Is this normal? Panic Attacks...Please Help!

[SimplyyJoyful]

I won't go into details because I don't think that I am allowed to within this section, but I was sexually assaulted 4 years ago. After it happened I would have panic attacks quite a few times a week, I would be afraid to fall asleep around others because of how I would react to them. Two years later I stopped having them, but as of this year they started coming back. Sometimes it happens when I am sleep and sometimes when I'm up. When I am sleep If I feel like I'm being chocked and it caused me to have one. The closer to the anniversary of it the worse it gets. I have been having them since June. Only one person knows that I have them but no one knows why I have them. The guy used to be my best friend and we shared classes together in college and I stopped going because I couldn't take seeing him everyday as if nothing happened. We still live in the same neighborhood and all.

I am not sure what to do, I thought about talking to one of my friends about it, but I don't want to cry or have a panic attack

 

[Sailor Kenshin]

I won't go into details because I don't think that I am allowed to within this section, but I was sexually assaulted 4 years ago. After it happened I would have panic attacks quite a few times a week, I would be afraid to fall asleep around others because of how I would react to them. Two years later I stopped having them, but as of this year they started coming back. Sometimes it happens when I am sleep and sometimes when I'm up. When I am sleep If I feel like I'm being chocked and it caused me to have one. The closer to the anniversary of it the worse it gets. I have been having them since June. Only one person knows that I have them but no one knows why I have them. The guy used to be my best friend and we shared classes together in college and I stopped going because I couldn't take seeing him everyday as if nothing happened. We still live in the same neighborhood and all.

I am not sure what to do, I thought about talking to one of my friends about it, but I don't want to cry or have a panic attack

Not everyone understands how bad this feels, but hiding it makes you more fearful and more likely to have an attack.

They are horrible and debilitating but you can get through them. Mild physical exercise sometimes helps. Or talking to yourself. Or calming sorts of prayers.

Good luck.

 

[J0SHUA]

Sorry to hear about that. Yes it is normal to have panic attacks while sleeping. That used to happen to me all of the time. You're right, talking about it can lead to flashbacks and panic attacks, but from my experience, if you keep talking and writing about it, you will feel that it's out in the open, making the memory less private and therefore less disturbing. I used to never dare to think of my trauma and would stay away from anything that would remind me of it and now I can think of the whole trauma and it's barely affecting me. I get a tiny cringe inside but no panic or pure rejection of the thoughts.

I used these things mainly to get where I now am: time, forgiveness (imagine your assaulter walking up to you and sincerely begging for forgiveness and forgive him), and recently, EMDR/EFT. I was skeptical about EFT, but I was doing it yesterday and I've been able to think about my trauma without any overwhelming feelings -- even with the worst parts. I get a small cringe when thinking of the worst parts now when before tapping, my face felt like it was going to melt and I'd feel adrenaline shooting all throughout my body. I read that if you keep tapping it will eventually go away completely and has helped many recover. That is what EFT does. It's supposed to change your reaction to your trauma so that it doesn't bother you, and from my experience it has worked. I have also read of others not being bothered by some really brutal memories after practicing it a lot. The thoughts aren't completely non-disturbing yet and still make me cringe inside a bit, but I'm going to continue using it. It has definitely made a difference compared to before I did it. Check out my post here and try it: http://www.christianforums.com/t7780011/

 

[ProverbsLady]

Hi there -

I have a very similar experience. I couldn't take the nightmares so I went to counseling and now I'm in mindfulness based therapy.
I can't tell you how much seeing someone has helped me...I'm able to function like a human being again

If you need someone to talk to, I'm here.

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Sorry to hear about that. Yes it is normal to have panic attacks while sleeping. That used to happen to me all of the time. You're right, talking about it can lead to flashbacks and panic attacks, but from my experience, if you keep talking and writing about it, you will feel that it's out in the open, making the memory less private and therefore less disturbing. I used to never dare to think of my trauma and would stay away from anything that would remind me of it and now I can think of the whole trauma and it's barely affecting me. I get a tiny cringe inside but no panic or pure rejection of the thoughts.

