LadyMacbeth Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Does anyone here suffer from night panic attacks? I am not sure what causes them. When I am about to fall asleep...I feel myself FINALLY drifting off into dream land and boom I am jolted awake by this intense fear like I am going to die. It does not feel same as a regular panic attacks since I do not get heart palpitations, I don't tremble, just this weird intense feeling of fear. I used to have to walk around my room after to fight off that feeling and then it would take me hours to get back to sleep and every time I tired I would have another panic attack. I am still getting them but I am realize what they are and I allow myself to feel it coming. I just do not know where the night panic attacks are coming from because my body is resting. When I am having a regular panic attack I usually feel really anxious and then that feeling starts to trigger the heart palpitations and the trembling, and then comes that horrible sense of dying. Does anyone get these? Lady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calyps Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 I have night panic attacks but mine are completely different. I always get them between 4 and 6 am, I wake myself up cos I can't breathe and find that I'm hyperventilating. As I try to slow down my breathing I get an intense pain in my head, like a sword going through it. This can last for up to 30 minutes. I was going through a stage of having them every couple of nights but haven't had one in about 6 weeks now, touch wood. I find the paper bag works but I think that's because mine are more physical, maybe you could try some meditative thinking to control the fear of dying you're experiencing. Does having a hot milk or bath before bed help? Anwen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katherine Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 my feelings last night were a bit like that, Lady M, only I wasn't asleep, just resting there and I did have conscious memories connected with it. I've read somewhere how its a vulnerable time for that kind of thing, you're at the boundary of conscious and unconscious---and if. like me, you have a fear of letting go, that's when the panic sets in, or, like "what will happen to me when I am asleep, unconscious, unable to be vigilant of my surroundings?" The more tense you are, the more difficult it is to let go and relax and sleep, and you are having problems sleeping anyway.... I try and visualise myself in a safe place, that helps me often when I get into bed. lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginny Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Lady - I was told by a psych in hospital that my panic attacks were caused by something physical rather than mental because there did appear to be any lead up to or event that caused them - they would just happen... There is a tiny panic centre in the brain about the size of a pin-head that controls panic, fight or flight etc.... If this centre is not working probably panic attacks may occur for apparently no reason. If this is the case, medication may be changed which may have an effect on this panic centre and/ or other medications introduced..... They managed to control mine pretty well - I have panic attacks fairly rarely now - but they are always due to some event or feeling now. I would recommend that you talk to your Doc or Psyche about this... Hope you are okay hun.... luv ya Ginny :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 My therapist said it was physicological. Thats scary though thinking that something is not right in my brain. I can't go on medication yet or see a therapist so I am just stuck at home becoming an agoraphobic queen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wisdom Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 I'm also a agoraphobic queen. My anxiety is high beyond high when I know I have to go to sleep. I delay sleep for as long as I can. Then once asleep, I sleep with a CPAP to keep my airway open and to keep breathing. Otherwise I don't breath at night. Without my airway machine CPAP I wake up in a panic from my airway closing up. Sleep apnea is common with those who take medications that sedate or those who might be over weight. Sleep apnea frequently wakes the sleeper out of REM sleep thus making the person wicked tired and headache (ish) in the morning. mispelled. "apnea" Chat with a doc. Thats the best you can do for yourself and the best place to start. Wisdom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Oh wow, wisdom you have it pretty bad! Thanks for the advice you all! I felt really anxious last night thought I was going to have another panic attack. I took some Valerian. I am taking it every day but never took it in the morning yesterday and it calmed me down within the hour. I slept and did not have a panic attack. I think I will prob take one in the morning and the other at night. Lady Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wisdom Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Naw, I really don't have it bad at all. I have grown quite accustomed to breathing/sleeping with my CPAP. Every 3 years I have a "Sleep Study" done to re establish my CPAP settings as well as identify other sleeping problems that I might have developed. The sleep studies are intrusive but neccessary. Sleep apena is a common problem for those who are on sleep/similar medications or overweight. It stops most of us from sleeping and preventing us from entering REM stage. When REM is finally achieved the body then relaxes and then the air way closes up. Sleep can be a horrible thing if its not diagnosised and lead to a zillion problems if not treated. Wisdom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0noxide Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Naw, I really don't have it bad at all. I have grown quite accustomed to breathing/sleeping with my CPAP. Every 3 years I have a "Sleep Study" done to re establish my CPAP settings as well as identify other sleeping problems that I might have developed. The sleep studies are intrusive but neccessary. Sleep apena is a common problem for those who are on sleep/similar medications or overweight. It stops most of us from sleeping and preventing us from entering REM stage. When REM is finally achieved the body then relaxes and then the air way closes up. Sleep can be a horrible thing if its not diagnosised and lead to a zillion problems if not treated. Wisdom <{POST_SNAPBACK}> my dad has a CPAP. it's pretty loud. x.X how do you sleep with it? i don't have panic attacks but i do hallucinate when i'm trying to get to sleep. usually visually. *nod nod* it sucks. that's okay, you get used to it i guess. maybe you should try talking to your doctor some more about it, he might be able to put you on meds for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 you hallucinate in your sleep or when you are trying to sleep. Are you conscious. What do you see? