Having suffered from the fear for most of my early twenties, a new description for an attack of the panics is always welcomed with failing limbs. Here's one from Kate, who reportedly suffered her first panic attack a month before the Oscars:
"I didn't know what it was. It was a little like when your water (breaks), and you think, 'Did I just pee a bit, or is this it?' I called my sister and said, 'I can't breathe, and I feel like I’ve got a brick on my chest and I'm seeing funny, and it sounds like everyone's talking to me in Hebrew.' She said, 'Yeah, that's a panic attack'."
Indeed it was. A mild one. Replace the "brick" feeling with a large, hairy man. Add the notion of never regaining sanity, and the belief you're about to drown upside down in a dark, dark sea, and that's your average attack. I had one that lasted a week once. Fun times. And the worst thing was, I simply presumed I was bats because the term "panic attack" was unfortunately foreign. The prospect of even talking to anyone about it was crippling; I couldn't possibly reveal what I perceived to be a weakness?! How ignorant, not to mention unnecessary.
In short, it's good to talk, people. So, in a bid to aid those who know little about panic attacks, let's discuss some common triggers. Trauma, unsurprisingly, is a prominent factor, but some of the other trip switches aren't so obvious. I find caffeine, bad hangovers, tiredness in general, stress, too much chocolate (yip, I must've been a sex pest in a prior life or something), and overconsumption of processed foods don't help matters. Oh, and any form of meth amphetamines or hallucinogens, but that goes without saying. From talking to others, I believe being suddenly thrust into florescent lights can also activate a wily, overactive adrenal gland... Indeed, the mind isn't lost - it just momentarily thinks it is thanks to an enthusiastic gland. And, once I learned that, the fear was a lot easier to handle.
I hope someone found that helpful, otherwise I've exposed myself needlessly and will shortly find someone in the office spiking my tea with a triple espresso.