I used these things mainly to get where I now am: time, forgiveness (imagine your assaulter walking up to you and sincerely begging for forgiveness and forgive him), and recently, EMDR/EFT. I was skeptical about EFT, but I was doing it yesterday and I've been able to think about my trauma without any overwhelming feelings -- even with the worst parts. I get a small cringe when thinking of the worst parts now when before tapping, my face felt like it was going to melt and I'd feel adrenaline shooting all throughout my body. I read that if you keep tapping it will eventually go away completely and has helped many recover. That is what EFT does. It's supposed to change your reaction to your trauma so that it doesn't bother you, and from my experience it has worked. I have also read of others not being bothered by some really brutal memories after practicing it a lot. The thoughts aren't completely non-disturbing yet and still make me cringe inside a bit, but I'm going to continue using it. It has definitely made a difference compared to before I did it. /[/url]

Thanks so much! I have actually heard of the method before, but heard that it's a form of self-hypnosis is that true or is it something different? Thanks again!

 

[J0SHUA]

Thanks so much! I have actually heard of the method before, but heard that it's a form of self-hypnosis is that true or is it something different? Thanks again!

It seems like it, but no, not really. The upset you get from a memory is not from the memory itself -- it's from a disruption of energy in your body after thinking about the memory. Then that energy disruption leads to PTSD symptoms. So if you fix the energy disruption (that's where EFT comes in) you will stop PTSD symptoms. Basically, you will think of your trauma the same way you think of what you did yesterday (assuming you did something normal and non-traumatic). If you're serious about EFT and overcoming your PTSD, go here, and read every link starting from Introduction and read it all in order. You will need some free time for this. You can't just do certain parts or the EFT won't be as effective. MAIN MENU

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Thanks! I will definitely look into it this week!

 

[J0SHUA]

No problem. Try to build a confident attitude and some motivation. It will help with your recovery

 

[J0SHUA]

Actually, I don't think you have to start from the very beginning, but you can start on Part 1 (What is EFT)

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Thanks

 

[LittleH]

I just wanted to say that I completely understand how distressing and frightening panic attacks are. I have ptsd, which I am currently being treated for, but it is still very early in my treatment and I still get panic attacks. I would recommend seeing a therapist to deal with this but this has to be your choice - no one can force you. I have one friend who knows a little about my past traumas and when I found that she still cared about me and didn't see me differently, it made going to therapy easier.

I'll be praying for you.

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Thanks so much for your prayers they are greatly appreciated! There is some past trauma that has caused me to have the panic attacks. I do believe talking with someone will help me greatly

 

[J0SHUA]

Thanks so much for your prayers they are greatly appreciated! There is some past trauma that has caused me to have the panic attacks. I do believe talking with someone will help me greatly

Your trauma doesn't have to bother you.. my last therapist told me you won't forget a trauma but you can change the way you react to it. He is right with that statement, did you look into eft? Talking won't help that much if it bothers you a lot. I couldn't even talk about mine completely and my mind felt so blurred. It feels good to get it out but you're risking flashbacks. I was talking to an eft practitioner over the phone yesterday and he said you need to practice tapping on very specific details of your trauma. They call those aspects. I found out that there were 2 beyond disturbing visual images and 1 beyond disturbing sound I was mostly struggling with. Those are what would give me panic attacks and every time I saw a knife or a screwdriver or heard the word murder I'd have flashbacks. This got better with time but they still bothered me a lot so I tapped on those specific details (aspects) and I'm fine now. I tapped on my triggers and reminders (knives, screwdrivers, and the word murder) because they're specific things that bothered me. I'm not over it 100% yet but I'm still practicing and it is improving. You want to be as detailed and specific as possible on what you tap on. For example, tapping on, "my trauma is disturbing but I accept myself" is too broad, but, "the sound of a man being bludgeoned to death is disturbing but I accept myself" will get at the roots and stop the traumatic symptoms. Whatever the memories are that bother you most you must tap on. It takes time and patience and I'm still learning so my advice would be to read that EFT tutorial A LOT. My angry mood swings are mostly gone as well. We need to take advantage of this site, because most sites like that make you pay for a program. All I really feel now is a strong general anxiety and emotional numbness. The videos they have in some of the tutorial pages are helpful too. God bless I hope it works out for you. Sorry if that was graphic earlier but it's very important that you're detailed. Also make sure you're only tapping on one memory at a time, and save the other memories for a different session. You can't switch between memories while tapping or it won't be effective. You'll read all about this stuff in the tutorial. If you are seeing a therapist definitely ask him/her about eft. I'll be praying for you

 

[J0SHUA]

Also if you're already upset or having flashbacks over your trauma, you don't need to get detailed because it's already on your mind. That's when you'd tap on a statement like this: "these disturbing thoughts" or "this disturbing memory." No need to say detailed things in this situation because it's already there overwhelming you.

