Personal Narrative: Panic Attacks

I was sitting in a blue chair in the kitchen, confused. My brother was sitting to my right. I looked into my dad’s eyes; they were pained and full of sadness. He started speaking to us, but I only remember hearing the last sentence: “Dadi has a terminal neurological condition, called PSP.” Shock rushed through my body as I processed his words. Every memory of my grandparents, living life to the fullest within their quaint house in the Pittsburgh suburbs, rushed through my mind as I tried to hold on to the past.

A panic attack is a sudden feeling of a very strong fear or extreme inconvenience and discomfort, which is usually described as a feeling that something bad will happen - the person feels that is going to die, lose control, crash or go mad. The attacks usually do not last longer than half an hour, but they reach their peak within a few minutes. However, the subjective feeling is that they last forever. Some of the symptoms that appear during these attacks are: accelerated heart rate; digestive distress; feeling damping or dizziness; breathlessness; pressure in the chest; tingling or numbness of some body parts; feeling of great heat in body; feeling of loss of touch with reality; feeling insecure; fear of death or life-threatening situation;

It always started and ended with a stirring, deep in her belly. The candle sitting in her core had been spontaneously lit and the fire was gradually growing, standing taller and spreading a slow heat in her chest. Instinctively, she pulled her gut in, attempting to suffocate the flame, but realized that the effort was futile as her fingers began to tremble. Not now, she thought. What could it have possibly been this time? She knew that the question had no exact answer as she recalled the article that she had read months before, “Anxiety attacks usually occur suddenly and without warning.” Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if her senses had betrayed her, if some part of her had picked up something in the crowded room that had served as a

When I was little, I was suffering with illness anxiety disorder. A minor symptom or body sensation would easily make me think that I have some kind of serious illnesses. It was all started back when was six, when my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer. He died after a year battle with cancer. However, everything changed when I was in the summer of third grade, when I noticed that one of my breasts was unusually bigger than the other. I didn’t tell my parent after a while because I did not like the idea of going to the hospital. I hated hospitals, I hated the smell and the feelings of being there; the last time I was there was when I was visiting my grandpa.

Small things can be the catalyst for these triggers, forcing us to make decisions in haste that we would not have rationally made if we felt more in control. The attacks can affect relationships, work/business, and our ability to spend quality relaxing time.

Everyone gets nervous every once in a while. Whether they have to present in front of a certain amount of people, or going out with someone you just met. I, on the other hand, get nervous over the smallest of daily tasks. I was in denial that I was nervous about such tasks until I had been diagnosed with anxiety about a year ago.

CM met with consumer at CREST to complete transfer paperwork. CM inquired into consumer’s medications. Consumer reported no adverse side effects. Consumer was appreciative. CM had client fill out QOL as part of completing transfer paperwork. CM explained to consumer that she will continue with her PCP in regards to her medications. Consumer stated understands and agreed to the same. Consumer reported that when she went to the hospital to check herself after she thought she may have a heart attack due to pain in her chest. Consumer reported that everything went well and she was having a panic attack. Consumer stated that she was supposed to go to the Court in regard to the property between her and her ex-fiancé. Consumer stated that she was upset and anxious and that is why she had the panic attack.

The late 50’s were a time of hysteria for the baby boomer generation. The source of hysteria was a hip thrusting, heartthrob by the name of Elvis Presley. He captivated audiences and women and would hold their attention for decades more. One of the many girls he charmed went by the name Sheila Cassidy. A girl who went on to marry a man, solely on a resemblance to her teenage dream. This girl turned into a woman and went on to become a mother and later a grandmother. Grandmother to me. She went on to do things in her life, but never forgot her first love, and his death brought a new kind of hysteria upon her. Elvis became immortal to her. She continued on in her life, but her one regret was never taking the time to go to Elvis’ home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. His home, forever protected by a thick layer of nostalgia.

Annie states that the Agoraphobia is a result of her overthinking how people view her. Throughout the interview, Annie often demonstrates how she thinks others view her—“why did she just run out” or “she is crazy”. During the interview, it becomes clear that Annie is mainly afraid of judgment by other people.

Hey it’s me Audrey. I thought i'd talk about something that happened to me along time ago which is when I first got social anxiety. I’m so happy because I have finally been cured from anxiety and I can talk to knew people all the time! Ill tell you about that another time though. I am now 17 years old and I can’t believe that it's been 3 years since all of this happened.

When I was younger I loved school more than anything, the only thing I was worried about was understanding fractions. I had nothing to worry about except disappointing my parents, my sister was a straight a student her whole life and my parents always held me up to that standard they did not mean to it’s just i knew i was smart and they knew but i couldn’t put in the effort. I did not know what it was called when i was younger but i had anxiety I still have it. Whenever i would talk or think about school i would have some version of an anxiety attack because as I got older it became the most stressful thing in my life. Then during my sophomore year a friend told me about IB they said it would make me a better student. I listened to them and

The clock sung tick-tock tick-tock echoing in the room. My head was tilted towards the ceiling, as my eyes reflected darkness. Thousands of thoughts filled in my head, the fear of failing, the fear of life, the fear of losing the ones I love, the fear of getting judged. The fear engulfs me like a tide rises and swallows the sand, leaving nothing behind. The clock ticked once again. My fear twisted into a chain, imprisoning me like the coward I am. The chains hooked onto my limbs drowning me further into a bliss, I started to cripple underneath them. They taunt me, as if I was a helpless child shrieking for my parents, but with nowhere to hide.

We stand, ready and waiting. Looking carefully in front of us, looking for any sign of movement to begin firing at. Then it begins. The sound of whizzing bullets ring through our ears as they pass consistently from both sides. Some fire less frequently than others but when they shoot, it is a direct hit. Panic builds up in me, but I shoot without stopping. I have faith in the British side, we are far better trained and have more experiance. As I think about this, the worry in me lessens till I do not even think twice about it. Well that is until I take a split second to look around. We are dropping like flies. I quickly sling my head around and resume my position, steadily shooting. It seems to drag on forever, neither side is yielding.

“Let’s go back, I think Panic! is about to come on,” Carly said. A similar journey was made back to our seats. Plopping down next to my mom, the hype man ran out onto the stage, “Are you ready St. Louis?” exploded out of the speakers. The roar of hundreds of voices rose in the air as response. “Here is Panic! At the

The first time I had a panic attack I thought I was dying. My mind started spinning, my vision got blurry and the lights in my room began to burn my eyes. My breathing was labored, I felt like my lungs were going to collapse, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. My limbs went numb, my mind wouldn’t stop racing, too many thoughts were going through my mind, I couldn’t control myself any longer. I was screaming, but I couldn’t hear myself. Everything was silent except for the steady beating of my heart.