 40 mins till the ambulance came but to no avail. Since then it has been a series of panic attacks. I'm not a psychologist so I can't say if there is a certain link but perhaps that is a trigger point that she needs to talk to someone about.

And, as I understand, her usual trigger is very close to the post above. worrying about leaving her kids without a mum and then she thinks a heart attack is on its way

She should be evaluated for heart attack risk factors. If it is concluded that she is not at risk, it may help.
Life insurance is an option

faceintheclouds

green mountain man wrote:

i shit and i stink wrote:

Thanks for the responses. As I understand her condition, she was always a bit worried about health issue, more than an average person would be. However, her father died suddenly of a heart attack, in his fifties, last year and she was trying to do CPR for 40 mins till the ambulance came but to no avail. Since then it has been a series of panic attacks. I'm not a psychologist so I can't say if there is a certain link but perhaps that is a trigger point that she needs to talk to someone about.

And, as I understand, her usual trigger is very close to the post above. worrying about leaving her kids without a mum and then she thinks a heart attack is on its way

She should be evaluated for heart attack risk factors. If it is concluded that she is not at risk, it may help.
Life insurance is an option

Ya that's another option. I did that and it helped. But it ended up turning up another issue. WTF. but it's not that bad.

redrock

i shit and i stink wrote:

Thanks for the responses. As I understand her condition, she was always a bit worried about health issue, more than an average person would be. However, her father died suddenly of a heart attack, in his fifties, last year and she was trying to do CPR for 40 mins till the ambulance came but to no avail. Since then it has been a series of panic attacks. I'm not a psychologist so I can't say if there is a certain link but perhaps that is a trigger point that she needs to talk to someone about.

And, as I understand, her usual trigger is very close to the post above. worrying about leaving her kids without a mum and then she thinks a heart attack is on its way

I was going to say, she needs to understand what the 'trigger' is, but this answers the question. Self hypnosis, as one poster suggested, does really help - it's all about control. It takes a bit of time, but it works. Also talking to a psychologist might help her to understand (and overcome) her fears.

But that doc arbitrarily saying 3 years of therapy or a lifetime of meds is unbelievable!!!

Hope it all turns out OK.

i shit and i stink

So, I think we can give her 5 pieces of general adivce:

1) get a second opinion as the first doctor seems to be too clear-cut in their prognosis

2) get a heart scan / general health check to assuage immediate fears and help understand that it is a psychological problem (hopefully)

3) try self-hypnosis and controlled breathing techniques. Learn a calming routine for possible panic situations

4) Speak to a psychologist about issue realted to past and father's death and also about possible therapies like exposure

5) Maybe use xanax or something if necessary in occassional situations but try to avoid daily drugs unless it is deemed absolutely necessary.

Does this sound about right?

CreatingWalls

i shit and i stink wrote:

So, I think we can give her 5 pieces of general adivce:

1) get a second opinion as the first doctor seems to be too clear-cut in their prognosis

2) get a heart scan / general health check to assuage immediate fears and help understand that it is a psychological problem (hopefully)

3) try self-hypnosis and controlled breathing techniques. Learn a calming routine for possible panic situations

4) Speak to a psychologist about issue realted to past and father's death and also about possible therapies like exposure

5) Maybe use xanax or something if necessary in occassional situations but try to avoid daily drugs unless it is deemed absolutely necessary.

Does this sound about right?

:thumbup: Different things work for different people, but having a plan of attack should help her to feel more in control. And having friends like you that take the time to help will be priceless! That whole i'mgoingtodieandleavemychildrenandwhathappensthen trigger must be a common one, cause it gets me every single time. I have to make a conscious effort NOT to allow those thought patterns to take over my thinking and redirect to something positive before it takes over and the chest pains start. Good luck to her in figuring everything out

Thoughts_Arrive

I've had a few in my time.
Once in class, had to try hide it.
Once at work.
Once driving somewhere.
And a few times at home.
You can actually feel your heart pounding.
Breathing helps.

stargirl69

I suffered panic attacks for years,the triggers for me were terrible.I ended up in therapy and developed skills to manage them,been a while since I had one.

Suzi78

Cognitive behavioral therapy has helped me with similar issues and OCD. I know it's supposed to help people suffering from panic attacks as well. Look it up. There may be group or individual therapy sessions where she lives.

stargirl69

Suzi78 wrote:

Cognitive behavioral therapy has helped me with similar issues and OCD. I know it's supposed to help people suffering from panic attacks as well. Look it up. There may be group or individual therapy sessions where she lives.

I had Transpersonal Therapy but I hear C.B.T is also effective,there are just times live is hard and we need help to get through it and can breathe at the end of the day

i shit and i stink

Suzi78 wrote:

Cognitive behavioral therapy has helped me with similar issues and OCD. I know it's supposed to help people suffering from panic attacks as well. Look it up. There may be group or individual therapy sessions where she lives.

I was looking at some therapy options to help out (and previously for myself when I just felt I needed to discuss some issues) but the attitude to it and kind of psychological issue here is a long way behind the west. As my wife said yesterday, you are either healthy or "depressed", that's all you'll hear from people. I'm sure there are good mental healthcare professionals here who are working on changing that but right now it is hard enough just to find a therapist, so one dealing in specific types of therapy is even tougher to find. That is why I wondered if there are groups on the internet where sufferers can exchange advice and so on to help one another.

heidihi

Do you know a number of years ago I was having exactly these problems and I tried all kinds of different things... saw specialists to rule out health issues and this did not stop the problem. Basically I was so consumed that I would die and there would be nobody to care for my kids. I saw shrinks took tablets and nothing was fixing it and one day my Dad sat down and asked me what the actual problem was and I explained I wanted my kids to grow up strong and healthy and I wanted to see this... somehow in my head I was convinced that something would go wrong. He told me that everybody has these concerns (I had never had somebody tell me this - that everybody is consumed with doubt and fear..... but they are able to rationalise it away. He told me to always touch wood that my negative thoughts would not happen. I forced my self to do this- I have funny little bits of wood in my handbag and the console of my car (and it is many years later - but it is still there) and it helped. I will never be totally over this but by touching the wood I am doing something to prevent it in my mind. I even touch paper if there is no wood about. Now I know that this will not actually prevent bad things but it helped me..... I am not sure that I should have told the entire world that I am slightly crazy but what the hey.... I know this sounds so simple but it completely helped it took a while but now I touch wood and move on. Before I was almost a prisoner of my own mind as I was so scared of so much.

i shit and i stink

From my own experience with overcoming some stuff, identification with someone else is very important. It can be quite a breakthrough. It is good to hear that what we are feeling is common and that we are not the only one out there with our mind wired that way. We are not crazy, we are normal but we might be having more intense reactions than others have to these quite rational worries.

I can certainly relate to that feeling of 'fear' when you have kids. I didn't really give a crap about myself until I had the kids and now, like most parents, my life is about providing for them, safeguarding their future and making their lives good. Naturally, I think "What if I weren't here to do that?" and once the trian has left the station my mind runs away with the scenario. Luckily, I've not quite been afflicted by attacks like my wife's friend has.

However, I do worry about my smoking and regularly lay in bed and tell my wife that I think I've got cancer and that I need to make a will. She kind of rolls her eyes at me and says "this again?!" but to me it is real at the time. I think that in that case the best thing is to quit smoking and get a health check.

green mountain man

I have advised some people to insert of photo of their family into the cellophane of their cigarette pack.
Every time you reach for the pack it sends an instant reminder of how much you love them. Of course you want to spend as many years as possible with them and smoking dramatically increases the chances of early death. There are so many reasons to quit.