Do any of you experience Panic Attack symptoms mildly on a daily basis?

[pjoa09]

Excuse the long title.

You know, sweaty palms, heart palpation (choking sort at times), light headed, tingly sensations, and muscle aches. Habits may include, nail biting, twirling of hair (I have twirled by hair in some quite private reigions, as odd as it sounds), and head/face touching.

I was browsing through wikipedia about stress and anxiety and apparently I have every physiological symptom of a panic attack everyday. Sometimes my hands are drenched in sweat and I sink into my chair.That's when I am really stressed out but I experience it almost everyday.

Psychologically I am not scared of most things. I do have scary thoughts and nightmares time to time. I am comfortable with getting out and I am quite worry free in my head and I appear so.

Is it an INTP thing or am I really freaking out and I don't even know it?

 

[Architect]

I've had a few panic attacks in my life. Once or twice when I was young and a few times during a midlife crises. They almost cause a blackout. I believe an actual panic attack is when the flight-fight mechanism gets excited. You release adrenaline, etc, which causes you more distress, which amps the adrenaline, and so forth until you explode (pass out or almost pass out).

Daily or continual panic attacks? I don't think that's possible, the human body can't continually produce that level of stress I would think. I would guess you have something lesser than that. I've certainly also gone through many periods of intense, high pressure, but I wouldn't characterize them as panic attacks.

 

[pjoa09]

I've had a few panic attacks in my life. Once or twice when I was young and a few times during a midlife crises. They almost cause a blackout. I believe an actual panic attack is when the flight-fight mechanism gets excited. You release adrenaline, etc, which causes you more distress, which amps the adrenaline, and so forth until you explode (pass out or almost pass out).

Daily or continual panic attacks? I don't think that's possible, the human body can't continually produce that level of stress I would think. I would guess you have something lesser than that. I've certainly also gone through many periods of intense, high pressure, but I wouldn't characterize them as panic attacks.

Wow. I only blackout when I have high fever and stuff.
Good to know that it is a fair bit common.

In school I never felt anxiety even when hell was impending.

I think I have general anxiety. I find all the symptoms of panic attacks applicable but they are not a strike or an attack on my body.

It's just the symptoms always being present to a certain extent. Sometimes, like today, it's impeding my ability to work. Cold clammy palms, completely limp, can't focus, and tingly sensations.

It's just a very consistent and often subtle symptom when I am at work.

 

[joal0503]

Excuse the long title.

You know, sweaty palms, heart palpation (choking sort at times), light headed, tingly sensations, and muscle aches. Habits may include, nail biting, twirling of hair (I have twirled by hair in some quite private reigions, as odd as it sounds), and head/face touching.

I was browsing through wikipedia about stress and anxiety and apparently I have every physiological symptom of a panic attack everyday. Sometimes my hands are drenched in sweat and I sink into my chair.That's when I am really stressed out but I experience it almost everyday.

Psychologically I am not scared of most things. I do have scary thoughts and nightmares time to time. I am comfortable with getting out and I am quite worry free in my head and I appear so.

Is it an INTP thing or am I really freaking out and I don't even know it?

I think it would be best to consider, who hasnt experienced one or more of those symptoms in some period of their life? Stress and anxiety reaches most of us, no matter how prepared we are. Its how you react and respond, how you can learn to control the response that really counts.

Personally, I cant say that Ive ever really had a full blown anxiety attack before...but i can definitely say Ive gone through periods of anxiety and heavy stress. The more you focus and worry about anxiety, the better chance that it will consume your mind when stress approaches.

What do you do when the stress/anxiety starts to hit?

 

[Architect]

Wow. I only blackout when I have high fever and stuff.
Good to know that it is a fair bit common.

Yes a panic attack is a physical symptom induced by mental anxiety. The blackout comes from the adrenaline getting so high that you're brain doesn't get enough oxygen because of shallow breathing, or you hold your breath. Works pretty well to help 'reset' you and get out of it, but it is scary when it first happens.

One of them went along the lines of "I hate my job ... but I have a family that depends on me, I have to keep my job ... but I hate my job ... stop feeling so bad about it, you have to keep your job ...". My feelings about work got tied into the flight/fight mechanism because I kept trying to suppress them, so it moved from the mental to the physical.

My understanding is that they're not that uncommon.

 

[Jennywocky]

Yes a panic attack is a physical symptom induced by mental anxiety. The blackout comes from the adrenaline getting so high that you're brain doesn't get enough oxygen because of shallow breathing, or you hold your breath. Works pretty well to help 'reset' you and get out of it, but it is scary when it first happens.

One of them went along the lines of "I hate my job ... but I have a family that depends on me, I have to keep my job ... but I hate my job ... stop feeling so bad about it, you have to keep your job ...". My feelings about work got tied into the flight/fight mechanism because I kept trying to suppress them, so it moved from the mental to the physical.

My understanding is that they're not that uncommon.

I've had a few. The first one (waaaaay back in the late 90's) was scary -- I had found out I wasn't eligible for overtime at work and they had just called to insist I repay them a sum that I didn't have.