 

[nathanielb1984]

I have been in contact with a lot of people that underwent such an experience, and some of them do get panic attacks. Now you mentioned that you had them in the past.....then you started getting them again.....could there have been some sort of a trigger? Apart from seeing this person I mean?

On the top of my head I can suggest two things

A/ Working with a psychotherapist or even a hynotherapist may alleviate the severity of the reaction when such thoughts crop us

B/ It seems to me that you never got closure to this horrible incident....things will get better if you get some sort of closure.

In any case...I sincerely hope that you will feel better...and I am sorry that human beings have to go through these episodes in life.....truly shameful

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Your trauma doesn't have to bother you.. my last therapist told me you won't forget a trauma but you can change the way you react to it. He is right with that statement, did you look into eft? Talking won't help that much if it bothers you a lot. I couldn't even talk about mine completely and my mind felt so blurred. It feels good to get it out but you're risking flashbacks. I was talking to an eft practitioner over the phone yesterday and he said you need to practice tapping on very specific details of your trauma. They call those aspects. I found out that there were 2 beyond disturbing visual images and 1 beyond disturbing sound I was mostly struggling with. Those are what would give me panic attacks and every time I saw a knife or a screwdriver or heard the word murder I'd have flashbacks. This got better with time but they still bothered me a lot so I tapped on those specific details (aspects) and I'm fine now. I tapped on my triggers and reminders (knives, screwdrivers, and the word murder) because they're specific things that bothered me. I'm not over it 100% yet but I'm still practicing and it is improving. You want to be as detailed and specific as possible on what you tap on. For example, tapping on, "my trauma is disturbing but I accept myself" is too broad, but, "the sound of a man being bludgeoned to death is disturbing but I accept myself" will get at the roots and stop the traumatic symptoms. Whatever the memories are that bother you most you must tap on. It takes time and patience and I'm still learning so my advice would be to read that EFT tutorial A LOT. My angry mood swings are mostly gone as well. We need to take advantage of this site, because most sites like that make you pay for a program. All I really feel now is a strong general anxiety and emotional numbness. The videos they have in some of the tutorial pages are helpful too. God bless I hope it works out for you. Sorry if that was graphic earlier but it's very important that you're detailed. Also make sure you're only tapping on one memory at a time, and save the other memories for a different session. You can't switch between memories while tapping or it won't be effective. You'll read all about this stuff in the tutorial. If you are seeing a therapist definitely ask him/her about eft. I'll be praying for you

I haven't looked into it as of yet, but I still do plan to look into it as soon as I am able to sit down and watch it all the way though. It wasn't too graphic. As crazy as it may sound I already experience a part of the numbness, but that bothers me as well. I definitely will give it a try, the only thing that I may have a problem is, if I am tapping it I won't push myself to be detailed, and I will mentally remove myself from the problem while talking about it on tape, but I am not able to do so while having the panic attack, but apart of me doesn't want to remove myself from the situation, I want to deal with it "head on"....I understand what tiggers the panic attacks and flashback while I am up but the thing that bothers me the most are the panic attacks while I am sleeping. I am definitely going to watch the videos and try it though I plan on being able to it between tonight and tomorrow. A part of me talking about it is then I can't completely ignore or avoid the problems like I have been doing now.

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

I have been in contact with a lot of people that underwent such an experience, and some of them do get panic attacks. Now you mentioned that you had them in the past.....then you started getting them again.....could there have been some sort of a trigger? Apart from seeing this person I mean?

On the top of my head I can suggest two things

A/ Working with a psychotherapist or even a hynotherapist may alleviate the severity of the reaction when such thoughts crop us

B/ It seems to me that you never got closure to this horrible incident....things will get better if you get some sort of closure.

