Social Anxiety Support

carambola · 08-18-2009, 06:29 PM

I don't think I've ever had an actual panic attack judging from the descriptions I've seen, so I was wondering if most here do or don't . . .

Just Lurking · 08-18-2009, 07:21 PM

I was going to say no, but after reading about them and their actual symptoms I'd change that to "once or twice" (more like "a few times"). I don't think I've ever gone through what I'd call a full blown panic attack, but I can recall a few situations where I've met the DSM-IV criteria for one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Good Old Wikipedia

According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

...

DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Panic Attack

A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:

Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feeling of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
Chills or hot flashes

zookeeper · 08-18-2009, 07:23 PM

Not really anymore, thankfully.

Syrena · 08-18-2009, 07:35 PM

I've had one or two and came close a bunch of times. Definitely not fun.

Thomas Paine · 08-18-2009, 07:39 PM

Yes, but I can control them through healthy lifestyle and avoidance of stimulants, if I am motivated enough to do so. Sometimes all I have to do is remind myself that I have no control over my destiny anyway and that I'm not afraid of death, and then the feeling of panic just sort of melts away.

Duke of Prunes · 08-18-2009, 08:12 PM

I get some of the symptoms of panic attacks occasionally when I realise I've done something stupid/forgotten to do something important/something really startles me (pounding heart, sweating + chills, lightheadedness), but never for more than a few seconds so I wouldn't really call them panic attacks.

Dipper · 08-18-2009, 08:56 PM

Luckily no.

Toad Licker · 08-18-2009, 09:41 PM

Yes, not as bad or as often as I use to but I still get them.

Johnny_Genome · 08-19-2009, 07:32 AM

Yeah, I can't say I've ever had a full blown panic attack, more just a constant level of anxiety.

Dempsey · 08-19-2009, 07:36 AM

Can't remember ever having one. I've had bad Social anxiety all my life.

Freedom2010 · 08-19-2009, 08:00 AM

Never had one before, thankfully.

Logan X · 08-19-2009, 08:40 AM

No panic attacks.

ShyFX · 08-19-2009, 09:18 AM

I've had a couple. Thankfully they don't happen often.

Tangent · 08-19-2009, 11:28 AM

I voted no...but then I looked up the symptoms for panic attacks, as someone above did, and realised that they were strikingly similar to something I have experienced before, but was told was abdominal migraine....so then I looked up the symptoms of abdominal migraine, and found that my experience nowhere near fits under the criteria for that, and is in fact much closer to the criteria for "panic attack".

So my answer really should be "I don't know" - I have a poor record with fitting into neat diagnostic categories.

KumagoroBeam · 08-19-2009, 01:52 PM

I voted no, but when I think about it.... I had one when I was younger, but the situation was really panic-attack worthy.

pita · 08-19-2009, 05:47 PM

I never used to, but I've had several in the past few years.

dax · 08-19-2009, 06:19 PM

I answered no but I should have answered not sure. I don't think I've ever had one- but I do had severe anxiety daily that builds and builds up at work as the day wears on and is almost unbearable by the end of the day. I can feel somewhat panicky by the end of the day- but I don't think those are panic attacks, right? I think those come on really quick, they don't build up over hours of social exposure.

sprout · 08-19-2009, 06:38 PM

As a young teenager I went to the ER a couple of times for what I eventually found out were panic attacks. The attacks were very frightening -- racing heart, racing thoughts, feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, feeling disoriented... I was certain I was having a heart attack. The ER docs gave me an EKG (normal) and valium, but they never diagnosed the episodes as panic attacks. How I wish they had made the proper diagnosis and referred me to a psychiatrist.

I haven't had a full-blown attack since my teenage years. But I do have mini-attacks, usually at night. I wake up in a panic with these racing thoughts: "OMG, I'm 34! Holy Shi*, my life is going nowhere! I hate my job! OMG, I'm going to die single! I can't stand myself! What will I do when my parents die?!" and on, and on.

rockst4r · 08-19-2009, 06:59 PM

i've had panic attacks many times and everytime i am in a social situation I think i come close to it atleast once!!! it's RIDICULOUS!

Kelly · 08-20-2009, 12:22 AM

I have had a few (two or three) in the past. My goal is to NEVER have one again.

Have a nice day,
Kelly

View Poll Results: Do you experience panic attacks?
Yes.	36	37.11%
No.	29	29.90%
I've only had one once or twice.	20	20.62%
I'm not sure.	12	12.37%
Voters: 97. You may not vote on this poll

08-18-2009, 06:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
carambola Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Age: 24 Posts: 735	Do you get panic attacks or not? I don't think I've ever had an actual panic attack judging from the descriptions I've seen, so I was wondering if most here do or don't . . .

08-18-2009, 07:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
zookeeper Status: The floor is lava!! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Soap Fortress Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 1,066	Not really anymore, thankfully. __________________ You leapt into the abyss, but find It only goes up to your knees, ~ Nick Cave

08-18-2009, 07:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
Thomas Paine Status: Fail Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: USA Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,698	Yes, but I can control them through healthy lifestyle and avoidance of stimulants, if I am motivated enough to do so. Sometimes all I have to do is remind myself that I have no control over my destiny anyway and that I'm not afraid of death, and then the feeling of panic just sort of melts away. __________________ I thought that when you said so long You wouldn't stay to hear your song

08-18-2009, 09:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
Toad Licker Status: Broken Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: A Fruitloop Daydream Gender: Male Age: 44 Posts: 29,596	Yes, not as bad or as often as I use to but I still get them. __________________ All will wither, go to sleep The ones you love you may not keep All you touch will fall apart The dreams you kill will break your heart There's no mercy, there's no rest The void will scream within your chest No one knows and no one will So leave this place that makes you Ill - Madder Mortem

08-18-2009, 07:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
Syrena Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Northern Illinois Gender: Female Age: 25 Posts: 265	I've had one or two and came close a bunch of times. Definitely not fun.

