RQ; Panic/Anxiety Attacks.

9 1 0
                                    

Random question; Panic and Anxiety Attacks. (Multiple questions actually.)

---

I know this is random, hence it being a random question, but..
1; I was wondering for anyone on here that has or has had Panic/Anxiety attacks how old were you when you started having them?

2; Or how old were you when you realized that you were having panic attacks or what was causing them? Like when did you realize you had a panic or anxiety disorder, if you have one.

I'm not trying to be intrusive, and no one has to answer if they don't want too, I was just wondering cause I've had them for a really long time.

Also, what are your favorite methods of helping yourself through a panic/anxiety attack?

And if you're willing to share, what's one of the worst panic attacks you've had over something small?

---

There is a difference between a panic and an anxiety attack, however I'm not the best at explaining, so I'll try my best and if anyone wants to you can correct me in the comments please do.

A panic attack can be caused by many things, like say seeing someone get hurt that would cause you to panic and in some cases cause a panic attack.
Panic attacks often come at you seemingly out of nowhere as they are very sudden, especially if you're not already aware of situations that causes them, or if you don't know what "symptoms" you're body might be giving you as a heads up.

An Anxiety attack is caused by built up anxiety from many or specific situations depending on the person, if you know you have social anxiety and find yourself in cramped crowd you'd most likely have sometype of anxiety attack due to the anxiety of being around so many people.
Anxiety attack can come out of nowhere, but will often have something happen leading up to it that causes the attack, you may experience the attack in many different ways.
Physically pain, stomach ache, trouble breathing, sweaty or shaking hands, urge to stim.
It can effect you mentally as well, not being able to focus, feeling like everyone is watching you, not being able to move or avert your attention from one thing, feeling in danger, feeling sick or queasy, not being able to speak.

---

And to answer my own questions.

1; I honestly think I've always had anxiety attacks.. I have memories from when I was five to three were looking back on it I know I was having anxiety attacks.

2; I realized they were anxiety attacks around when I was eleven ish, but I didn't actually acknowledge that I had social anxiety until I had multiple panic attacks one month when I was thirteen and realized during a tamer one that it was not normal for others to have panic or anxiety attacks, and so I tried my best to learn about social anxiety from there!

3; I have a lot of "bad" stims that I do that calm me down, I call them bad because if I don't stop myself or if someone else doesn't point it out I could end up hurting myself a bit.

The stims;
Arm/head scratching.
Joint popping, knuckles, neck, toes, wrists.
Hair pulling.
Nail biting.

4; I once had a panic attack after packing my clothes for a trip, my mom had gotten mine and my sister's things mixed up twice while packing, each time we spent forever trying to find my clothes but my mom had just put them in with my sister's thinking they were all hers. I got extremely anxious and ended up laughing, crying and hyperventilating while laying on my back on the floor, I wouldn't let anyone touch me and I wouldn't move, they didn't understand if I was actually freaking out or if I was actually laughing, eventually my sister offered me a cup of water and I sat up to drink it, I was still panicking but my brain knew I needed the water, and eventually it helped me calm down.

---

Anyways, thanks for reading all of this if you did. I appreciate the information as to how others have experienced this type of stuff.

About Me | Tags | Q&A's | UpdatesWhere stories live. Discover now