Page 1 of Panic Attacks...

Just had a weird experience this morning with my mate as he was dropping me off at work...

We were driving along the road chatting away and I noticed he was sweating. I didn`t think anything of it though as we`d been out the night before and I thought it was just the beer sweats.

Anyway, next thing I know he swings the car around (180) and pulls up on the other side of the road and starts shouting for me to get out of the car as he`s going to the hospital. This is all he kept saying to me when I was asking him if he was ok. Eventually (30 secs) he tells me to get back in the car and he`ll drop me off at work. He seemed fine afterwards but was he kept checking his pulse in his kneck. He said he`s had a few before but its the drink that brings them on. Me and none of my other mates knew anything about this! Just wondering if there is anything we can do?

Anyone else had a similar experience? I don`t know whether to tell my other mates about it or not???

"Life is like oral sex, one slip of the tongue and you`re in the 5hit" - Roy Chubby Brown

Sounds as if it could be a panic attack. I get them, often. He could try breathing into a paper (emphasise PAPER, otherwise he might suffocate himself) bag until he calms down. It does work.
I would get his heart checked by a doctor in case it is something "worse". seems as if he is worrying that he is having a heart attack, which it can feel like.
It is not your responsibility to tell his work mates, I don`t think.
Counselling to see what the underlying cause is also helps, if it is panic attacks. Or even talking to someone about them whilst having one helps a great deal.
They are awful, as they just come out of nowhere. I have never found a "trigger" for mine. they just "happen", out of the blue.

He definitely needs to go and see a doctor and get a thorough check up. It may be psychological but if it is a problem with his heart the sooner it is discovered the better.

Nick

Panic attacks are more common than people think.

Usually they are linked to depression, I should know as my wife suffers from both. All people I know that have or have had Panic Attacks are all being treated for depression.

Do you find that your friend suddenly pulls out of a pre-planned event for no (or a really silly sounding) reason?

Do you find that your friend gets flustered when late, or has a lot of time off work?

Basically there is no need for you to tell your other friends as this friend is probably very embarrased about it, most people are. If he wants people to know, and now that you have seen this he might, then he will tell them himself.

Meet The Wife

Have to echo what the bat said you should not tell your mates, however I would bring up the subject with yor friend and ask him if there is anything you could. Sometimes just the simple thing of someone else knowing about a problem lessens the impact or perception of it, much like the old saying "a problem shared etc"

Bat is also correct in stating the use of a paperbag this stops you getting to much oxygen into your blood stream"hyperventilation" this occurs when you breath rapid shallow breaths ie like a painic attack / hysteria.

Hope some of this helps...

This item was edited on Tuesday, 12th April 2005, 11:10

Quote:
Sounds as if it could be a panic attack. I get them, often.
Me too, but not as bad as the one described in this thread. I just get uncontrollable sweats, at random times. It`s the bane of my life, but I`ve learnt to control it to a point.

Quote:
Do you find that your friend gets flustered when late, or has a lot of time off work?
Sounds like me. :/ Actually, I`m quite glad to hear I`m not the only one. I`m usually quite a confident person, but this really knocks you back.

Just try not to make a big thing about it, and if you choose to bring it up pick your timing carefully. :)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 12th April 2005, 11:37

could be epilepsy. i have epilepsy and have similar bouts.

jc808

em.. i used to suffer from these mid 90s.. and the sole cause of mine were the previous 7 years of constant ecstacy use.. it took me quite a while to get over this..

is beer the only substance being necked?

Haggis`s story echoes mine, as I too suffered with them during the early 90`s .
I started with them suddenly one night and all I can say is it can be the scariest experience of your life.

What I was told about panic attacks is that because of the psychological nature of them they can mimic all kinds of things.My personal experience of an attack involved a heightened sense of my own heart beat rate and the left side of my chest tightening up(ie. felt pretty much like i was having a heart attack). I had them so bad I was having mild hallucinations because of the resulting irregular breathing patterns.

They began to happen regularly and so I went to the doctors and he basically mis-diagnosed me, as did the emergency doctor who was called out because of their continuation.
It took a `lowly` nurse,(In comparison to the supposedly more medically astute doctors),
to figure out what I was suffering from and immediately advised the breathing in and out of the bag trick. It worked a treat and basically that`s how I became rid, so that I very rarely suffer from them anymore.

Apparently it`s all to do with the levels of carbon dioxide you breathe in.

This item was edited on Sunday, 17th April 2005, 19:30