re: Is anxiety real or is it all in peoples heads?

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Shut the frick up Chris, I know what I'm doing and so do my doctors.

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I don't know, man. If you're suffering that much, you definitely have some problems.

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Is anxiety real

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yes

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in peoples heads?

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yes

What exactly is a panic attack? I've witnessed a friend have one. I could not understand it. He looked like he was having a heart attack. Though after calming down was fine. To me I always thought it was just a mental issue he had. Being a guy I don't talk mental health issues with people. I really don't even tell the wife what I'm thinking if I'm off I just absorb it. I use pot(extracts) if I'm stressed and then I'm no longer stressed. When that isn't available I read or take electronics apart.
I guess I just don't get why someone gets to the point that the panic becomes crippling. Or how it happens.




I really never knew they were so widespread and so many peel me had them.

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You mentioned panic attacks that occur 2 or 3 times a month, each of which lasts around 2 hours or so. I'd say that sounds like a problem.

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I didnt say anything about panic attacks, I said anxiety that happens usually at 4-5am 3-4 times a months that usually last until I get out of bed around 6-7 am....

mostly due to morning anxiety and sleep apnea....look it up...it's very common....sorta like the Sunday Scaries

I also take a .25 Xanax every night to help me sleep.

I wasnt asking for any medical advice being that my doctors are some of the best in the area so I'm good, I was just commenting in the discussion....if I ever need any legal advice I'll hit you up, TIA

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Exercise, therapy, church, vitamins

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What kind of exercise do you do Walt?
What kind of Therapy Walt?
What church do you attend Walt?
What vitamins do you take Walt?

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What exactly is a panic attack? I've witnessed a friend have one. I could not understand it. He looked like he was having a heart attack. Though after calming down was fine. To me I always thought it was just a mental issue he had. Being a guy I don't talk mental health issues with people. I really don't even tell the wife what I'm thinking if I'm off I just absorb it. I use pot(extracts) if I'm stressed and then I'm no longer stressed. When that isn't available I read or take electronics apart.
I guess I just don't get why someone gets to the point that the panic becomes crippling. Or how it happens.

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I cant speak for everyone, but for me the issue is more physical than mental.

It starts by feeling my heart rate rapidly increase for no reason at all. Each beat of the heart also feels 10x stronger than usual. Almost as if my heart started running on diesel. This causes irritability, sweating, and dehydration. I once had a nurse check my pulse during an attack and she said my heart rate was through the roof. Around 200 bpm. During the worst attacks ive had, my body temperature would heavily fluctuate. I would go form being really cold to really hot back and forth every few minutes. These have never been situation attacks as they've occurred at random times and ironically never during stressful events in my life. My mind feels completely rational before, during, and after the attacks . I'm not paranoid or irrationally anxious during the attacks. I'm still not certain on the exact cause of these attacks, so I cant prevent them. However, I've learned how to handle them and can even appear to be fine if I have them at work. I refuse to take benzos or antidepressants. I've seen so many people screw there life up with those. I've just learned to live with it. My greatest fear is they will come during a time of a tragic and depressing event in my life (death of a close family member). I do worry that may be too much for me to handle.

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What exactly is a panic attack? I've witnessed a friend have one. I could not understand it.

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I've only had two or three full blown panic attacks, and all have been triggered by large crowds of people where I felt surrounded with no way out.

I'm not claustrophobic. I'll go under a floor or into an attack with no problems, so it isn't that. The first one I ever had came in a gym where we had gotten there early and it started filling in around us. We (I) kept backing up toward the top of the bleachers. The more people who filtered in and the closer we got to the top, the more nervous I got.

When it finally hit, it felt like everything was closing in on me. The noise (just normal idle crowd noise) became deafening, and my heart rate shot up. I started feeling clammy and a bit dizzy. As the sound started to fade and the walls started to close in, I leaned over to the people I was with and frantically told them I had to go. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I got up and bowled my way down the bleachers, not saying excuse me or anything. I hit the closest set of doors to the lobby, and looked for the outside exit. I didn't check up until I got out of those doors. As soon as I made it to the stairs outside I sat down because it was as far as I could go. It took several minutes to catch my breath and calm down. I started to walk to the car, and by the time I got to it I was pretty much okay.

The second one happend a year or so later during dinner rush at a Texas Roadhouse. We were in a booth at a table near the kitchen. It was loud and I was on the inside next to the wall. The same thing happened again. I left my entire meal on the plate and almost ran to the exit.

That's the only thing that has ever triggered a full blown panic attack for me. Now, I can usually spot them coming and I just head them off by removing myself from the situation. Rarely can I not find an out before it gets out of hand.

Diet, Exercise & being honest with yourself helps. You are who you are. Some People aren't willing to accept themselves.

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To me I always thought it was just a mental issue he had.

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panic attacks initiate the fight or flight response. This release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which creates physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, muscle tightness, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, each symptom feeding into that response. The physical symptoms although not deadly in the moment are very real and scary. Not to mention psychosomatic symptoms from the stress in general

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I guess I just don't get why someone gets to the point that the panic becomes crippling

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neither does the person having the panic attack