No, really, I had a panic attack. After a couple of years of not having a major one, here is what I learned.

The first thing that struck me about this particular panic attack was the ferocity – I mean this thing was big. Like a tsunami wave looming over me, I could feel it coming. But, despite it’s rapid onset, I never had the feeling that I would die or go crazy.

This is a 20 minute documentary video that follows the story of three people with panic disorder. The video is a little dated and somewhat cheesy, but the information it contains is up to date and useful.

It’s kind of hard to find good media about anxiety disorders, so I was glad to find this video and make it available to you. The bottom line of this short video is that panic disorder can be crippling, but it is also highly treatable.

The mind shift is the switch from normal thinking to saying to yourself something like, “oh no!” or “I’m going to die!”

It’s the dividing line between regular thoughts and panicked thoughts.

It’s easy to recognize this shift in thinking, and once you do it well, it can help you to reduce and shorten your bouts of anxiety and panic.

Now when you read the title of this post you might have thought “cope with a panic attack? Is that even possible?” It is kinda hard to understand how one could cope or negotiate with such a stressful and seemingly out of control event but it can be done.

Let’s start by looking at the word cope. To cope means to manage a taxing circumstance. The operative term being manage, not defeat, conquer, vanquish, etc. We have to start out with the understanding that we cope with anxiety and panic we don’t and cannot will it away or destroy it.

“In panic attacks feeling follows thought so swiftly it is as if thought and feeling are one ”

- Dr. Claire Weekes

So there you are lying in bed when all of a sudden your heart starts to pound and feels like it’s going to leap from your chest. You stop thinking and become overwhelmed by the physical sensations that started in your gut, back or chest. And in what seems like seconds you become convinced that you’re about to die.

photo credit: Funkytwostep

My first panic attack happened in the fall of 1999. I was 19 yrs old and having the time of my life. I was in school, had lots of friends, and partied all the time. On this particular night however, I was with two friends and we were having a few drinks. I went to the john and while I was sitting on the porcelain throne it came. It felt like someone poured hot water down my back, I then became disorientated. My heart rate increased dramatically and my palms became sweaty. I thought it was the alcohol so I jumped in the shower hoping that I could shake it off. Three hours later I was still on the roller coaster ride from hell, I really thought I was losing my mind.