Is it a good idea to discuss severe anxiety and panic attack experiences with others?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52144)
Staten Island, New York
September 30, 2016 10:34am CST
Usually when you are dealing with something talking about it with other people can be really helpful. It can help you make sense of things, help you deal with what you are going through, help you heal.
In the case of high anxiety and severe panic attacks it seems that talking about it with others actually makes it worse because you relive those experiences in your mind, and those intense feelings, emotions and physical experiences may actually resurface and may result in more intense episodes to happen again.
Am I wrong in thinking that? Is it best to erase those experiences from your mind?
3 people like this
5 responses
@sherryericha (1806)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
30 Sep 16
I think about the one panic attack I had while driving across a bridge to reach the airport. My second, last summer, was full blown anxiety. My foot was numb and I felt like I was under water.
I talk and think about the 2 incidents as a caution. I'm constantly working on monitoring stressors, eating right, etc.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
30 Sep 16
How do you deal with panic attacks if you get them? And is there anything you do to try and prevent them from happening? I am really stressing out about the fact that I will have to ride a limo on my wedding day... The wedding is about a month and a week away and I can't get the fact that I will be in a limo out of my mind. I worry that I will get very anxious and may even get a panic attack. And I do not want that as it will ruin my wedding day.
1 person likes this
@sherryericha (1806)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1 Oct 16
@lovebuglena. The first time, fortunately my therapist uncle was able to talk to me down. The second time I ended up in the ER.
You might want to discuss your feelings with your primary doctor.
I kind of relate to your limo feelings. I hate high rise parking lots, not the actually driving around, just the thought of one makes me nervous.
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
1 Oct 16
It was good for me to discuss them with people in a chat room when mine were severe. I got some very good advice and others talking about their experiences helped to ease my own as well.
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
30 Sep 16
I understand this as someone close to me suffers. I really needed them to fully explain how different an anxiety attack is from the kind of anxiety I feel.I think only you can decide what helps you most.
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
30 Sep 16
Many years ago I had panic attacks. It lasted maybe 8 months and it all went away - I think about it but that doens't make it happen again.
