Joeku
I went through about 10 years of severe anxiety attacks. At their peak I was having anywhere from three to eleven of them a day. And yes, they can hurt, I would convulse and pass out during the worst of them. I was put on Xanax, which helped somewhat. Don't be confused by the seeming randomness of the attacks. The danger is that it's easy to develop aversions (if you have one at a mall you might start to avoid public places). What you are doing/where you are at the time of onset is not usually what triggers the attack. The physical reason why it's happening is that your brain is triggering your *flight or fight* response. So blood flow is decreased to the extremities (that tingly feeling). Digestion is halted (nausea/rumbling bowel). Your heart rate will increase due the adrenaline being pumped through your system. This can also cause shaking and a feeling of being either hot or cold (or both). None of these things will kill you, despite how it might feel at the time. Most attacks will pass in about 20 mins of onset. What I was taught was to go someplace quiet, sit and breath slowly and deeply until it passes. This does work. Eventually, I suppose because I knew what was actually happening and it had happened enough that I knew I would recover, the attacks stopped. Nearly as suddenly as they started. I've not had one for years now. Mine were related (so I was told) to post traumatic stress. Though they started years after the trauma. Also I'm not neuro-typical (meaning my brain is not wired normally, nor is it chemically normal). I have Asperger's, but to my knowledge that's not what in itself, could cause the attacks. Stress played a far greater factor. See your Doctor, there are very effective medications and treatments available.
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