Are these symptoms of a panic attack?

12 Comments

Strange things happen to me when I go out in public.

-I get very self-aware
-I don't know where to focus
-I fiddle around with my hands to distract from the above^
-I get clumsy
-I hear noise-cacaphony- all around me and can't usually hear people talking directly to me until they do something to get my attention...even if they are right in my face
-I don't see faces (though that is a major problem for me at all times)
-I screw up my speech
-I blurt out things I don't think through
-My face muscles tighten and tingle, lips feel stuck in an "o"
-I feel watched
-My mind is racing
-I feel like I'm doing something wrong/cops are coming

I don't feel nervous in my gut though and I don't feel like I'm going to die, so I'm not sure if it's panic or not.

Help?

it's a panic attack 13
it's something else 11
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Comments ( 12 )
  • DumBellle
    9 years ago

    This sounds like basic anxiety, specifically social anxiety. Your self awareness in public places, inability to express yourself properly conversing with others and irrational fear/paranoia. Most likely mild/severe social anxiety. It depends how often and how intense these feelings are.

    It is not a "panic attack". Panic attacks are very physical and alongside the mental aspect, it is obvious to those who experience them and becomes uncontrollable.

    However social anxiety can eventually result in mild panic-attacks, if you cannot get it under control.

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  • noid
    9 years ago

    Anxiety but not a full blown panic attack.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      Based on my description, on a scale of 1(mild)-10(severe), how bad is my anxiety? I honestly have no idea what's normal here or if I should get help for it.

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      • VirgilManly
        9 years ago

        It's up to you to decide. If it's enough to interfere with your life, or interfering with your daily routine or goals and causing you a lot of distress and unhappiness then you should seek help.

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      • noid
        9 years ago

        Maybe moderate. You can google social phobia, general anxiety disorder, and panic attacks and get a lot of info. If it's disrupting your life you can definitely get therapy/meds. Read up on it and see what you think.

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  • TimmyTheTurtle
    9 years ago

    it means theres a turtle nearby.. thats just your survival instincts kicking in.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      B..b..but I like turtles!

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      • TimmyTheTurtle
        9 years ago

        you may like us... but we dont like you. one these days the turtles will reign supreme! death to the humans! do have any idea what a turtle keeps under his shell? no you dont. be afraid.

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  • palepunk
    9 years ago

    A full blown panic attack is when you feel like you need to run as far away as you possibly can to get to the safest place you know of. It's like the room you're in is going to cave in on you with the heaviest cement walls, you're sweating bullets, you want to cry or scream...

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  • fab4ever2.
    9 years ago

    I have the same thing!

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  • handsignals
    9 years ago

    Aropax.

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  • Fall_leaves
    9 years ago

    I used to get panic attacks but I'm not really sure if the experience is the same for everyone. I used to have trouble swallowing, my mouth would get dry no matter how much water I drink. It was more like a claustrophobic feeling for me and I would have to get out of the room to feel better.

    Some of the things you mentioned I experienced as well. Mine wasn't really paranoia over being watched but I was more afraid I was going to die..lol I hated it because I never knew when I would have one and they never seemed provoked. I did start to notice a pattern though it was either in a car if there was really bad traffic or driving conditions or in really crowded places or small rooms. I don't get them anymore though it went away when I started Highschool.

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