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 When I lived in England I was laying in the dark trying to sleep and I saw my mother standing at the other side of the room by the door staring at me leaning on the laundry basket but she was not there. Is that an hallucination? When I was about 13 I woke up in the morning and saw a girl that looked like an angel standing over me. My eyes were open I know I saw her and she looked at me and ran and vanished. My mother said I was dreamin but Iknow I was awake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0noxide Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 you hallucinate in your sleep or when you are trying to sleep. Are you conscious. What do you see? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i hallucinate when i'm trying to sleep. i see patterns. usually swirls and dots and stuff you would see if you're on LSD or something q= but i've never taken any hallucinogens so it can't be flashbacks. i'm just plain bonkers. i'm usually partially conscious. sometimes i dream i'm hallucinating. like, hearing voices in my dream. it's weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 You are not bonkers its interesting though. Did you tell your psychiatrist about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Wisdom, How do they analyize your sleep patterns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0noxide Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 You are not bonkers its interesting though. Did you tell your psychiatrist about it? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> yes, i've been diagnosed w/ paranoid schizophrenia before. it's not the only time i hallucinate. i'm on medication for it now though. geodon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Oh wow...when did you start experiencing that you don't have to answer if that is hard to talk about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0noxide Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Oh wow...when did you start experiencing that you don't have to answer if that is hard to talk about <{POST_SNAPBACK}> oy.. hmm.. about when i was 10 or so is when i started hallucinating but it didn't get really bad until i was 12 and by the time i was 12 i was full blown crazy. i was extremely dependent, hallucinating, i had distorted perceptions, i was dissociating a lot, i had bad mood swings, i was anorexic, i was cutting badly multiple times i day, i was doing meth which wasn't helping with any of the above, i was incredibly paranoid, i would switch conversation topics in mid sentence and was very hard to follow, i was attempting suicide a lot, i wouldn't sleep for days on end, i was in and out of mental hospitals.. i was crazy. i'm much, much better now, more borderline than schizophrenic, which is better i guess. not by much. higher functioning at least. so, yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Thats great! You sound high functioning! I find it very interesting even MPD/DID after reading the book "Sybil." I would like to just research research and get a degree for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0noxide Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Thats great! You sound high functioning! I find it very interesting even MPD/DID after reading the book "Sybil." I would like to just research research and get a degree for it! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> that is a very sad book. i've only read parts of it. i love psych non fiction. i'm addicted to it. [= i think i'm going to rent it again and read the rest of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 I could not put the book down for two days straight. You start to become apart of the plot and you start to feel as if you know the characters and you really start to feel for Sybil. I love Dr. Wilbur she was an extraordinary lady! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wisdom Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 A Sleep Study is done in a sleep lab. The individual sleeps over night. Wire leads are hooked up to your forehead. EEG and EKG is hooked up. A breathing monitor taped under your nose and a monitor is counting your respirations. Also the amount of oxygen is measured thru out the nith. Then the study begins when ya fall asleep. The computer tracks everything while a TV monitor watches how many times ya roll over, appear to dream, move your legs, wake up, or appear restless. Other things are monitored and measured. Way too complicated to further share here. Try searching the internet in regards to "sleep Studies". One of the things they monitor and measure is REM. Rapid Eye Movements = dreaming. For me dreaming, breathing/airway, and oxygen level is what is primarly measured for me. I'm still hooked and measured for everything else. Yes, its an intrusive way to sleep. If I'm not paranoid before I will be afterwards. Without managing my sleep apena I not only stop breathing but have horrible headaches as a result. Wisdom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Had another night panic attack last night. Took some Valerian then I went on the computer for a bit until I started to feel sleepy then laid down watching "Roseanne" on the TV and I felt myself drifting off. Half awake and half conscious. I felt like I could not move and there it came. This weird feeling rushed over me and my heart started racing. I kept telling myself "Its only a panic attack." Usually after one I could not get back to sleep for hours but after awhile I finally did fall asleep. I seem to get them more at night then during the day. The night ones are different from the day panic attacks. I have only really had one full blown panic attack in November but I still have anxiety attacks and different forms on panic attacks that stem from paranoia. But the full blown are the scariest because you feel completely and totally out of control. I am going to ask my therapist why I usually get them right before I fall asleep when I do not feel anxious. Interesting...can't talk my way out of that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudine Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 anybody have 'night terrors'? where you wake up in an inexplicable state of complete terror? physically frozen? hate when that happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMacbeth Posted January 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I used to have night terrors between the ages of 6-19 years of age. I do not remember many of them except they were terrifying. My parents would have to wake me up out of some kind of state like I was being attacked or something. The only one I can remember is being locked in this room by a man and being forced to do things or he would kill me but the others I cannot remember. I wonder why you can remember your vivid dreams but night terrors are pretty vivid but we do not have recollection of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 LM, It might be caused by your fear of loosing control. When we sleep we aren't in control so maybe your mind wants to stop you before that happens. bets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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