Anxiety Attacks

I get these really messed up panic/anxiety attacks and I don't really know what's wrong with me. I think it's because I have no way of handling stress: either mental stress or emotional stress. I'll get them a lot when I'm overwhelmed by the amount of school work I have, and everything just seems hopeless. I know freaking out over things is pretty normal, but I REALLY freak out.

Here's what usually happens:
- Something sets me off, something that stresses me out. I feel hopeless and absolutely helpless in the situation, feel like there's too many things to do in such little time, etc
- I start to breathe really heavy, then so much so that I cannot breathe at all
- I start to cry
- Then I have what's comparable to a tempter-tantrum. I don't know what gets into me; I have some sort of adrenaline rush and get extremely angry at the situation and at myself for doing this. I sob and have really rash motions (i,e,. hitting things, throwing things about, moving erratically)
- I feel as if I have no control of body or thoughts, even though I'm conscious of everything I do and remember everything. At the time though, everything just feels overwhelming and fast
- Nothing, I just go on until I loose energy
- I eventually just get tired and cry into a pillow. Taking a shower helps too

So, how abnormal is this? The thing that really dominates the attacks are how fast I begin to speak and move. I can't slow down; and if I do, I begin to shake uncontrollably. These don't happen as often as they used to, but they still do every once in a while. Has this happened to anyone else?

What's happening is you're having a "fight or flight" reaction. Adrenaline is pumping through your body, causing your movements to be "stiff" but powerful... everything is "pumped" and if you don't use up all that energy, you'll end up trembling or over-all being uncontrollably excited. This "fight or flight" reaction is triggered when we encounter a feared situation (such as a social situation for us social phobics). But Ive noticed that this also happens in general situations where we are scared. We are used to being a scared state of mind, so it is no surpise that we also freak out in other general situations that can be scary for us (such as not being able to finish homework or finish work on time - this one set me off a lot @ work).

How to fix it? Teach your body to feel comfortable and calm during these situations instead of automatically freaking out. Breathing techniques (taking deep breathes), muscle relaxation (tensing your muscles for 6 seconds and then releasing) and CBT excercises can help you feel more calm during other general situations (and it is easier to do it for these situations than it is for social situations since we aren't afraid of those situations as much as we are of social ones.) Hope it makes sense. I speak from my personal experience

Good techniques to teach your body to be calm during these situations instead of freaking out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yKUYl9I1yU

Wow, thanks! That's actually a really good point, I just get this sudden surge of energy like how you described. I'm just glad that you could come up with a rational reason for all this and I'm not just insane.... :]

Well, I experience the same thing also, that's why . So I'm not just making it up

My wife also has this really bad. Sometimes she will tear down posters in our bedroom and trash things. Shes stopped doing that but she will do other things, some of what you mentioned.

Shes using breathing techniques which do help. Your not alone!

WHAT? THIS IS ANANXIETY ATTACK??? I thought I was going insane! I trash my house all the time while having sobbing fits and this is always followed by intense guilt over not being able to control it. I can't even describe the guilt. It feels like I am trying to wear a toilet roll as a boob tube and the squishy stuff in my middle has nowhere to go. Thank you, thank you for giving this a name. I thought I was a bad, destructive person. I've felt that way for YEARS. I'm really sorry if you don't get the help you want out of this thread but you have done a good thing for me today. I can't even... just thank you, I guess.