I'm not a psychologist but I believe when the brain realizes a situation it cannot cope with, a "panic attack" results. Anxiety is essentially a weak panic attack. Everything in nature works to avoid stress (or to take the path of least resistance, as a scientist would say), so when a sudden stressful event takes place, the brain evaluates such event and takes action such as you have described.

It is quite possible however, that heredity plays a role in regard as to how strongly we react to stressful situations

~ Happy is he who can discover the causes of things, for thereby he has mastered all fear, and is throned above fate. -- Goethe ~

Pearl:

It is my understanding that "panic attacks" can be associated with a/o result of hormonal fluctuations.

By charting attacks with respect to day, date and time, it may be possible to correlate the attacks with a variable catalyst, ie: food supplements, birth control pills, hormone replacement drugs, marital relations a/o lack there of, etc.

Bes

Wow, if you had real pain, the docs should of given you at least an electrocardiogram, at the start and when you had them with such increased frequency. I've had episodes of similar symptoms minus the pain (but for some brief "jabs" and pressure) and the sweating, and I was set up on the monitor and had a blood test straight away.

Anyway, I've only had medicine for anxiety lately, and it doesn't take away any of my emotional feelings. I'm just not having debilitating episodes. I used to just ride them out years ago, and they eventually went away, but the later set felt different and more extreme and were getting unmanageable otherwise.

For anyone who hasn't had such attacks, they may seem to be a personality weakness or other "feelings" problem. Whatever they are, they are experienced as physical symptoms with the chest which are themselves frightening.

Panic attacks DO occur when your mind is pushed to the brink of instability, I found out. I was literally scared out of my wits to be in my house alone, with my pain. Not only that.. I woke before the alarm would go off and experience PRE panic attack feelings, of being alone. Anybody that has suffered panic attacks is aware of pre panic, as you feel like you cannot relax and are always in the "mode" of progressing into panic attacks.
As I said before, a reversal of health and hypnosis helped me immensely. I require no medication, and all it takes is believing I am calm and relaxed. It was VERY difficult to break through to the other side, to coin Jim Morrison's song. But it isn't impossible.
If anyone requires help, I'm here to offer my advice.

HP
HP

I used to get major panic attacks while driving---I would have to pull over---sometimes get out and try to walk around--I always felt like I was smothering---everytime I would get one I would feel like I was gonna die---Since I have been on zoloft they have stopped but I am still uncomfortable and have anxiety symptoms from time to time. People who don't have this disease (YES it is a DISEASE) DO NOT have the slightest idea of what I am talking about when I would try to explain it but everybody who has it knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about!!

Mac and Grim,
I know exactly what you go through.. Panic attacks are hell on earth and beyond. Before I discovered hypnosis and focusing on my mantra ( I am calm and relaxed) I thought I was losing my mind. I feared being left in my house alone so much I flew out of the house sweating and heart and pulse racing, and walked up and down the street looking for some one, ANYONE to talk to me. My condition was so bad, my husband was forced to resign from his high paying job to sit home with me and assure me I was going to be ok. It was the hardest challenge I ever had to face in my life to bring myself back to my former weight ( I dropped to a size 7, being a former 13) and more importantly, my former health.
I was amazed to discover my dad has panic attacks also. Many times my mom and him would be packed up to leave for a few days getaway by car, and they would have to turn around and go BACK home because my dad started having severe anxiety. His home is his refuge, with everything safe and familiar to him.
When I was having panic attacks, foods containing acids would also set my anxiety off. So, I used Pepcid fairly regularly. That helped, alot.
To this day, I still have the feelings or waves of anxiety leading to a panic attack and it happens anywheres, but I work through it by listening to my hypnosis tape, deep breathing, reciting my mantra.
In my opinion, it is the worst experience I have ever endured. Its's odd too, that you're never really cured of them. Medicine, hypnosis may help control them, but they are with you like a shadow.

Pearl

Grimmy- Do what I do, carry a paper fan with you during warm or humid days, at all times. Then, when you're feeling flushed and overheated, fan yourself and the cool air circulating around your face DOES help.

~ Pearl

Wow what a great topic. I don’t have them as often as some here but have had them.
I’ve had three panic attacks in my life ..one when I was about 22 years old a new mother and babysitting for other people. All was well with me other than I did go through Post pardom blues…that lasted I swear a year. Adrenaline rushes and the fear of harming my baby especially being left alone seemed to trigger this. That was sad but I now know it had to be a chemical thing. In those days it was never spoke of. My first experience with panic attack happened shortly after the year of being a new mother. I was inside a busy store and all of a sudden I stood in the middle of the isle and thought I was loosing control of my mind and body function. It only lasted a minute or so. Scary…. I regained control pretty quickly and really never spoke of it to any one. Never happened again for another 24 years later.

Turning forty things began to change for me. I was driving with my grown daughter maybe 6 years ago we were climbing over the hill of a bridge and all of a sudden traffic was at a stand still…I was trapped. I freaked out. I truly thought I was loosing my mind.and for sure I thought I was having a heart attack...it raced/and pounded like crazy. 5 miles an hour to 75 miles an hour in secounds. I didn’t say anything to my daughter till after it was well over I mean a month or so later. But I just about got out of the truck and was going to tell my daughter she will have to drive the truck because I was loosing it. LOOSING MY MIND! Going through it was awful. I didn’t want my daughter to worry but thought pretty soon I didn’t have a choice. She was going to have a crazy woman driving the truck if I continued and kept silent. I began to breath very deep and concentrate on my breathing and slowly but surely it went away. It was SO SCARY!!!!. It was the worst.

