A
female
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:Is there anybody that suffers with anxiety attacks and if so how did you over come them?I don't know why I started getting them although I think it could be related to a male friend of mine who keeps texting me and showing interest the last few months and then pulling away and putting stuff on facebook making it look like him and his girlfriend are happy. That's is the only thing that I can think of and also when I see stuff about his gf on facebook I get anxiety attacks then too. M enad him are not having an affair or anything we just talk as friends.Im not bothered that he is with her so im not sure why I get them but is this a sign that I should take myself out of the situation and stop contact with him? And if its not the above that caused it what could be? I get them around times I have to eat too. so lot of the time im off my food.Im not interested in going to a therapist, they are not a big deal here as they would be in America etc so it not the done thing to go to one. So just wanna hear from anyone who had them and overcame them? Thanks
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female
reader, Ciar  +, writes (9 July 2013):
 I used to have anxiety attacks and I got through them, and eventually overcame them by:
1. Talking to a calm, confident friend or relative. I'd let them know what was happening and they could alternate between reassuring me that my chest wasn't going to explode or we could talk about whatever came to mind. My mum was good for that because she actually had some of the illnesses that I'd feared and had panic attacks and could tell the difference between the two enough to assure me I was experiencing the latter and not the former. I was also fortunate in that I had a number of people to choose from, as there are so many people out there who have had them (men and women alike). And they got over them fine without therapy.
2. Concentrated on my breathing.
3. Cut out caffeine over the long term. In the short term, have a warm soothing drink, or whatever you're in the mood for that is low in caffeine. You could even take some cold medication to make you drowsy. Only take it when you're on the verge of or in the middle of a panic attack. Not every day to avoid feeling nervous. You might have to make some other dietary changes such as cutting back on sugar.
4. Occupy your mind with idle, menial things. The harder you have to concentrate on something, the more likely you're mind is to stray (back to all your fears) so stick to small, quick things and take it one minute at a time.
5. Light exercises might help. Nothing strenuous enough to work up a sweat or increase your heart rate, but enough to keep your mind and body active and release some of that pent up energy.
Therapy isn't necessary. It's not science, it isn't medicine and it certainly isn't a cure-all. In fact therapy doesn't cure anything. A therapist's job is to help their clients see their situation and their problems differently so they can fix them themselves.
Learn what you can about panic/anxiety attacks and stress. There is a plethora of articles online you can access for free. My guess is the events you describe are merely triggers and not the root cause.
A
reader, anonymous, writes (9 July 2013): I have anxiety, and the only advice I can give is for you to eliminate stress factors (to a possible extent), learn breathing exercises and to book an appointment with your doctor.
You are NOT alone.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (8 July 2013): I'm sorry WiseOwl, I love every piece of advice I have ever read of yours. But there is nothing in this post to suggest early diabetes, and I think that to suggest that there is will only provoke further anxiety in the OP.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (8 July 2013): I have experienced them. They are frightening and dreadful. I have medication in case I need it, but I rarely take them only if I am desperate.I am not sure, but I think one contributing factor was that I was drinking a lot of an energy drink with caffeine in it. If you have a high intake of caffeine, try stopping it.One time, I could not take my medication because I had drunk alcohol and I wasn't sure what the combination would do. To help me, I sat on my lap top and wrote an email to my sisters describing what I was feeling. It changed my concentration to something else. So, concentrate as deeply as you can on something else, not what you are feeling. Make yourself do a Sudoku or read or do house work.Another thing to try, is very long deep breaths, concentrate on breathing in your nose for ten seconds, think about your abdomen rising, hold for five seconds, and then out slowly for ten seconds. Do this ten times and see how you feel. If you are alone, call someone, train them to speak very soothingly and gently and calmly to you.Hope this helps.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (8 July 2013): do not think about this guy, don't look at pictures of him, don't contact him. Go and do something you enjoy take your mind off it. Do something physical, anxiety is too much stress and energy buliding up and coming out in the wrong way.Don't be afraid to go to a doctor if it is really affecting your life, although they will probably want you to go to CBT.
I suffer from anxiety which I developed after a nervous breakdown a year ago. If I feel like I am going to have a panic attack or something I go off for a run, or take my dog out and it takes my mind off it and I feel much calmer.
Good luck, anxiety sucks but you can control it!
