Hi! Since a lot of my posts are about mental health issues, I thought I’d post this video that Kevin put up where he has an actual panic attack on video. Be warned, because it might disturb you. It is sad to watch him go through this. Kevin has two channels on YouTube, CapnOAwesome and KevinGetsHealthy. The CapnOAwesome channel is mainly his atheist channel and his KevinGetsHealthy channel is mainly about his panic attacks. Kevin is a college student and he works and is otherwise an apparently together person, but his panic attacks severely interfere with his life when he has them. After you see this video you will understand why. He says they just happen for no reason and that is part of the problem, because he never knows when they will show up. He has even said that he has wrecked a car because he had one of these attacks while driving! Watching Kevin’s videos helped me to realize that the anxiety I experience does happen within discreet periods for the most part, but my anxiety is NOTHING like Kevin’s. Hopefully this video will be helpful for you in understanding your own or another person’s anxiety and/or panic attacks. The treatments for anxiety and panic attacks range from anti-anxiety medications to behavior modification techniques to using tranquilizers or anti-depressants. It really depends on the individual and what her/his treatment providers think is best.
kristinbell.org 
I have had a panic attack similar to the one Kevin shows here. My anxiety is not as bad as his. I do know it’s very exhausting to deal with anxiety. It wears you out.
I’m sorry you have also had panic attacks like this Rolana. Thanks for your comment. I often wonder how common this kind of thing is…
I used to have similar panic attacks to this at two different times in my life, once in 1989 for about a year and then again in 1994, again for about a year. Two major life changing events triggered them. They happened frequently at the same time everyday in both cases. The first bout was really horrible. I would jerk myself awake every night with the anxiety thinking I was going to die in my sleep of a heart attack. Very scary. The second bout, in 1994 happened every night on my way home from work. It was the same ritual every night; by the time I made it home, the anxiety would be a full on panic attack. My partner, who lived with me at the time would sit beside me and massage the pressure point between my thumb and and index finger. It really helped. In addition, I would take valerian and that worked wonders. I also learned to control them somewhat by repeating to myself over and over that it was just a panic attack and that it would pass. It took time and perseverence, but eventually they subsided. I still suffer from a certain amount of anxiety, but I no longer have panic attacks.
This video made me wonder about one person I’m employed to serve. He’s my exact age but suffering from Cornelia de Lang genetic mutation, physically he’s body is 11 yrs but mentally maybe 5 minus the ability to speak. Regularily he freaks out and it’s attributed to his spasm’s. But now I wonder if he is having panic attacks for something he is experiencing.
I used to experience the similar event as kevin. I have no idea what going on when it hit me for the 1st time, until i read some articles through the web. This event is called “Panic Attack” and it will evolve to “Panic Disorder” if you couldn’t get yourself out of it again and again.
Know what, i’m still having panic attack somestimes, the only thing different is i will never scare of this anymore because i know this is a naturally response to every single human being when our mind is reached to certain stress level.
For friend in suffering under this event. Don’t be afraid, they are tonnes of people out there having the same event. This may be a good site for you to understand more about yourself and the Panic attack.
site: http://www.panicremoval.com
blog: http://www.brainszone.com
And thanks kristinbell for your infomative and meaingful site. Cheers.
kengyong
Oh.My.Gosh…
Thats really sad. I’ve never seen another person have a panic attack, ever.
I’ve been medically diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Not to be confused with Social Anxiety. Social anxiety is where your afraid to go to school, work, have people come over, etc.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (What I have…) is when you have panic attacks sporadically, you can’t control when it happens, or where.
And they’re usually triggered by something eventful. Thats prolly where it gets confused with “Social Anxiety”.
But watching Kevin’s video…that hurt….I’ve never seen anyone else like that. I thought I was a psycho, and I had so many problems, but wow…someone else out there like me.
I mean I’m not calling this Kevin guy a psycho! Not at all!
I just thought I was, I thought I was the only one that did that.
I mean duh other people have anxiety issues, but to have a panic attack LIKE THAT….wow…..
I cried while watching this. I guess it’s a lot more common than i used to think. I’m just glad that i’m not alone. It was so weird…as if I was watching myself having a panic attack cause it’s so similar to how it happens to me. It’s still hard for me to talk about it since I’ve never told anyone(I know I should have but I didn’t). So this is how it works for me: imagine this video played over several times a day for about one or two weeks then take a break(also about one or two weeks) then start over again. Right now my break is just about over … Hope I’ll get the nerve to tell someone…someday
Hi everyone, I am the author of I have been having panic attacks for 12-years and my condition has pretty much improved. I understand how you all feel as I am a sufferer myself. I am sincere in helping everyone whom have panic attacks. Please do visit my blog and post your problems and post it. We can share together to help each other out.
Just click on my nick to direct yourself to the website.
It’s true. So many people out there become agoraphobic do to the fear that an attack will strike at any given time.
I think the key is knowing the strategies and tactics to combat the attacks on the spot. That alone will give a person the confidence that should an panic attack strike, they’ll be ready.
Personally, I used to suffer from nocturnal attacks quite often. I found that drinking sleepytime tea with valerian root before bed helped a lot. There’s also a really awesome article on how to stop nocturnal panic attacks here: http://www.stop-anxiety-panic-attack.com/lp/stop-nocturnal-panic-attacks.html
Best of luck to all those out there suffering from this debilitating problem.