Then one more ….more recent not as violent. I was at my dentist. I new the visit would be a long one and the assistant confirmed this as I waited in the seat. All of a sudden it came on slower than the last but I started a panic attack. This time I was able to get control and recognize what was going on. It was a light one. I think I was feeling smothered knowing they had me locked up in the chair. Which like any normal human being knows dentist are not fun! Lol! I love my dentist but knowing the confinement I guess overwhelmed me.

But the worst was on that bridge one beautiful summer afternoon. ….I will never forget it. It was frightening. I’ve always known I was a bit cloister phobic but didn’t know how bad. Also I feel it is a chemical thing and stress related…each time I felt I was scattered in my life.

Each one of my girlfriends would confide in me over a weird thing that happened to them …and going through it myself a couple times I was able to understand what had happened to them. They didn’t really know what they were. Either did I I just began to listen to other peoples experiences and they sounded like the experience I had.

My son of 24 years would also get them. I guess quite regularly. He told me it usually happens coming home after work to a house he shared with a room mate. He would freeze at the thought of leaving the house again. My poor baby! Lol!

Thanks you guys for the experience! Nice to know other people have learned to live with it and can share with others.If it became a constant problem not sure if I could deal with it with out seeing a doctor about it. But they far and few inbetween so far.Pretty scary thing.

Just my 2 cents worth of advice…you should call an ambulance if you present with any shortness of breath and/or chest pain, regardless of whether you think it is a panic attack or not. These priority symptoms are recognized globally as potentially indicative of cardiac problems and will get you an emergency ambulance response. Typical signs and symptoms of an AMI (heart attack) are crushing chest pain, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, pain to left shoulder/left arm – but not necessarily all together. A heart attack can also be pain free (“Silent MI”). Don’t drive or get taken to the doctor or hospital yourself if an ambulance is an option, as paramedics carry life saving drugs and will usually confirm cardiac problems via an EKG/ECG. “Time is Myocardium” (Heart Muscle) and the longer a cardiac patient is left without hi flow oxygen, nitro spray, aspirin, morphine, etc, the more (irreversible) damage is being done to the heart.
In reference to the original panic attack topic – panic attacks are more often typified by rapid breathing (hyperventilation) which can result in a tingling or a pins and needles sensation to the fingers/extremities and may progress to “tetany” – a sort of clamping up of the hands. These signs are unlikely in a heart attack. In this presentation a person’s oxygen level in their blood (SpO2) will also be very high – something a trained paramedic will pick up on very quickly. Best treatment is to *focus on slowing breathing right down* and the symptoms should subside. As to the cause, well it is usually "reactive" to a specific cause such as any psychological trigger unique to the person, and that is in no way meant to belittle it as a condition. See a counsellor or doctor to look at medication or other management options.

Sorry that’s a bit long winded, but if it helps just one ebayer..............emadex (paramedic)

beaddance – The fight or flight response is not really the same as a panic attack, although some of the feelings experienced may be similar. For example, when a person feels threatened by say a near car accident or violent assailant then the fight or flight response will kick in as a means of self preservation – e.g. get the hell out there or attempt to defeat the threat! This is the case for pretty much anybody, no matter how tough or timid they are and I think we have all experienced this type of event at some time.
Panic attacks on the other hand are a psychologically triggered event with the cause/trigger being unique to the sufferer – e.g. unlikely to cause a similar response, or fight or flight response, in most other people. Many sufferers are not consciously aware of the trigger and so it is often difficult for panic attack sufferers to accept that it is a panic attack taking place. There are some excellent resources and support groups for this condition on the internet. (Are you allowed to post URL’s on ebay?)

Panic attacks/anxiety attacks are the result of an irrational fear. It's a defense mechanism gone awry. It may have stemmed from one situation that was very scary and warranted the fight or flight response. But if that same response is "fitted" to a situation that isn't fearful, but one believes it to be fearful, a panic or anxiety attack will occur.

The fight or flight response is physiological, giving the body enough adrenaline to do what the body needs to do in that given situation one sees as a danger or fearful.

Thoughts and the belief of those thoughts creates and continues a series of responses which exacerbates the cycle of physiological symptoms which creates more thoughts..etc.

Hormonal fluctuations and brain chemical disorders can cause the physiological responses of adrenaline rush, flushing..etc, but it's the thoughts creates the anxiety and panic. The thoughts are a subconscious automatic trigger, so well tuned and quick that one only feels the symptoms.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a way to bring the subconscious thoughts to the conscious level so one can recognise them as irrational, change the thoughts to respond as rational (or fitting for the situation), the irrational thoughts eventually are unlearned and replaced with the new rational thoughts which will eventually become automatic.

Medications do work for the physiological symptoms but not for the thoughts. If one believes a situation to be dangerous....no meds can change that.

I've done cognitive behavioural therapy but I did use some medications as needed to "get me through" life during those times.

CBT is difficult in the beginning, but it's a lifesaver, they are tools forever and can be taken and used ANYWHERE without anyone knowing!!

There are many books on CBT as well as on the internet for suggestions and explanations.

Best to you,
quincy

President Bush!