Looking back on it, I can now identify that I had my first panic attack when I was a Senior in high school but I didn't have a second one until several years later. The causes, triggers, and symptoms of panic attacks can vary dramatically for different people. Check this site for several good resources to learn more.
For me, the strangest part of the experience is knowing intellectually that there is nothing wrong at all but feeling in imminent danger. I knew it was not real...but it seemed so real. I tell people that if I had not experienced this myself I would think it was entirely in a sufferer's head. Pretend. Make believe. There is a real physical reaction to the trigger, neurons start firing, and, at least in my experience, no matter how sure you are that everything is fine your body just doesn't believe it.
The most helpful thing for me was to know that my wife Tracy believed me when I said it was real. It didn't make the attacks stop, but it helped me know that I wasn't losing my mind. Having a supportive spouse made a huge difference. If you know someone who has panic attacks, please start to help by simply believing it's real.
The second most helpful thing for me was medicine. It doesn't work for everyone, but for me a very low does of an anxiety medicine has done the trick. It has been years since I've had a signficant attack.
Finally, it's important to be able to talk about it. Panic attacks can be very debilitating. I'm really fortunate that even at their worst my panic attacks were better than what many others have experienced. Regardless of the severity, panic attacks are like any other medical condition. They can be treated and in many cases cured or completely managed. They are also more common than most people know and absolutely not something that should have a stigma associated with them. Hopefully my sharing will help you or someone you know feel a little less "anxious" about anxiety issues like panic attacks.
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