I'm thirteen and I keep having panic attacks, but I don't know if i should tell my mom?
I don't want to tell my dad. He wouldn't understand, and he doesn't like me. I only trust my mother or my grandma enough to tell them.. but I'm still, for some reason, not sure.
I have panic attacks when:
There's a thunderstorm, because I'm scared of a tornado. My stomach tends to clench and my breathing quickens. I can't calm myself down and my voice shakes.
I'm in the car or on a road trip, because I was in a car crash 2 years ago. My head hurts and my stomach hurts, and if the car goes over a bump or lurches, I won't calm down for hours.
When my parents start to argue or fight, because I'm anxious that the outcome will be deadly. As usual, my stomach clenches and I start to just worry in general.
When a family member is gone from the house longer. I can get very emotional, my stomach clenches, and my breathing quickens.
If death or something that can cause death is brought up / mentioned, I REALLY start to freak out. All of the above reactions happen.
So anyway... should I tell my mom or my grandma? I need help... I just don't know what to say.
I'm sorry this may not be the most helpful thing in the world but I just want you to know that I have this exact same thing going on with me. I'm 13 too and I've been having panic attacks since I was 7. They've been getting very serious recently because I've been bullied quite a bit through my life and I've never told anyone. I'm losing friends because of my crippling social anxiety. I also don't know how to tell my parents because I don't want them to think I'm a failure or that they wasted their time on a daughter who ended up broken anyway. I know that I should speak up or I won't be helped but for some reason I can't do it. I just wanted you to know that if you ever want to talk I'm here for you because I totally understand what you're going through. I hope you get better and can find help. I would love to chat sometime :)
Hey guys, I just wanted to let you both know that I've been through e exact same thing. Since I was little I've seen my mom go through *many* domestic issues with my step dad which have scarred me for a very long time. Up until my junior year of high school I was fine until it happened again around Christmas and I began to have panic attacks more frequent than ever. I'd have to leave during class because of them and finally I went to one of my English teachers and she took me to a school counselor who then set me up with a therapist after a while. That same counselor also taught me different ways an breathing techniques to calm down during a panic attack because she used to get them a lot too. What I'm trying to say is, there's always help out there and if you don't feel comfortable telling a parent or family member, counselors are always there and you can also Google ways to help with anxiety and panic attacks. I really hoped this helped you in some way.
Thank you so much :) I will be sure to use your suggestions, I'm sure they will help me. I'm glad that we are not alone and can all come together to help each other.
Thank you Plucky... I don't want to tell my mom or grandma because I'm just not sure how they'll react. I've dropped hints I have attacks, such as telling my mom, "When the tornado siren goes off I feel like I can't breath" or whatever. It's nice to know someone cares, many thanks for replying!
(And I'm so sorry about your mom, I hope both you and her are better now and that your horrible father gets what he deserves.)
I'm so sorry Bouncy... I wish you all the best. And I'd love to talk to you. I hope this doesn't sound selfish, but I'm glad I'm not alone. :)
That doesn't sound selfish at all, I'm glad I'm not alone too! I would love to talk some time and good luck.
Take a deep breath.
Name five things you can see.
Four you can feel.
Three you can hear.
Two you can smell.
One you can taste.
This is called grounding and allows you to calm down in the event of an attack.
Hope this helps!