In any case...I sincerely hope that you will feel better...and I am sorry that human beings have to go through these episodes in life.....truly shameful

The person moved back into the neighborhood, and threaten me recently that that he was going to finish what he started, but I started having them after their son was born (his child and girl friend) lives next door to me but I am not sure if that had anything to do with it though. I mean I knew she was pregnant and that it was his child before the child was born. I am not sure what has happened other than that, that would cause it to come back. I personally don't believe in using hypnosis, but thanks for the suggestion though I appreciate it. I haven't gotten closure, all I have done is buried the problem and seems like it just came back out of no where. Thanks I appreciate your support and I agree with you

 

[J0SHUA]

I haven't looked into it as of yet, but I still do plan to look into it as soon as I am able to sit down and watch it all the way though. It wasn't too graphic. As crazy as it may sound I already experience a part of the numbness, but that bothers me as well. I definitely will give it a try, the only thing that I may have a problem is, if I am tapping it I won't push myself to be detailed, and I will mentally remove myself from the problem while talking about it on tape, but I am not able to do so while having the panic attack, but apart of me doesn't want to remove myself from the situation, I want to deal with it "head on"....I understand what tiggers the panic attacks and flashback while I am up but the thing that bothers me the most are the panic attacks while I am sleeping. I am definitely going to watch the videos and try it though I plan on being able to it between tonight and tomorrow. A part of me talking about it is then I can't completely ignore or avoid the problems like I have been doing now.

Are you saying you're afraid you won't be able to get detailed because it will give you a panic attack and you will be too overwhelmed? They teach that as soon as you feel ANY intensity at all in your memory, you must stop immediately before continuing your recall of the memory and tap on what bothered you. Then, once you get over that, you can continue and stop again when you reach another area too intense. Then tap on that, etc. It says that the person with the traumatic memory will want to attack the whole thing head on all at once, but that must be avoided. The tutorial covers something like that. This is based off of my memory of reading it for hours yesterday so definitely go through it when you can to make sure you get accurate information before trying it. It tells you what to do if someone has a melt down or strong reactions to their memory during EFT. I believe it said to just do generalized tapping, without details, because like I said in the last post it will already be there so there's no need to bring up details if you're panicking over it. So instead of using avoidance (which for me just causes memory problems) you would use general EFT without aspects. You'll read in one of the tutorial pages that EFT cured a lot of soldier's nightmares and panic attacks. That will be you (minus the soldier part), you just need the time and patience. I used to get night terrors all of the time and they are very rare now and recently I don't think I've been having any

 

[nathanielb1984]

The person moved back into the neighborhood, and threaten me recently that that he was going to finish what he started, but I started having them after their son was born (his child and girl friend) lives next door to me but I am not sure if that had anything to do with it though. I mean I knew she was pregnant and that it was his child before the child was born. I am not sure what has happened other than that, that would cause it to come back. I personally don't believe in using hypnosis, but thanks for the suggestion though I appreciate it. I haven't gotten closure, all I have done is buried the problem and seems like it just came back out of no where. Thanks I appreciate your support and I agree with you

What you said about his girlfriend lives next door to you....that is a huge trigger and there is definitely no closure, my friend. But most importantly....you said he threatened you? I think he is abusing of your good nature because you won't report this incident to the police or to his girlfriend!!!

You have two options:

A/ Report the crime to the police, even though the incident happened 4 years ago, they must still investigate. However this is your last resort....this will result in quite an earthquake.
Plus evidence will be very limited 4 years after

B/ Realise that what happened, happened to another person....you have become much stronger.....and much more mature since that episode.

My friend, I would suggest that you invest in your security though.

Whatever your decision, you must get closure....without closure.....you're going to be stuck in that moment.....move on friend.....move on....

 

[SimplyyJoyful]

Are you saying you're afraid you won't be able to get detailed because it will give you a panic attack and you will be too overwhelmed? They teach that as soon as you feel ANY intensity at all in your memory, you must stop immediately before continuing your recall of the memory and tap on what bothered you. Then, once you get over that, you can continue and stop again when you reach another area too intense. Then tap on that, etc. It says that the person with the traumatic memory will want to attack the whole thing head on all at once, but that must be avoided. The tutorial covers something like that. This is based off of my memory of reading it for hours yesterday so definitely go through it when you can to make sure you get accurate information before trying it. It tells you what to do if someone has a melt down or strong reactions to their memory during EFT. I believe it said to just do generalized tapping, without details, because like I said in the last post it will already be there so there's no need to bring up details if you're panicking over it. So instead of using avoidance (which for me just causes memory problems) you would use general EFT without aspects. You'll read in one of the tutorial pages that EFT cured a lot of soldier's nightmares and panic attacks. That will be you (minus the soldier part), you just need the time and patience. I used to get night terrors all of the time and they are very rare now and recently I don't think I've been having any

Oh okay thanks for explaining that to me I appreciate, I definitely feel more confident and better to read through and try it tonight.