panic attack in shower

[cowboyup]

Fun stuff. I'm sure a good bit of you guys can relate. SIL was home and in the next room so I felt I had to 'be quiet' ... I just sat down in the shower and cried. I was shaking real bad by the time I got out and almost to the point of hyperventilation. SIL saw my red face as I came down the hall, and asked what was up. I told her. But I felt embarrassed.

mg:

If this or something similar has happened to you and you are in the midst of that whirlwind of panic, and hyperventilating (or close to it) How do you calm yourself down? Any tips?

 

[Kiwong]

I had several panic attacks in the shower. What worked for me was embracing and challenging the panic, questioning the lie the panic was sending my mind that it could kill me.

 

[Witty_Name0_0]

When i had a panic attack my face didn't go red, it actually went white. All the blood goes to my muscles and i get light-headed and my vision goes extremely blurry.

 

[Remus]

I just ride it out as horrible as that is at the time, it always passes. I try to use logical thinking in this state, even though it is a struggle.

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

You could just say you took a really hot shower? Hmm to calm down I'd say just closing your eyes and breathing deeply and slowly. Watching a happy tv show helps too.

 

[Psychedelicious]

panicked

I'm really sorry about this cowboyup, these things are certainly not fun . There is almost nothing scarier than being in a state of panic, it's all consuming once it turns into a full blown panic attack. I've had plenty of panic attacks in my life, and in my experience I don't really know what you can do to stop it once it occurs. I usually just lie down and try to breathe the best I can to slow it down. It takes awhile, but as with everything it does subside eventually. Like Remus said, you kind of just have to ride it out until it is over. I hope you find something that works for you too, panic attacks suck!

 

[dottie]

I focus on square breathing and try to divert all of my attention towards this. While I am doing this I feel my heartbeat and try to slow it down through this exercise.

Square Breathing Tutorial on Vimeo

 

[jc972]

The last panic attack I had happened when I was driving down the Interstate. I pulled over and stopped and just took a while to calm down. I hate 6 lanes of traffic. I'm fine on 1,2,3, or 4 lanes for some reason.