Panic Attacks

I am watching Paula Deen on the Larry King show. I have never heard of her before, but apparently she is a well known cook. I really don't care about cooking shows, but what is making me interested in her story is her account of her panic attacks. She talked about having to breathe into a paper bag for years when a panic attack would come on, then being afraid of leaving her house (agoraphobia) and never letting on to anyone.

This touches home with me as I used to suffer from panic attacks. I was very young, in my early 20s, and they started one day as I was driving on the interstate. Later, I was to find that this is a common trigger for panic attacks. I remember that day I felt light headed and thought I was getting the flu. If only that had been the case.

I suffered with the attacks for about 5 years. I would get the palpitations, the cold sweats, the racing heart, the shallow breathing, and yes, I thought I was having a heart attack, a silly thought for a woman of 24. I was to the point I was starting to get afraid to go anywhere, and when I did go somewhere, I had to make sure I had an ecape route. I was disgusted with myself. I am a woman who loves to be out in the world, and it is hard to be out in the world when you have panic attacks and are bordering on agoraphobia.

I would read anything I could to figure out what was wrong with me. I didnt' want to go to a psychiatrist, as I was afraid to give up control. I was so young that I was afraid my parents would take over my life, if I couldn't control my life myself.

One day I found a marvelous book called Hope and Help for Your Nerves. It described panic attacks, even though I don't think they used that phrase--I don't think people talked about panic attacks yet. The book said to let the feelings wash over you, to not fight the panic. When you fight the panic, it gets worse.

I worked and worded at this, and eventually, I got desensitized to the panic attacks. And believe it or not, they went away. I was thrilled--I had my life back. They've been gone for a very long time. That isn't to say I don't still get a panic attack once in a while. But I remember to let the feelings wash over me, and they are gone before you know it.