Thoughts for Thursday: Panic Attacks & Anxiety

I didn't think I was going to have a TFT this week, but an incident that happened this afternoon gave me something to inquire about....
Have any of you had a fear of something or anxiety so strong that you worked yourself into a panic attack?  Like totally freaked out??? Exhibited physical symptoms?
I watched a friend go through it this afternoon and it wasn't pretty. 
I know of several people who have had issues with anxiety, some to the point of needing medication to control it.  I will admit that there have even been a few occasions in my life when I  let my anxiety get the better of me.  Most are rational fears sparked from traumitizing things that happened to me as a kid. Its scary when it happens, no doubt!

I wonder if anxiety is a problem that is more common that most people would admit? There are people who  have moments of anxiety brought on by exposure to  something they fear (snakes, spiders, heights, airplanes, etc) .  I don't really think this is that abnormal, I mean everyone has a fear of one thing or another, right? Its easy to say "mind over matter", but how many people are truly willing to face their worst fears?   Then there are people who have anxiety pretty much all of the time and need medication to live a normal life.  (Praise the Lord that isn't me)

Have you ever had a panic attack or knew someone who did? What brought it on? What are your worst fears? Have you ever had a fear that you overcame?

Other TFT posts today:

Jenny P on childhood memories

Kim on men and dealing with pregnancy hormones

Helmet needs to get his wife spayed

Comments

[jessica]

i have never had a panic attack but a friend of mine from college gets them when her life gets overwhelming. she also gets them when she's tried to get on planes. i have many times thought that maybe she could just 'mind over matter' it... because the mind can do amazing things - and that's where it all starts, right??

[Bradie]

I have, call me and I will share more! Mine were due to post pardom after Mikhail!
Me

[Lindystar]

Hi :) You commented over at my blog and I haven't got a chance to get on an un-blocked internet service yet - to comment back. Anyhoo, your site isn't blocked by our server so I wanted to come here and say thank you. Honestly, your comment made my DAY yesterday. I kept it on my e-mail and read it like 5 times and even again when I came to work this morning.

I've been kind of half heartedly searching for things like that - actually searching for blogs of people who had made the move.

It seems I have a need to hear about other people going through it and being happy you know? So anyways, THANK YOU very very much.

OK! And actually to answer the question in your post? I actually have what my doctor calls a chemical imbalance in my little ole brain :) I make a lot of fight-or-flight chemicals, far far more than is necessary. My body (when not on my presicription from god) is in a constant state of nervousness and when anything even slightly stressful happens (speaking to my boss, a stranger, a handsome guy, lost, ect) I start to sweat like crazy I can't catch my breath and I have trouble talking and making sense.

Oh lordy you should have seen me in highschool trying to give a speech! Oh my. So anyways I went on like this under the assumption that I was SHY, just very shy for years and years until I finaly got up the guts to ask my doctor at about 22 or so. I was afraid she'd think I was bonkers or overreacting or just wanted pills or something. Luckily she'd known me for years and the little freak-out I had just trying to TELL her about it was evidence enough :P

SOOOOOO longest story short we went through a process of finding the right remedy and now I'm much better. The hardest part has been to re-train my brain to stop THINKING the thoughts even though my body isn't reacting anymore. After so many years of being scared all the time it's quite a procces to program your brain into a different way of handling situations.

It's been life changing for me - HUGE - to be able to do so many normal things without flipping out. I'm really blessed.

Thanks again for your comment and btw I like your blogs! :)

[michelle]

I have never seen an anxiety attack and while I know they are scary, I don't think I could ever fully understand them. Could anyone who isn't stricken with this? My sister has anxiety problems and I know that she has had a hard time dealing with it. Finding the proper help is essential in day to day living, it's not something that just goes away, or you can ignore. It follows you around. You know I suffer from PPD and while the extent of my anxiety and depression is fairly low, I know how bad it can feel at low moments. Of course I take drugs to help out, I can't function like that and I don't know how others could.

[kim]

I've had many. They are not fun. I don't really get them anymore. I haven't in a long time. I try not to let myself get overwhelmed or too stressed.
I did panic when a bunch of birds flew over my head in Duluth at the Pier. That was when I figured out my fear of lots of birds around me at one time.

[Hope]

I used to have a lot of anxiety problems (took medication for awhile, it affected my life in many way), but they seem to be few and far between these days. I've found that eating right, sleeping well and working out regularly keeps most of my issues at bay. I still definitely feel pangs of anxiety going into previously stressful situations. Anxiety can be so crippling. It's terrifying to think that it might come back.