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Panic Attacks
by
Richard Reed Jr
copyright 02-24-2006
Age Rating: 7 to 127
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~A Short, Short Story~
One night they came, like hounds from the moor, I know not from where, perhaps Hell. Dark shadows and noises in the black-inkiness of the night are more than enough to give me the creeps but, panic attacks are far worse. I awoke, struck mute by an all-consuming fear, devouring any sanity I had left. What a shock! It stifled any rendered scream. I felt the darkness swallowing me alive, as if drowning in a quicksand, sinking slowly. I felt a snake-like thing, coiled around my throat, choking off my ability to breathe. When the stillness of the night began to gasp, like an asthma-stricken old man, I knew that I had the worst of all fears. I was wholly consumed, and utterly panicked. What a terrible fear!
I was afraid of fear itself.
Who could believe that breathing too fast
would cause a body to think it was dying?
The night seemed as long as waiting in a doctor's reception room, and as terrible as being buried alive. I had no paper bag. Sweat rivered down the nape of my neck, and there was this constant premonition of disaster.
I died a thousand deaths that night, If only in my fractured imagination. But, chemical imbalance or not, I believed it real enough to succumb to terror. I shivered all night in an utter-cold darkness, that all the bright stars in the heavens wouldn't warm.
~OK, there's no such word as "rivered". I plead poetic license.~
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01-15-2007 Chessie H.
Panic attacks are really scary! I've had quite a few myself for my young age... You do a very good job at illustrating what they are like! The world seems to swim in your head while your breathe grows shorter and shorter and the dark closes in. It is truly terrifying. Great work!
Chessie
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09-22-2006 Mary -BrytEyz- Ball
I used to think panic attacks plagued the weak at heart, that it was a mind over matter ... matter, that it would never happen to me. But after I was mugged they seemed to crouch at every corner, and when I wasn't completely scared by them... I was afraid I was about to be. There was no rhyme nor reason, no pattern, no sane explanation... and still I repeatedly "I died a thousand deaths". Sigh... thank you for understanding.
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06-02-2006 Geoff Ewing
Rich,
I can only remember having one panic attack. If I had others they were either too mild to be so described or so long ago I have suppresses the memory. I was in my late forties-early fifties. I remember sitting in my livingroom on a summer day, wrapped in a blanket and shivering. I knew what it was I feared at that moment, but the attack came out of the blue, was completely irrational, and also completely overpowering.
I stumbled once in reading this on the phrase 'I believed it real real enough'.
Thanks for this,
Geoff
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05-01-2006 Regina Pate
It is just like having a heart attack, sometimes, you don't know if you are or not, hyperventilating causes you to pass out and go into convulsions, then ten thousand dreams go through your head in three sec. or so but feels like an eternity, when you wake up you have no idea what just happened I know I used to have them all the time when I was growing up, Great write,good job, thanks for taking me back
Gina
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04-17-2006 James Shammas
You've given a graphic description of what it feels like for this to happen-- particularly that it is under no one's voluntary control. Though I'm not sure anyone who hasn't experienced this could really understand.
Jim
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03-13-2006 Daniel R Patton
Rich, This is a great example of what million's of people suffer with, yet it seems we're all alone yes I suffer from ANXIETIES as well as does another of my sibling's and we're not as alone as we may feel we are at time's, I think in general people are embarrassed to come forth with this disorder as you have done for fear they maybe criticized, I praise you for your courage as do I Mr. Betts for his piece on his experience, ALL should read it. I also know that this disorder can be hereditary (HENCE ME AND MY SIBLING) at times in fact today I thought it was all over with, yet I had to once again remind myself "Your having a panic attack." That's the key the difference between knowing and not knowing the best advise I can give on this keep regular check ups with your Dr. and get to know yourself this will help in IDENTIFYING a serious problem and an attack easier. My Doctor once told me "I can give you all the med's you want, they will help, BUT the best thing is for you to take control." I have panic attacks on a daily basis and I take nothing for them, it does get hard at times but I do manage to talk myself into the real of the situation and in a few minutes I am fine, this however is a real disorder just as diabetes and no one needs to feel ashamed they suffer from it. There are many support group's out there that help you cope with this the natural way. THANKS FOR SHARING THIS PERSONAL INFO WITH US AND GOOD LUCK.
P.S. Next time your world come closing inn read or write try writing about the way you feel at that moment, it will also help you realize each time what lead you to have the attack and you may See a pattern developing, this will in turn help you to avoid that particular stressful situation next time.
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03-06-2006 Tiffany Forster
-hands him a little black cat stuffie-
Juvinile, I know, but it can help ^_^ I have never experience a panic attack, but from the way you describe it, I am very glad. I am rather fond of the darkness, and I would liek to keep it that way.
-hands him some earplugs a toy mouse and a dream catcher-
Oh, um...maybe try "Sweat trickled down the nape of my neck, like a river of liquid fear"
-shrugs- I don't know, rivered works, even if it isnt word^_^
Tiffany
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02-28-2006 David Pekrul
I've never had a panic attack. It must be terrible. You've definitely expressed the horrors of it so well.
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02-24-2006 Leigh G.
Not too bad. You've been submitting so much I can't keep up. :p This could either be a short story or a longs poem. Both work, but personally I'm glad you made it a story. You're got a few grammar flaws, and such. Like "rivered" isn't a word. Yeah, I know it should be but it's not. And you forgot some caps. Overall, good work and all we should ever fear is fear itself. Is this a true story?
May the darkness be with you,
Leigh
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