Callie Arcale
It’s a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing
- Feb 10, 2021
- 848
Yesterday, on New Year's Eve I had a very bad panic attack. I've had to live with panic attacks for many years and while they are always agonizing and more distressful than I can put in words, I have aquired a few tools that allow me to get through them, without wanting to kill myself right after they're over. I know many of you here struggle with anxiety, so I wanted to write a summary of what I find is valuable information, that I wish I had known when I first started getting panic attacks. I don't have the energy to reference sources, but I just want to say that what follows is not a collection of personal opinions, but factual information I have gathered during psychologist-led anxiety courses, and by talking to medical professionals.
RESOURCE
ANXIETY & PANIC ATTACKS
A panic attack is not dangerous. Yes, you feel like you are dying, yes, you feel like you are losing your mind, but you are not. A panic attack is a harrowing experience but it is not meant to harm you. It is there to protect you from harm. Let that sink in for a second!
Anxiety is an adaptive trait that our ancestors have evolved in order to avoid getting killed. It is the body's flight - freeze - fight system. Millions of years ago, when our ancestors lived in highly dangerous environments they developped a system that allowed them to escape (flight), to play dead (freeze) or engage the predator (fight). That system ensured their survival during life-and-death situations. As such, the flight - freeze - fight system is inherently good and it protects us from harm.
Today, we no longer live in dangerous environments and no predators try to eat us for dinner, but our flight - freeze - fight (FFF) mechanism is still very much active. When you inadverdendly hit your cup of coffee and catch it before it spills, that's your FFF-system in action. It allows you to react quickly, in a split second, without thinking. If you sat and pondered about the coffee being spilled, and what you could do about it, then it would be too late to avoid the spilling in the first place. The FFF-mechanism is autonomous, meaning you cannot control it. It has a life of its own.
Now that's all good and fine, but unfortunately, the FFF-system gets triggered in people with anxiety even when there is no danger (no saber-toothed tiger and no flying coffee cup), or when there is a potential danger that we are merely thinking about. A panic attack can come at any time, sometimes without warning (although scientists have shown there are slight changes in cardiac rhythm and breathing some 45 minutes prior to onset). When you have a panic attack, your autonomous flight - freeze - fight system gets activated. This is what happens in your body the moment panic hits you:
I will now write down a few myths about panic attacks. These myths are hard to disbelieve when you are in the middle of a full-blown attack, but I find that reminding myself about them again and again, has helped me tremendously:
MYTH
You'll have a heart attack during an anxiety episode. This is false. The reason you feel your heart hurts is because it beats fast to pump a lot of blood so you can run or fight.
MYTH
You will suffocate. This is also false. When your heart beats very fast, your heart muscles contract and cause chest tightness and chest pains. You may feel like you can't expand your chest when you breathe in the air, but that is not true.
MYTH
You will lose your mind. This is one of the questions that I have researched the most, and also talked about with doctors and psychologists. It is false. There have been no recorded cases of people going crazy forever because of a panic attack. Remember! A panic attack is the body's protection mechanism. It may feel like you are going crazy, but the system is not meant to harm you, it is an adaptive trait that all humans have in order to deal with danger.
And at last a few important facts that I say to myself during a panic attack:
FACT 1
Panic attacks always pass. It might feel like they will go on forever, but they have a start, a peak and an end. Always. They always end.
FACT 2
You can help ease your panic by doing calm breathing following the 4-2-4-2 model.
Breathe in slowly through your nose 4 seconds
Hold it in 2 seconds
Breathe our slowly through your mouth 4 seconds
Pause 2 seconds
Repeat
FACT 3
You are not dying and you are not losing your mind. A panic attack is a harrowing experience. It is the most uncomfortable sensation you could have physically and mentally. But it always passes and it does not kill you.
I hope some of you find a few things of value in my resource. Remember! The goal of learning about anxiety and panic attacks is not to eliminate them. You cannot eliminate your flight - freeze - fight system which is your built-in protector. The goal is to learn to recognize the symtoms and ride out the wave when it hits you without succumbing to too much fear.
RESOURCE
ANXIETY & PANIC ATTACKS
A panic attack is not dangerous. Yes, you feel like you are dying, yes, you feel like you are losing your mind, but you are not. A panic attack is a harrowing experience but it is not meant to harm you. It is there to protect you from harm. Let that sink in for a second!
