help
Edit: thank you. You people are kind as hell.
Everything will be okay.
Focus on 5 things you can see, name em
Then 4 things you can hear, name them
Then 3 things you can touch, name them
Then 2 things you smell, name em
And then the hard one… 1 thing you can taste lolIt will pass. If you’ve ever had a panic attack you will know this. It doesn’t feel like it will, cause well you’re having a panic attack. It really does stop, eventually.
That helped a bit, ty
If you breathe deeply and slowly with your diaphragm, you can slow your heart rate down and help your brain slow down. This works cause your heart is surrounded by a sac that’s attached to your diaphragm and it rests right on it. There’s a physiological basis. You can look up box breathing, but it’s just breath in 5 seconds (in through nose like your sniffing a flower that smells really good), hold for 2, out through your mouth for 5 seconds (like your blowing out a candle), then hold for 1 and repeat. Your heart rate slowing will help tell your brain that you are safe.
I’m a big fan of the Zen breathing technique. In thru your nose, working the diaphragm from the bottom to the top of your lungs until you can feel that you cant take in any more air, then out thru the mouth. Do this continuously with no breaks between breaths.
That’s not panic, that’s your inner owl resisting the chains of your oppression! You are strong and powerful, you are capitalism’s greatest fear! Cast off the dirt of your oppressors! Imagine yourself bathing under a loud rushing waterfall, the white noise drowning out all your distractions, welcoming you to a state of serenity. The cold water is flowing over your feathers, washing away your worries and centering yourself in the peaceful understand that this moment is perfect and everything is as it should be! You are mighty, you are Ultra Owl!
Lmao I love that comic. What a little monster
I’ve looked forward to reading both your piss posts and deeply empathetic posts for 4 years now. we haven’t really talked beyond comments here and there, but you’re appreciated and I hope whatever has it’s grips on you now passes
if you ever need anything you know ive always had your back.
Whats up pal? you know you make everyone here laugh. like if my day is shit you make it better.
Sorry dude. ive had like 4 beers. but you get it.
You fuckin rule dude
Yeah, I think I’ll be okay. I just get existential panic sometimes about things beyond my control, like I start thinking things like “What if a family member gets really ill and I can’t help them” and other such doomsday scenarios. It fucking sucks.
yeah i get that fuckin shit too. Youre not a psychopath, congratulations.
That’s kind of a good way to think of it. It’s proof I care about people I guess lol
i mean i was pretty short there, but only someone fundamentally goodhearted would even be talking about the stuff you are friend.
Everyone here likes you, thats not a fluke
News coming up at the top of the hour; everything’s going to be just fine. Feelings are temporary and can’t hurt you, take some deep breaths and find something calming to focus on. You’re gonna be ok.
Hi, I’ve had a gazillion panic attacks, the only thing that really works for me is trying to distract my brain as fast as possible and get out of panic mode. Later on when you’re feeling calm you can reflect on the source of The Panic and remind you’re brain that everything is mostly fine or sort through whatever was causing the attack. Hopefully you’re already feeling better but do whatever you need to stop the immediate attack and then focus on resting and recovering if you can.
You’re good, everything is okay
Try doing something enjoyable today once you’re out of the freeze, it can be something small like listening to music you like.
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
I LEND YOU MY ENERGY!
(These new emojis are amazing, thank you @WhyEssEff@hexbear.net
)
Welcome backThanks so much!
You’re good. I have a friend with anxiety and it helps him when you give him inconsequential dilemmas to ponder. Takes his mind off things. I’ve written out four of such for you, in case it helps you too.
One
If you had to choose between all liquids tasting and feeling like throwup or whenever you sweat, you sweat mayonnaise, which would you pick?
two
You’re sailing on a wooden ship for decades and decades. Over time things fall off and are repaired, replaced or improved. The mast has been swapped out several times. You’ve even replaced the keel at one point. When you finish your journey you’re famous across the world, and even though you’ve abandoned your ship, people still sail it in your honor. They take it for a yearly voyage, and this becomes a tradition spanning centuries. Over time the ship needs repairs and replacements, even the keel gets swapped out. After some hundred years, with parts swapped one after the other, was it still the same ship? Was it still the ship of Dirt-Owl?
If it isn’t, when did it stop being the ship of Dirt_Owl? What if someone picked up all the old parts that had been cast aside and used them to build another ship, would that then be the ship of Dirt_Owl?
What if your ship sank during your voyage and you got a new ship. Then, centuries later, the wreck of your old ship is found and restored and also brought on for the yearly voyage. Which would be the ship of Dirt_Owl? Is there one that is it more than the other?
What if the ship of Dirt_Owl sinks on one of the yearly voyages, but no one but the crew knows. The crew then, despondent, decide to create a perfect replica of the ship, which they manage to do. They finish their voyage and everyone believes they are on the ship of Dirt_Owl, everyone but the crew. Would that ship be a different ship or would it be the ship of Dirt_Owl? What if the crew considers it to be the same ship? What if the process described above (sinking and restoring) happens for the ship that sank in this scenario?
What if its not a ship, but it’s you? Far out in the future, all parts of the body are replaceable. Is there a point where you would stop being you? Would that point have any correlation with replacements or would it be a completely separate process?
three
If you were a cheese, what kind of cheese would you be?
four
You can have dinner with any historical character that we know existed, live or dead. Which do you pick? What if it’s also all mythological characters?
Oh I would absolutely be the stinkiest cheese
You don’t seem like a stinky person though, and you’ve got broad appeal. Stinky cheeses are very niche and kinda require that people really take their time to get used to them. I don’t think you’re like that, you’re very approachable.
Maybe you’re an aged havarti - It’s a cheese type that’s loved by most, but it still has an edge to it
Hey comrade. I saw this a bit late so hopefully you’re already recovering, but I get panic attacks too so I totally understand. One thing that I like to do is try to pick something that matches every letter of the alphabet. You could do like, animals…A is anteater, B is buffalo, etc. Just go through the alphabet thinking of a themed thing you like for each letter. It helps remove the brain from that panic state and it helps you think of a set of things you like. Just one more tip for next time that I know helps me.
Good luck comrade we’re all in this shit together
Breathe slowly. You’re safe. There is no need to be upset.
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
It will pass and you’ll feel better soon. Stand up slowly. Sip some cold water. Splash a little on your face to send some extra blood to your brain. Sit or lay back down. Get comfy. Breathe deep and easy. Ride the fucker out. You have the skills and endurance. This isn’t nothing to be worried about. It’ll go away soon. You’re past the crescendo. You’re on a boat that just went through rough water. The boat is still rocking but the water is getting calmer and calmer as you get further away from the rapids.
When I have a panic attack, I’ll keep circling through all sorts of doomsday scenarios looking for what could be the problem that justifies the panic I’m feeling, and generally fixate in on one that I can’t fix, especially not one I can fix in the middle of the night during a panic attack.
And it’s helped me a lot to acknowledge this, and just be like “okay I’m feeling panic for no reason, let’s just pay attention to that for a while instead of trying to attach it to something external.” And then I just sit there for a while, feeling overwhelmed and scared of nothing in particular, refusing to let it become about something in particular, and then it stops pretty quickly on its own because that’s dumb.
Another strategy is to just pick something actionable and simple, worry about it for a bit, and then go fix it. What if there’s something moldy in your fridge, you could get sick. Did you forget to check the mail today, what if there’s something important you missed. Those are easy enough to fix, so if you convince yourself that’s the thing you’re worried about, you can just solve it. (I don’t recommend this if you find yourself doing it multiple times in one panic attack though, that’s not a healthy path either.)
