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Sweetleaf
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28 Feb 2012, 11:55 pm

I am not quite sure how to word the title......but I have kind of this issue and I was wondering if it sounds like an aspergers/autism issue. Anyways sometimes if I experiance sudden painful emotions I kinda get a physical reaction. Like if someone says something really hurtful I get this weird combination of increased heart rate and chest pain and kind of a feeling of being about ready to explode. It is kind of hard to describe but I've never found any information about anything like this.

So I guess I am just wondering if anyone here has experianced anything like what I am talking about........and how you cope with it or what you do about it. I'm kind of sick of it, makes me feel pathetic.


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Bun
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29 Feb 2012, 12:02 am

It sounds more like part of your PTSD. You did say you have PTSD, no?...


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Nim
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29 Feb 2012, 12:09 am

I have depersonalization which is the opposite of what your body's probably doing. Its funny what your mind can do to your body. :)



eigerpere
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29 Feb 2012, 12:22 am

I get that feeling in my body. It can be quite painful rather often. PTSD can be an issue but also sensory hypersensitivity. So when something happens on an emotional level it's always magnified ten times more for me than it should be and I have to clamp down even harder to handle it because I'm an introvert I think. Trying to breathe and taking breaks a lot is good otherwise it can really tax your health.



Tuttle
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29 Feb 2012, 12:54 am

I thought that was normal...



eigerpere
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29 Feb 2012, 12:57 am

I don't see anything normal about it. It's painful.



questor
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29 Feb 2012, 12:57 am

What you described is called a "panic attack." This is a real condition brought about by extreme emotional distress. People have several things that they can do when under extreme stress. They can stay put and deal with the problem as effectively as possible, like someone standing off a saber toothed tiger with a spear or arrows. They can "freeze" to try to melt into the background for safety, so the Tyrannosaur won't see us. Or we can try to run away, to get out of reach of the danger. Sometimes though, either none of these responses fits the situation, or we are unable to pick among them, and go into emotional panic overload mode. That is a panic attack. Because something, no matter how serious, or how trivial, has badly upset us, our bodies ramp up to deal with it by generating more adrenalin and other biochemicals, to prepare us for the possible need to fight, freeze, or flee. However, sometimes people get so emotionally overloaded that they can't pick the right response,--it is like a computer going through a "hang". Meanwhile all those bio chemicals for dealing with trouble are still pumping through our bodies. If they aren't used to fight, flee, or freeze, they start to cause the symptoms you described in your post about your panic attacks.

Talk to a psych doctor about it. He/she can give you some ideas on how to deal with this, and even meds if necessary.

You need to find ways to calm down and distract yourself when you feel a panic attack coming on.

- Take several deep breaths
- Listen to and/or play music
- Read
- Do some kind of hobby activity
- Exercise

Remember, check with your doctor about your panic attacks.


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eigerpere
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29 Feb 2012, 2:21 am

It's a sensory issue for me personally. Communicating puts a strain on me even in writing and feel the stress even when nothing upsetting is happening. Being here for me is actually bad for my health because of it, even on a good day. I only visit to escape the isolation but at a cost. When anything stressful happens, it sends my nervous system into an intensely painful state that's hard to manage.

I hope you can relax, Sweetleaf, and take care of yourself.



Sweetleaf
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29 Feb 2012, 2:27 am

Bun wrote:
It sounds more like part of your PTSD. You did say you have PTSD, no?...


Yes I do, but I had that problem pretty much ever since I can remember.....I didn't get PTSD until I was either 16 or 17 can never remember clearly if I was in 10th or 11th grade when it happened.


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Sweetleaf
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29 Feb 2012, 2:35 am

eigerpere wrote:
I get that feeling in my body. It can be quite painful rather often. PTSD can be an issue but also sensory hypersensitivity. So when something happens on an emotional level it's always magnified ten times more for me than it should be and I have to clamp down even harder to handle it because I'm an introvert I think. Trying to breathe and taking breaks a lot is good otherwise it can really tax your health.


Yeah I think having PTSD makes it worse than it already was. But yeah concentrating on breathing kind of helps me calm down...but sometimes I end up hitting things or I've yelled at my moms boyfriend a couple of times due to him setting me off. Uhh its not something I enjoy, and it kinda freaks me out because I can't seem to control it unless I am able to just maybe breath slower or hold back from doing anything.


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Sweetleaf
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29 Feb 2012, 2:42 am

questor wrote:
What you described is called a "panic attack." This is a real condition brought about by extreme emotional distress. People have several things that they can do when under extreme stress. They can stay put and deal with the problem as effectively as possible, like someone standing off a saber toothed tiger with a spear or arrows. They can "freeze" to try to melt into the background for safety, so the Tyrannosaur won't see us. Or we can try to run away, to get out of reach of the danger. Sometimes though, either none of these responses fits the situation, or we are unable to pick among them, and go into emotional panic overload mode. That is a panic attack. Because something, no matter how serious, or how trivial, has badly upset us, our bodies ramp up to deal with it by generating more adrenalin and other biochemicals, to prepare us for the possible need to fight, freeze, or flee. However, sometimes people get so emotionally overloaded that they can't pick the right response,--it is like a computer going through a "hang". Meanwhile all those bio chemicals for dealing with trouble are still pumping through our bodies. If they aren't used to fight, flee, or freeze, they start to cause the symptoms you described in your post about your panic attacks.

Talk to a psych doctor about it. He/she can give you some ideas on how to deal with this, and even meds if necessary.

You need to find ways to calm down and distract yourself when you feel a panic attack coming on.

- