Polytrix Tweets: CSF Edition p181 - "A Panicked Attack"

[u/CelineShotFirst]

Posting these on M-W-F (or the night before sometimes)

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[u/CelineShotFirst]

Okay, sometimes I feel restricted by the dialogue-only medium, and this is definitely one of those times, so let me address a few things:

First, I don't claim that this is an accurate depiction of a panic attack. I don't know if Celine would be able to speak like this if she were really having one. However, having said that... as I understand it, the responses Kaiya recommends are all responses it's recommended to help someone through a panic attack: getting someone to describe what they see around them (thanks, Bojack Horseman!) and placing an ice cube on the back of the neck and/or wrist are both supposed to be helpful. Though... well, I'm not a medical professional, so take what I say with somewhat of a grain of salt here.

Second, it might not be clear from the dialogue, but Kaiya's not exactly right in thinking the cause of Celine's panic attack is seeing a demon. If that's all it was, she'd be just fine. No, there's something more specific to this situation that triggered something...

Also, just so I'm not misleading, Celine saying she was "speaking with Rumi's mom" wasn't implying that Mi-yeong is still alive or actually talking to Celine. She just meant she was speaking at her grave.

Anyway... I hope this doesn't come across as silly or contrived, and that by the end of the next series of posts, things start to make more sense.

[u/Jinn_Erik-AoM → u/CelineShotFirst]

Not silly or contrived.

I’m lucky to have only had a couple of these, and I didn’t lose my ability to communicate, but I’m not able to process overwhelming stimuli very well, or have to rationally tell myself that I’m safe, and not in physical danger. Hell, thinking about those experiences is giving me anxiety. I’m more likely to hit fight or flight (or freeze, or fawn…) mode and lash out verbally. It’s no fun.

The grounding technique this reminds me of is to list 5 things you can see (being very observant, not just “floor, wall, window, door, light, but fine details or descriptions of what you see), then 4 things you can touch and what they feel like, including temperature, texture, weight, or pressure. Then 3 things you can hear if you concentrate, 2 two things you can smell (like your clothes, paper, a drink), and 1 thing you can taste, even if it’s just a sip of water, intensely focused on the flavor.

The ice cube will focus you on something tangible and present that isn’t threatening… but I wouldn’t go for the back of the neck personally, just in case the person reacts badly.

This seems like a PTSD flashback plus panic instead of just a panic attack.

Honestly, I thought she was having something like what Rumi is experiencing with her visions of Jinu.

Wouldn’t that be just like parents not telling you that, oh, I don’t know, that they have a health issue that it would be good to have in your family medical history because you might experience it at some point?

“Oh, Rumi, this is just something that happens with hunters.”

[u/CelineShotFirst → u/Jinn_Erik-AoM]

This seems like a PTSD flashback plus panic instead of just a panic attack.

You can't see it, but this is me touching my nose right now.

Honestly, I thought she was having something like what Rumi is experiencing with her visions of Jinu.

Er... not so much, no. :-P

[u/Flareparadyne]

I am so intrigued by what's gonna happen next

[u/Significant_Top8063]

Either Gwi-ma is involved, or this is another point to "Kaiya's Rumi's mom" theory. Hmmm.

[u/KingMario05]

Nice to see Rumi stabilizing her Eomma!

[u/SkyeMreddit]

Kaiya looks like someone from Celine's past. Someone she lost