Panic attacks

  

At Andy’s Man Club everything is confidential. ‘What is said in the meeting stays in the meeting.’ Men are there to share their problems and get support and advice.  But friendships are developed and WhatsApp conversations come thick and fast. A recent question by one fella led to a series of replies that were honest and open and show the wide range of personal difficulties that mental health brings. With their permission, I am publishing the exchanges in this blog.  

For the guys that have panic attacks, how did the first one start???

Mine was being in a place I didn't want to be and people telling me to calm down. It’s the words calm down that’s a trigger for me.

If I remember the first correctly, I had knots in my stomach then chest feeling like a heart attack, sweaty palms, sweaty face, feeling of the place becoming smaller and me becoming bigger. Itching and feeling paranoid. Hope you're OK mate.

Yeah, I’m ok, I went sweaty but it was more my body shutting down. Felt like I was going to pass out. Weak legs, aching head which was kind of vibrating, if that makes sense. It passed after 10-15 minutes. Then normal again. Doesn’t sound similar!

Everyone's attacks are different is what I've learned mate.

(Darren.)The very first one I had was on a train. I was stood up as I had a massive suitcase and my guitar. I remember it like it was yesterday. Out of nowhere, it was almost like in Spiderman when his Spidey sense goes off. It was like I could hear every conversation on the train, but at the same time, it felt like every conversation was about me. I could feel people's eyes burning into my skull (even though they weren't). I instantly started sweating, breathing became heavy and it was like all my muscles seized up. I got off the train and my t-shirt was wet through. Happened again in Asda recently. Ended up sat in my car for nearly an hour, crying in Asda car park. I always park at the back end of the car park whenever I go anywhere, so I have the walk to control my breathing and calm myself down where possible.

All I was doing was cooking, a simple task, and got confused about what I was doing, then that started.

Sometimes they're completely debilitating. Other times it's a little blip.

Have a little read on the difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack. Usually, an anxiety attack you'll see coming. Your mood will alter over the course of the day(s) and you'll be able to tell it is coming. Gives you time to separate yourself from certain things (work, kids, whatever you don't want it to affect).

There's no rule on it pal. Panic attacks don't always need a trigger. They just happen.

 Ok, thank you guys

100% true no rhyme or reason to them.

If you feel one coming on, grab some water, sit down for 5, and concentrate on your breathing. Deep in through the nose, slowly out through the mouth. Don't think about anything other than your breathing. It's tough, but it helps.

It happened so quickly though, I had no idea what was happening. Just felt like my body was giving up.

I get really hyper and can’t stop wanting to move. Feel like everything is 1000 miles an hour

(Richard.) I had been in bed for a week with exhaustion and stress. The skin on my face was peeling but I was determined to get well. I heard that the job I had worked for, all my life was available but I felt too ill to go for it. Slowly as the day went on I could feel the anxiety increasing in my body. I felt I was burning. I felt totally vulnerable and my wife got me to our GP for an emergency consultation. He prescribed a relaxant and I calmed down. I spent the next day in the garden and felt much better. I was determined to get back to work. That night halfway upstairs I had a feeling of utter exhaustion and then the panic came. Like a bolt of lightning through my chest and into my head. I've never been the same since. These days I can wake up in a panic and I have to keep moving. I pace up and down in my bedroom until the adrenaline rush has gone and then I try to get back to sleep.