08-18-2009, 08:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
Duke of Prunes Status: A prune isn't a vegetable Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Gender: Male Age: 18 Posts: 208	I get some of the symptoms of panic attacks occasionally when I realise I've done something stupid/forgotten to do something important/something really startles me (pounding heart, sweating + chills, lightheadedness), but never for more than a few seconds so I wouldn't really call them panic attacks.

08-18-2009, 08:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dipper Status: PASTAMANIA BROTHER Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 285	Luckily no.

08-19-2009, 07:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
Johnny_Genome Status: I am, etc. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: LA Gender: Male Age: 31 Posts: 1,261	Yeah, I can't say I've ever had a full blown panic attack, more just a constant level of anxiety.

08-19-2009, 07:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
Dempsey Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Sydney Australia Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 633	Can't remember ever having one. I've had bad Social anxiety all my life.

08-19-2009, 08:00 AM	#11 (permalink)
Freedom2010 Status: breaking free Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Here, there, and eveywhere Gender: Female Posts: 2,214	Never had one before, thankfully. __________________ "Live right now- just be yourself. Doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else." - Jimmy Eat World

08-19-2009, 08:40 AM	#12 (permalink)
Logan X Status: I'm dead inside Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: LaSalle, QC Gender: Male Age: 36 Posts: 5,274	No panic attacks.

08-19-2009, 09:18 AM	#13 (permalink)
ShyFX Status: shake 'n bake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Age: 27 Posts: 2,936	I've had a couple. Thankfully they don't happen often.

08-19-2009, 11:28 AM	#14 (permalink)
Tangent Status: Cynical Misanthrope Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: N.E. England Gender: Male Age: 18 Posts: 301	I voted no...but then I looked up the symptoms for panic attacks, as someone above did, and realised that they were strikingly similar to something I have experienced before, but was told was abdominal migraine....so then I looked up the symptoms of abdominal migraine, and found that my experience nowhere near fits under the criteria for that, and is in fact much closer to the criteria for "panic attack". So my answer really should be "I don't know" - I have a poor record with fitting into neat diagnostic categories. __________________ http://journalofasadact.blogspot.com/ - The daily goings on of a socially anxious dyspraxic pariah. http://asininerants.blogspot.com/ - The social, political, religious and miscellaneous musings of the above. Facebook - Add me!

08-19-2009, 01:52 PM	#15 (permalink)
KumagoroBeam Status: snafu Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 775	I voted no, but when I think about it.... I had one when I was younger, but the situation was really panic-attack worthy.

08-20-2009, 12:22 AM	#20 (permalink)
Kelly Status: One More Thin Gypsy Thief Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Mainz, Deutschland Age: 32 Posts: 6,461	I have had a few (two or three) in the past. My goal is to NEVER have one again. Have a nice day, Kelly __________________ Maybe I'll live my whole life just gettin' by. Maybe I'll be discovered. Maybe I'll be colonized. You can try to train me like a pet. You can try to teach me to behave. But I'll tell you if I haven't learned it yet, I ain't gonna sit. I ain't gonna stay.

08-19-2009, 05:47 PM	#16 (permalink)
pita Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Female Posts: 2,168	I never used to, but I've had several in the past few years.

08-19-2009, 06:19 PM	#17 (permalink)
dax Status: Losing Ground Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Boston Gender: Male Posts: 2,237	I answered no but I should have answered not sure. I don't think I've ever had one- but I do had severe anxiety daily that builds and builds up at work as the day wears on and is almost unbearable by the end of the day. I can feel somewhat panicky by the end of the day- but I don't think those are panic attacks, right? I think those come on really quick, they don't build up over hours of social exposure. __________________ My Youtube Page I just don't fit in this place Their thoughts cast me out of here Their home has run out of space My mind's already out of here Won't you come along dear? Won't you come along?

08-19-2009, 06:38 PM	#18 (permalink)
sprout Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Gender: Female Age: 34 Posts: 55	As a young teenager I went to the ER a couple of times for what I eventually found out were panic attacks. The attacks were very frightening -- racing heart, racing thoughts, feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, feeling disoriented... I was certain I was having a heart attack. The ER docs gave me an EKG (normal) and valium, but they never diagnosed the episodes as panic attacks. How I wish they had made the proper diagnosis and referred me to a psychiatrist. I haven't had a full-blown attack since my teenage years. But I do have mini-attacks, usually at night. I wake up in a panic with these racing thoughts: "OMG, I'm 34! Holy Shi*, my life is going nowhere! I hate my job! OMG, I'm going to die single! I can't stand myself! What will I do when my parents die?!" and on, and on.

08-19-2009, 06:59 PM	#19 (permalink)
rockst4r Status: sp chick Join Date: May 2009 Location: Brooklyn Gender: Female Posts: 141	i've had panic attacks many times and everytime i am in a social situation I think i come close to it atleast once!!! it's RIDICULOUS!