How do you get through?

[suzy.o]

I thought Id ask how everyone copes with their panics and what strategies they use. I have to be on my own and when its a bad one I have to turn the tv down and not have anything touch me as in, a magazine that was on my lap because I feelit is somehow in my face and fling it somewhere. Then I start the positivity thought ie, Ive had thismany a time and it will pass while digging my fingernails into the palms of my hands. I cannot relax inpanic as it makes me worse,Ifeel better getting all thetension away by being tense for a while until itabates. Wierd eh? But thats how I cope with mine and it works for me. How about you lot? Edited by: suzy.o

[shiva]

I like to talk to people or get myself busy doing something else. I've played the game with myself before, challenging the panic asking myself the question "What is the worst thing that will happen?" I continue to answer the question and reply back to myself with "So what... It won't kill me.. Millions of others have felt this way before and they didn't die or anything" I always remind myself that I am not the first person or only person to feel the way I am feeling. Somehow that helps bring me back to reality. I sometimes try relaxation and try to just calm myself through breathing and pleasant or encouraging thoughts. I have a few memories and images inside my thoughts that I use sometimes when I am feeling anxious and those seem to help if I let them, too.


You know.. It's funny when panic starts. Sometimes when I am just about relaxed and feeling better, it's as if my mind works against me and fights with me to think negatively again. It's like I don't feel safe unless I am going nuts or something. Very annoying for me... But, I just keep fighting it. I guess it takes time to train yourself to think in new ways. I am pretty confident it will pay off in the long run.

[suzy.o]

Of course it will pay off, I think as individuals we all have our own ways of dealing with it and I feel we all get there in the end, Some people may want to run around like a headless chicken while others need to do relaxation tecniques and think positive thoughts. it all depends what they need to do at the time and what they feel would be the best way to come out of their panic. Keep up the good work shiva, you,re doing well. Oh and you are not nuts, Ive felt that feeling myself but I know deep down its anxiety and not psychosis that is causing me to feel that way, at the time though it still goes through your head cos you're totally p**sed off with it.Edited by: suzy.o

[charzysbebe]

I just typed about this in another topic on here, so you may see it again. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]


GET MAD!! Don't let the emet monster win again! Talk yourself out of an attack. I have been able to get so mad at all of the wasted time, energy, and useless worry...that I fought it off. It really works! [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img] Charlotte

[ilsonchick]

i deep breathe and keep my self busy with a mag, sewing, or talking to some one else. I think positive thoughts of myself on a beach and do things really slowly. Pacing up and down always takes my mind off it! i swear by it. Sipping water or cuddling my pets (guinea pigs rule!) always makes me feel better! xxx

[hannah33]

Hi everyone,
I just joined this forum after getting really bored last night and doing some research on emetiphobia and it's SCARY, there are people who think just like me about this (cheesy line, but it's true) and there HERE!!! *happy dance* It's weird that other people are as emet as I am, I mean I knew that people had phobias, but I just always thought that I was the REAAALLLY freaky one. Anyway how do I get through a panic attack? I usually try to talk myself down out of it or I reach out for someone to hold me and breathe with me. I agree with Suzy.O that I can't have anything touching me, sometimes even clothes, which is why I'm usually alone in my room for most of my attacks, (not the ones out in public obviously). I also tend to dig my nails into something, or need to rub or press on something. I sometimes pull on my fingers or something like that but what I have found out was that this can really hurt. I've had blisters on my body following an attack, so what I've found helps is to rub a piece of cloth or something like that, but am I the only one who finds that pain brings me out of it sometimes? I also know this great meditation that helps me most of the time, and it sometimes can prevent an attack for me. I won't post it now because I don't want to offend anyone. If anyone would like to know it then I would certainly post it.
Cheers
Hannah

[angel13]

^Would love to know the meditation thing you mentioned, Hannah - anything to help de-stress!


I'm exactly the same as you guys! I can't have anything touching me either. Water sipping is something I'll start doing if I'm really panicking, as my mouth and throat dries up, so I feel more like I'm going to gag. Its awful, and a habit I only began after last time I v*d, like, 11 years ago. When i panic, I try to take huge deep breaths, and talk to myself - stuff like "Its allright, you have nothing to worry about, you're perfectly ok," and all that sort of stuff. It does work, if I really put my mind to it. Walking helps, too, outside where there's plenty of fresh, coolair. Sometimes I'll sit down and watch a movie, or read...


haha, and speaking of reading, something I dowhen I'mpanicking is sit down and read through one of my old diaries (I've been keeping them for years). Its very relaxing to read about all the good times in your life, for some reason. I try to relate my anxiety/nervousness to a time when I've felt like that, but for a good reason - like, about to go onstage for a play, or the night before christmas, when I was young. It helps, and puts a smile on your face, too!

[shiva]

I want to hear the meditation technique you use Please post it or pm it.

[hannah33]

Hi all,
You might have to modify it a bit for your specific triggers BEFORE you have an attack, but this is what works for me.Picture this:
You are sitting all by your self in a cool, dark cave in the beautiful Rainforest. Time has, for all intensive purposes, stopped. You have nothing to do and nowhere to be you can just sit and breathe slow, deep breaths. You feel the cool of the stone beneath you on your legs and bum. It is early morning and outside you can hear the gentle sounds of rain falling in the leaves and beautiful flowers The air smells fresh and cool as a gentle wind lifts your hair. Nothing can harm you here, you are completely safe here. Breathe until you are calm and feel the bad pass out of you and go into the river and flow away, over a magnificent waterfall, down down down until it is so far away that you can't even remember what it was like. Then you hear the rain slow to a fine cool mist, and the sun begins to break through the clouds and and you see a gigantic rainbow form, penetrating the canopy of trees. The sun begins to slowly warm you, starting at the crown of your head and slowly enveloping your entire body until you are comfortably warm. You begin to slowly stand and take several breaths of the cool, fresh air. You have a little stretch, then close your eyes again and calmly return to the normal world.
Pretty nice hey? I hope this helped,
Cheers,
Hannah

[suzy.o]

I don't take any med as I'd be scared if I diddnt like the effect Id be stuck with it till it wears off. I rely on a stiff drink when my panics are bad as I can administer my own dose and I know how it affects me so im not scared of doing that.

[fliss]

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Hi,


I am WAY too scared to drink anything-I always think I will end up being s*. If I'm in a really bad panic the only thing I like to do is to lie on my bed and have music on. I also have a colour breathing CD which helps to relax me. Then I just have to wait for it to pass really-there's nothing I can do. I also have to have a drink of water with me-and if its really bad I like to be in the bathroom "just in case". [img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]


Fliss x</TD></TR>
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[suzy.o]

I think Im more terrified of choking than being sick, It really scares me if I think Im going to retch. I would probably be ok if I was sick if it diddnt invole the first part.