After I got off the phone, I couldn't breathe, my heart was palpitating, and I got dizzy and almost blacked out. I laid my head on my desk and just didn't move. Took me about ten minutes or more before I felt okay again, although the dread continued to linger.

I've lived under a lot of anxiety in my life as well. Typically it's not like an acute attack above, but the chronic stress does build and impact my behavior socially. (For example, if I hole up and avoid making eye contact habitually and avoiding passing people in the hallways, I'm likely under chronic anxiety.)

 

[dala]

I've had similar symptoms for several years, off and on. It's some sort of anxiety disorder rather than panic attacks, probably general anxiety disorder.

 

[dala]

Short of medication and therapy, there are a few things you can do to reduce the symptoms:

1) Reduce exposure to stressors
2) Exercise regularly
3) Reduce alcohol, caffeine, and other drug use
4) Cut out foods high in sugar, fat, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners
5) Practice self hypnosis/meditation techniques (will help to relax muscles, take deep breaths, calm your mind, and reduce heart rate)

 

[MichiganJFrog]

I kind of do, yeah. Not as bad as I used to get them, but they've been coming back lately. I think there are core beliefs that prompt them. I'm trying to write down as many of these core beliefs as I can think of when they occur to me. Here's what I jotted down just a little while ago:


I feel like all it will take is one small mistake to reveal the lie that is my life. One wrong move, and the false skeins I have woven together will unravel, revealing the depravity underneath. (Am I more sinned against than sinning?)

I will never deserve all the good things I have, no matter how hard I work. Even if I give everything away, I am still an immoral person. I have no right to be here.

Since I am an immoral person, I do not need to exercise moral behavior. I have no expectation of being treated ethically, and thus no need of an ethical system of my own. I dare not try to assert any of my needs for such things as personal boundaries or privacy of any kind.


It's a start, anyway.

 

[IdeasNotTheProblem]

Is it an INTP thing or am I really freaking out and I don't even know it?

I think it's more of an everyone thing, And everyone's reaction is a little different. I used to get stressed and then not sleep well, and the next day drink lots of coffee because I didn't sleep, making things much worse.

If it's mostly mild symptoms, it might be good read about natural ways to control your symptoms(i.e. controlled breathing, stretching/exercise, diet, etc.) and find out what works best for you.

Not to stress you out, but if you do get any severe anxiety attacks you should probably see a doctor. They can be dangerous if you were driving or something and you also want to make sure nothing more serious is causing the problem.

 

[pjoa09]

I think it would be best to consider, who hasnt experienced one or more of those symptoms in some period of their life? Stress and anxiety reaches most of us, no matter how prepared we are. Its how you react and respond, how you can learn to control the response that really counts.

Personally, I cant say that Ive ever really had a full blown anxiety attack before...but i can definitely say Ive gone through periods of anxiety and heavy stress. The more you focus and worry about anxiety, the better chance that it will consume your mind when stress approaches.

What do you do when the stress/anxiety starts to hit?

I think I misdiagnosed myself.

I probably have a mild form of Generalized Anxiety Disorder with only the behavioral and physical symptoms present.

I have nothing on my thought process that seems to cause it.

It's coming to my attention that panic is more of a full blown holy-shit moment.

I just experience all the symptoms at a low level. It doesn't interfere with much.

I find it quite strange how I have mild anxiety consistently without a proper trigger. I have worrying thoughts yet I have the symptoms.

 

[pjoa09]

Yes a panic attack is a physical symptom induced by mental anxiety. The blackout comes from the adrenaline getting so high that you're brain doesn't get enough oxygen because of shallow breathing, or you hold your breath. Works pretty well to help 'reset' you and get out of it, but it is scary when it first happens.

One of them went along the lines of "I hate my job ... but I have a family that depends on me, I have to keep my job ... but I hate my job ... stop feeling so bad about it, you have to keep your job ...". My feelings about work got tied into the flight/fight mechanism because I kept trying to suppress them, so it moved from the mental to the physical.

My understanding is that they're not that uncommon.

I hate my job too. The thought of being stuck in it forever scares me. I was thinking about getting an ESTJ or ESFJ to do it for me.

 

[pjoa09]

alcohol?I kinda spiked alcohol for two days straight after 5 months of no drinking whatsoever.

now i am a bit more panicky.. i sort of feel like coke-ish. Like they way they show them in movies, Horrible Bosses, etc.

 

[redbaron]

Is 'No' an acceptable answer?

I'm pretty relaxed about things. Don't really have any strategies for coping with anxiety though, I just don't get anxious.

 

[pjoa09]

Is 'No' an acceptable answer?

I'm pretty relaxed about things. Don't really have any strategies for coping with anxiety though, I just don't get anxious.

I thought so too. I never have had worry thoughts. But I seem to exhibit nervous behavior and physical symptoms on a daily basis.

I enjoy risky behavior time to time too. I like fast cars,motorbikes, the whole lot. Maybe it's some repressed anxiety thing.

I am much better now. Something about taking a shit that helped. lol

 

[dala]

Some of your symptoms could also be explained away by severe heartburn.