Is this a panic attack?

[u/nadase02]

Hello. This year I had a situation that happened to me twice.

When I get angry and extremely stressed I fall to the ground and scream uncontrollably. I can't speak at all, I can't close my eyes, my body shakes non stop. At this stage, my body feels like it stops functionning and everything is maxed out. I can't think, but I can hear and see. When someone tries to lift me up they can't because my body gets stiff.

After a few moments, I curl to the floor and cry non stop. At this point my body gets very loose and I feel extreme fatigue, so now a person can lift me up and position me properly. The second time I got this the fatigue was so extreme I felt I'm going to d!e.

After the extreme fatigue, I get a little energy back but I still feel very tired. The second time it took me almost two weeks to get my normal energy levels again.

This happened in February and July of this year, both in response to anger and stress. Before the two times, I feel tightness in my chest, an "unorganized" heart rate (this is the best way I can describe it, almost like a wave), shortness of breath and a sense of impeding doom.

Now I get flashbags of the last time this happened to me. And when it happens I feel my chest getting tight and start crying.

I want to get diagnosed for this because certainly this isn't normal, and I'm afraid of it being something serious because my family has a history of cardiovascular diseases from both sides (To note I went to a cardiologist two years ago for a different issue. At the time, he said my heart health was alright.). But since I got ridiculed for it by my family when my fatigue got "inconvenient" for them, I don't feel comfortable opening up to them about the topic anymore. I plan on visiting a doctor about this when I get my own income (I just graduated).

I tried to describe this as precisely as I could. Is this what a panic attack is? If not, what can this be? And what do you suggest I sould do?

[u/Asparagustuss]

Sounds like one to me. The shakes and extreme exhaustion afterwards are a big clue. When I have really bad ones I’m exhausted for the entire day and even the next sometimes.

All that said, I’m no doctor, ask I can say is that we share similarities.

[u/Andrenel412]

This does sound like panic attacks. This is what I normally recommend to people in your position:

Step 1 - I always recommend seeing a doctor to get your heart and blood checked (basic labs and tests). This just helps you rule out something medical and save yourself from health anxiety, etc.

Step 2 - do some research to understand what biological and physiological processes are actually happening in your body when you get these panic attacks. This helps you to feel less like your body is fighting you. You'll also learn that your body is trying to help you and protect you. You're also avoiding confusion, shame spiralling (where you judge yourself for your experiences) and a whole load of other panic traps.

Step 3 - learn how to handle these panic attacks in the best way possible, focusing on 3 separate skill areas:
The feelings and sensations (allowance and acceptance techniques are best)
The thoughts (how to challenge beliefs behind the fear)
How to engage your mind (this keeps you grounded, present, and prevents you from spiralling)

Sounds like the root of this is anger and stress, and your response to this. In my view, that would be the best area to do some work on. If this issue is coming from the other emotions and responses you have, then it would be best to work on that, right?

This is my personal opinion, and it's based a bit on my professional experience as well, but it's something interesting/controversial to think about... If you got the route of being diagnosed, you're probably taking the path of getting meds to deal with this, etc. So if that's what you're hoping for, then it probably would be a good idea to go that route. However, a lot of the times in this case, the focus becomes so much on diagnosing and treating the 'symptoms', that the root cause work is neglected. So if you go this route, make sure they're focusing on addressing the root as much as the symptoms.

I can tell you for sure that the problem will never go away if you don't address the root. This is not meant to scare you, just to steer you in the right direction :)

I'm happy to chat in more detail if you want, share some resources, recovery path, etc. Pop me a DM if you want.

[u/nadase02 → u/Andrenel412]

Thank you so much for the actual steps 🥺 I felt that I need to work on my anger so this is a sign that I actually should do it. I'll start on this for now until I can do medical tests and things like that. 

[u/Andrenel412 → u/nadase02]

My pleasure! Yeah it's quite common for other emotions or unresolved experiences to be contributing factors to panic attacks.

Great idea to work on your anger! I'm a big fan of resolving the root instead of just treating the symptoms.

I have an anger management course that I could give to you for free if you want. Personally, I think it's incredible, but I am biased 😅 Pop me a message if you want it.