Am I experiencing panic or anxiety attacks or something else entirely?
I've had these 'attacks' for a long time now. Although up until recently I've dismissed them as irrational and exaggerated moments of fear (regarding death).they haven't happened in a while and I thought I had gotten over it, however recently they have become more frequent than they have ever been.
During one my heart rate speeds up and I can hear my heart beat; breathing regularly becomes a conscious effort; I get a headache; my muscles tense and want to move. Sometimes it feels as though my heart has been ruptured and a cold poison is sweeping through my body. The worst part is the fear which is hard to really describe.
ive found in the early onset of an attack that fast impulsive movements help dispel the tension and fear although it still itches at the back of my mind and often comes up again in a couple of seconds or minutes. The movements are usually shaking, kicking, flailing my limbs or hitting my leg with my fist, which I really don't want someone else seeing or questioning.
Today has been the worst with this as they keep repeating and it's been at the back of my mind all day.
Are these panic or anxiety attacks? Something else entirely? Does anyone else experience this? How do you deal with it?
I'm considering getting professional help but I'd have to explain it to my family first and it still might be hard considering the pandemic and area I live in.
HI
These sound like panic attacks to me. I used to have really bad attacks and ended up in the hospital more than once a few years ago now. It feels like you are having a heart attack and you can't breathe. I don't get the attacks like I used to do but I still struggle with anxiety. Now I fight my way through it, I mean I could be paralysed and not do anything at all but I choose to do things and fight the anxiety. I have to deep breathe my way through them at times and talk to myself but I still do the thing and usually feel better when I am doing it or afterwards. I currently have a thing with riding my bike, I was OK until my husband changed the saddle to make it more comfortable but now my feet don't touch the ground quite as well and the first time I rode it with the new saddle I fell off, so that started an anxiety issue. I am a capable bike rider but this change makes me feel like a novice. So each time I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that I can do this and I won't fall off, my balance is OK, it's just the mind issue! And by the way I haven't fallen off again. I refuse to give up and continually try to face the anxiety in whatever form it takes.