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A
female
reader, person12345  +, writes (8 July 2013):
 First, you need to get this guy out of your life. Block him on facebook, block him from phone, block this gf too. Get them out of your life. That could take care if it. If not see my next answer:
"Im not interested in going to a therapist, they are not a big deal here as they would be in America etc so it not the done thing to go to one."
That is how you overcome them. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, and or a combination of anti-anxiety medication if the cognitive behavioral therapy isn't enough.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (8 July 2013): If you are a chronic dieter, or taking any sort of dietary supplement or herbal supplements. Stop.
You also sound like you might be showing signs of early diabetes. Your blood sugar levels are down by lunch-time; and your body is reacting. Feed yourself as soon as you feel an episode coming on.
If you drink a lot of tea or coffee; you may need to eliminate caffeine; and drink decaffeinated beverages only.
You may also be having an adverse reaction to your prescribed birth control.
You cannot rule out seeing a doctor in any of these cases.
Surely, the guy IS a source of emotional anxiety for you; even if are "not having an affair." You are in denial, and you are driving yourself crazy waiting for him to leave his girlfriend; and show more interest toward you. The anxiety stems from the fact that he is not single and available.
Starting with removing this guy from your life,(the main trigger of your anxiety); you can eliminate the other things for the sake of general good health.
Stop seeing him and delete him from Facebook; if you don't want to end up on the mental ward in a hospital.
If you don't get a medical examination to rule out all of the other possible causes listed, you could develop serious complications from an untreated and undiagnosed physiological disorder.
Untreated diabetes can result in blindness, or loss of appendages due to circulatory problems associated with the disease. You will also have trouble with wounds healing.
Please see your medical doctor!!!
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A
male
reader, mathguy +, writes (8 July 2013):
Before I say anything, let me make it clear that I am not a doctor, nor have I studied anxiety disorders in any great detail. If you are having severe anxiety attacks then you ought to visit a doctor. I say this because some people have conditions in which they experience such attacks without there being a clear cause.With those disclaimers out of the way, I will put in my two cents because I have indeed experienced them myself, and indeed I have (mostly) overcome them, although once in a long while I will still experience a minor one. In my case, there was a very clear reason why I experienced panic attacks: during a severe depression, I had developed suicidal thoughts, and those thoughts themselves became a terrifying, traumatic experience that induced the anxiety attacks when I would have flashbacks. Many people, however, have no idea why they are experiencing anxiety attacks, and they can't clearly point to anything particularly frightening or stressful in their lives--they just get the attacks with no warning.An anxiety attack can be among the most unpleasant experiences you will ever have. In my case, I was often unable to speak or respond to others during an attack. I would often be either frozen in place, unable to even move my head, or else my arms would shake uncontrollably. Sometimes I would be frozen like a statue in the middle of the hallway. Meanwhile, the feeling of terror on the inside is so palpable you can almost taste it. For me, it induced a very specific, painful feeling in my arms and a tenseness in my chest that felt almost unbearable. My breathing became very unnatural, and my thoughts would spiral ever deeper into a crazy vortex that fed upon itself. Breathing deeply only made me feel more anxious.I found it extremely helpful to consult with both a psychiatrist and a therapist. My psychiatrist prescribed medications, and my therapist provided a comfortable environment for me to talk through my experiences. So let me repeat myself again: if you are having anxiety attacks then please consider finding a well-trained, compassionate therapist as well as a competent doctor that can help you.It will take time and effort. It took me many months to get to the point where I am now. You must be kind, forgiving, and loving towards yourself. Never blame yourself for experiencing them or let anyone else do that to you. In the end, what I found most helpful was to learn to change my frame of mind. During an attack, I would calmly remind myself that I was safe, and that this attack would pass. I would tell myself that I just had to let the experience go through its natural course. Eventually I learned to view myself as an outside observer to what was happening to me, as if I were a scientist trying to learn about the experience.You need to make sure you eat enough. Starving yourself will not help. Maybe you can try changing up your mealtimes a little bit if you are having attacks at specific times? You don't deserve to be going through this experience by yourself. Do yourself a favor and seek help from friends and professionals. Yes it is often very possible to overcome them, but it will take time and effort. Please take care of yourself, and know that you are a human being who has value and worth and deserves peace.
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