Member-only story
Dispelling 8 Myths/Fears About Panic Attacks
From someone who must have had hundreds over a 12-year period
Although I write primarily on clinical depression, it is just one of three mental disorders I have been diagnosed with. In 2014, a year after being told I had clinical depression, I was also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder. The latter is the focus here.
Over the past twelve years, I must have had hundreds of panic attacks. From 2014 to around 2019 was the peak. During those years, I would have periods where I had a couple attacks a month, but then I also had periods where I had at least one daily.
I still remember the first time I had one, at fifteen. Feeling frantic, tapping my feet feverishly, feeling my heart rate surge, running to my mother, terrified, head exploding. It was horrifying.
All the attacks I have had since then, having had the full panic disorder experience, I feel like I have a firm enough grasp on their myths and fears to write about them, share my experiences, reassure a few people, hit back against a few others spreading ignorance and prejudice.
PS. It is so weird to think I was ever fifteen. Feels like a different life.
