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Something about the gagging stopping the panic attack. I did try it once and it seemed to help. Fortunately, I haven't had panic attacks in many years. They're awful.
Camaro69, thanks! Lowering the head is a decent suggestion and I'll let her know. It might work, might not, but worth a try. Thanks!
jonesg, she has always been a worrier, but now she has some major problems going on in her life, so she's even more stressed. She's been seeing this therapist for a couple of months off and on now and she really likes him. Maybe he can help her. I hope so.
Depends how honest the patient can be.
Not always cut and dry. I had a hard time because i didnt know i was lying to myself.
She has been through a lot of stress lately and started seeing a psychologist.
He has given her breathing exercises to help with her stress and shortness of breath. (she's been tested for her shortness of breath and there's nothing physically wrong with her) She just can't seem to get enough air and even on the phone I hear her drawing in big breaths.
Other than breathing exercises, are there other things you can suggest for her to try that worked for you?
I went through a period of panic attacks. Miserable! One of the sensations was shortness of breath. Its a vicious reactive cycle. When panicked, you tend to take fast, short shallow breaths instead of deep more effective ones. The more you panic, the more you hyperventilate, which messes up your oxygen/carbon dioxide balance, the less air you feel you are getting, the more you panic. There isn't actually anything wrong with her breathing. I'd suspect her "breathing exercises" have more to do with trying to slow everything down, relaxing, and breaking out of the cycle.
I went through a period of panic attacks. Miserable! One of the sensations was shortness of breath. Its a vicious reactive cycle. When panicked, you tend to take fast, short shallow breaths instead of deep more effective ones. The more you panic, the more you hyperventilate, which messes up your oxygen/carbon dioxide balance, the less air you feel you are getting, the more you panic. There isn't actually anything wrong with her breathing. I'd suspect her "breathing exercises" have more to do with trying to slow everything down, relaxing, and breaking out of the cycle.
Yeh, just breathing into a paper bag can put the brakes on the cycle of hyperventilation.
In order to slow a car we take our foot off the gas first...
Then step on the brake.
Does your friend drink coffee or tea? Energy drinks or caffeinated sofa?
Caffeine can cause panic attacks. You don't expect it because you've been drinking x cups every day for years with no ill effects. But one day, you can't tolerate it any more.
Happened to me in London. Shortness of breath, the sincere and utter conviction I was about to die...
Later I remembered the seven cups of tea I'd downed that morning while waiting for DH.
A friend of ours went out running and pulled up short, convinced he was dying. He got himself to the emergency room and they ran a battery of tests. His heart was fine. His diet was not. He was drinking a ridiculous amount of Mountain Dew every day. Had to stop that.
He and I were both in our mid-forties when that happened.
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