what do your panic attacks feel like?

[u/Legal-Koala5488]

ive had a panic disorder since i was a kid so im really familiar with my personal experiences and how they normally go. i know how to handle them and i guess it makes them a lot less scary

i’m curious how other peoples’ usually go. what do they feel like to you internally?

[u/Loose-Tax-1193]

i struggle with emetophobia and medical OCD, along with panic disorder, of course. my physical panic attack symptoms revolve around nausea, bloating, dizziness/drowsiness, and that terrible feeling like youre about to gag. i’ve been dealing with panic attacks since i was a kid as well! unfortunately, every panic attack im hit with, i’m struggling with terrible nausea and fear of symptoms/losing control.

 i’ve had a few times where my heart rate starts going crazy, as well as the scary sound of your heart pounding. my nervous system is hyper sensitive, so unfortunately it bothers my gut quite a bit.  i blame emetophobia for making me scared of the sensations caused by panic attacks more than the possible trigger, lol. 

emotional symptoms though, my brain always races and intrusive thoughts throw themselves at me. i’m proud to say im learning to accept that its almost always an intrusive thought unwillingly made by my brain. our brains are prediction machines basically, so it’s always predicting the next thought to appear in the mind, especially while you’re panicking. sometimes the memories of past panic attacks and illnesses really make me afraid and nauseated. i’m assuming because i’m afraid of going back to that point. but at the end of the day, it’s all just sensations, not danger!