Anxiety is an adaptive trait that our ancestors have evolved in order to avoid getting killed. It is the body's flight - freeze - fight system. Millions of years ago, when our ancestors lived in highly dangerous environments they developped a system that allowed them to escape (flight), to play dead (freeze) or engage the predator (fight). That system ensured their survival during life-and-death situations. As such, the flight - freeze - fight system is inherently good and it protects us from harm.
Today, we no longer live in dangerous environments and no predators try to eat us for dinner, but our flight - freeze - fight (FFF) mechanism is still very much active. When you inadverdendly hit your cup of coffee and catch it before it spills, that's your FFF-system in action. It allows you to react quickly, in a split second, without thinking. If you sat and pondered about the coffee being spilled, and what you could do about it, then it would be too late to avoid the spilling in the first place. The FFF-mechanism is autonomous, meaning you cannot control it. It has a life of its own.
Now that's all good and fine, but unfortunately, the FFF-system gets triggered in people with anxiety even when there is no danger (no saber-toothed tiger and no flying coffee cup), or when there is a potential danger that we are merely thinking about. A panic attack can come at any time, sometimes without warning (although scientists have shown there are slight changes in cardiac rhythm and breathing some 45 minutes prior to onset). When you have a panic attack, your autonomous flight - freeze - fight system gets activated. This is what happens in your body the moment panic hits you:
- Your heart starts beating very fast in order to pump out blood so you can run. Your chest feels tight as your chest muscles contract.
- You hyperventilate. You breathe very fast because your body needs more oxygen as it prepares for flight or fight.
- You sweat profusely as the body tries to cool you off in case you need to run. Sweat also makes your skin slippery in case a predator gets hold of you.
- Your pupils dilate to allow more light to enter your eyes and increase your ability to see. This makes you see things around you in a "weird" way, as if the world is "unreal".
- You feel intense fear. You feel under attack. You fear for your life. This is meant to alert you there is danger and you need to act.
- Your legs get extremely heavy, as if you have millstones attached to them. This is because the blood volume in your legs gets increased so you can flee.
- Your fingers and toes get blue and tingly. That's because the blood flow in these areas gets decreased, so it can be used in the big muscles that will help get you out of danger.
I will now write down a few myths about panic attacks. These myths are hard to disbelieve when you are in the middle of a full-blown attack, but I find that reminding myself about them again and again, has helped me tremendously:
MYTH
You'll have a heart attack during an anxiety episode. This is false. The reason you feel your heart hurts is because it beats fast to pump a lot of blood so you can run or fight.
MYTH
You will suffocate. This is also false. When your heart beats very fast, your heart muscles contract and cause chest tightness and chest pains. You may feel like you can't expand your chest when you breathe in the air, but that is not true.
MYTH
You will lose your mind. This is one of the questions that I have researched the most, and also talked about with doctors and psychologists. It is false. There have been no recorded cases of people going crazy forever because of a panic attack. Remember! A panic attack is the body's protection mechanism. It may feel like you are going crazy, but the system is not meant to harm you, it is an adaptive trait that all humans have in order to deal with danger.
And at last a few important facts that I say to myself during a panic attack:
FACT 1
Panic attacks always pass. It might feel like they will go on forever, but they have a start, a peak and an end. Always. They always end.
FACT 2
You can help ease your panic by doing calm breathing following the 4-2-4-2 model.
Breathe in slowly through your nose 4 seconds
Hold it in 2 seconds
Breathe our slowly through your mouth 4 seconds
Pause 2 seconds
Repeat
FACT 3
You are not dying and you are not losing your mind. A panic attack is a harrowing experience. It is the most uncomfortable sensation you could have physically and mentally. But it always passes and it does not kill you.
I hope some of you find a few things of value in my resource. Remember! The goal of learning about anxiety and panic attacks is not to eliminate them. You cannot eliminate your flight - freeze - fight system which is your built-in protector. The goal is to learn to recognize the symtoms and ride out the wave when it hits you without succumbing to too much fear.
Last edited:
I've experienced panic attacks for most of my life, so this helps a lot. Also replying to bump this for people who may need it
