I have suffered with panic attacks for over ten years. I only get them in extreme emotional states. They usually link to my Asthma as in the height of them, I often cannot breathe therefore rely on my Asthma pump or tea to soothe and calm me. If I am ill, my mother tries to keep me calm as the panic can bring on an Asthma attack and vice versa, she hates seeing me like that. It only reminds her of what he did to me.
The abuser brought on these attacks.
Ten years ago, at the age of twenty one, my father was no longer a decent man. By this time, all of his redeeming qualities had disappeared and I was left with a shadow of his former, loving self. Just one second in his presence caused anxiety. A constant fear of speaking or walking or breathing the wrong way was something I dealt with on a daily basis. Panic attacks appeared quickly.
The key symptoms began in his company:
- sweating
- a feeling of suffocation, the inability to breathe properly
- trembling
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- a feeling of dread as if life could be over any second now
- sick to the stomach or excrutiating stomach pains
- thoughts of extreme fear
Every moment of every day brought up one of these emotions or physical feelings. On the NHS website a term called
Depersonalisation
is mentioned.
This is the description:
During a panic attack your symptoms can feel so intense and out of your control that you may feel detached from the situation, your body and your surroundings. It can almost feel as if you are an observer, making the situation seem very unreal.
This sense of detachment is known as depersonalisation. Being detached from the situation does not provide any relief, or make a panic attack less frightening. Instead, it often makes the experience more confusing and disorientating.
*Photo from Google.
I have certainly felt this way before. A feeling of watching yourself suffer and being detached from your own reality is frightening beyond belief.
I have found great support through the website http://www.mind.org.uk ** as not only did one of their counsellors open my eyes to the depth of his abuse but the fact that the website is a place that I can find support and answers from.
Without judgement.
**The link to Mind will redirect you to the correct site if you click on it
freefromhim 