Just had a massive panic attack

This morning I had a huge freak out over my fear of spiders and now I can't settle down. I've panicked before but this time I thought I was going to scream my head off.
This morning while eating breakfast I put on the tv, and there was something on about a man having hallucinations. He saw bugs, and then he saw a huge tarantula which fell onto him. When I saw this on the tv I totally lost control and ran out of my flat, I ran outside crying and I know it sounds stupid but I've never felt so disturbed. My fear of spiders has got worse over the last few years. I tried to calm down before going back to the flat, but I don't know what to do. I've got lectures this morning but I'm still shaken up, I really didn't think my fear was so bad. I don't want to tell my flatmates because think I'm being stupid. What can I do to calm down?

Reply 1

CJ

TSR Group Staff

21

JasonMx

Well first of all, just realise that you were imagining it, thats what fear is, imagination, its not real, okay, so just calm down a bit and go back to your flat, the other day i saw a huge spider on the floor in the bathroom in my flat and for a split second they do scare you, coz they're so ugly and stuff but, then i sent him on a trip down the toilet! so he isn't free to walk about on them eight legs of his, scaring me at whim

it'll be fine, i'm assuming you're female?

i think the it'll be fine isn't a help...

if this problem is getting worse then i don't see why you should put it off untill the next time something like this happens.
The only thing i can say is that you should tell your flatmates just so they may be able to comfort you in the future - as long as you emphasis this is a serious thing not just a dislike.
Also tell your parents or whoever like that so they can offer advice as to what to do.

There are proper courses around to conquer fears that may be a step forward... but just don't let it get worse and worse cos fears have wrecked a lot of ppl's lives, that is why there are so many psychiatrist's around.

All the best

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

OP

How do I go about getting help for my phobia? Im not sure a GP would take it seriously.

Reply 3

allymcb2

8

Just google it on the internet and find someone who looks vaguely credible. There is a ****ing massive spider somewhere in the room at the moment. Its the third time this week, me my sister and mum have spent more than 20 minutes stood on the furniture with books trying to kill a spider.

And I would have probably run out screaming aswell if I saw that. The thing on tarrant on tv with a tarantula crawling out of someone's mouth disturbed me for about a week. In conclusion, its a fairly normal phobia. You will calm down eventually.

Reply 4

tbtommyb

11

As at your uni? Phobias are phobias.

Reply 5

CJ

TSR Group Staff

21

i think you're GP will take this sort of thing pretty seriously, and to be honest he will be the best person to refer you to a relavent professional that will have treated this sort of thing before...

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

OP

The thing is, I wouldn't know what to say to my GP. Honestly, I can't describe how I feel at the time, because it might look like I'm being dramatic. Who would the GP refer me to?

Reply 7

CJ

TSR Group Staff

21

to be honest i don't know how i would tell my gp something like this either, although in the past i have had to talk about quite sensitive things and he was very understanding.

Also i think i would much rather talk to a GP back home rather than at Uni.

GP's are generally really good listener's (it's really 75% of their job) and would be able to understand the problem and find the best solution

Reply 8

toipot2

1

Its pretty much only exposure or cognitive behavioural therapy that can sort it out (the same with most types of panic attacks).

Reply 9

puppy

toipot2

Its pretty much only exposure or cognitive behavioural therapy that can sort it out (the same with most types of panic attacks).

Yeah, either CBT or all the other ways of dealing with it :rolleyes:

Reply 10

toipot2

1

puppy

Yeah, either CBT or all the other ways of dealing with it :rolleyes:

*points at exposure!* apart from that I suppose you could put up with it, but I wouldnt call that sorting it out :smile:

Reply 11

puppy

toipot2

*points at exposure!* apart from that I suppose you could put up with it, but I wouldnt call that sorting it out :smile:

Meds, non CBT related therapy.

Reply 12

Leisure17

8

Anonymous

The thing is, I wouldn't know what to say to my GP. Honestly, I can't describe how I feel at the time, because it might look like I'm being dramatic. Who would the GP refer me to?

You would not be the first and only person he or she has seen with a panic attack. So just go there and tell the doc that you think it was a panic attack due to feeling such and such.
I the doctor is good he or she will ask the right questions of you, thus getting more information. You often know more than you think, but only the right questions bring it out.
They will then talk over what to do next. There are quite a few options and arachnophobia is wide spread.

I know of a girl who is paranoid of scorpions, because she had a near escape when she was only 5 years old. When she saw the last one on holiday in France, she panicked and cried as well. But apart from that she is fine. Mind you, I must say the chances of meeting a scorpion are less, than the chances of meeting a spider, so I guess you have a point towards treatment there.

Reply 13

toipot2

1

puppy

Meds, non CBT related therapy.

Yeah, I suppose, meds really only suppress anxiety rather than curing the person of it though, I was on beta-blockers for 6 months for panic attacks and as soon as I came off them they popped up again, heh.

I have to say, I dont know much about alternative therapies to CBT, that was really just the only one that came to mind :smile:

Reply 14

Shockley

15

puppy

Why? Because men couldn't possibly diagnose cancer properly? I think it's ridiculous when people feel the need to see a woman, I don't especially want anything invasive or personal doing to me by a stranger but I don't see why anyone would rather have a women do it, it seems equally awful (though nonetheless necessary) to me either way. There aren't that many female GPs anyway, we can't all be seen by them.

I totally agree with you. I could never get undressed in front of other girls in the changing rooms, I don't see why its acceptable for me to flash my flesh just because I'm in the company of other females.
I've always preferred going to a male doctor for personal problems. The female GP at my surgery is a miserable cow.

Reply 15

puppy

toipot2

Yeah, I suppose, meds really only suppress anxiety rather than curing the person of it though, I was on beta-blockers for 6 months for panic attacks and as soon as I came off them they popped up again, heh.

I have to say, I dont know much about alternative therapies to CBT, that was really just the only one that came to mind :smile:

Well it's usually the first port of call but certainly not the only way to go about things. Especially when someone's first developing anxiety it's beneficial to put them on meds (and I think is recommended in NHS guidelines) as it prevents the anxiety spreading. If it's done early it often does get rid of the anxiety because the person hasn't had it long enough to become a learned behaviour.

You shouldn't really be being prepscribed beta blockers- how long ago was that? And they actually worked? I've still not found any meds that stop my anxiety; beta blockers, valium and escitalopram have all failed. Heavy drinking seems to be the only thing that works.

Reply 16

Sithius

16

You have to face your fear. Maybe hypnotherapy.

Just had a massive panic attack

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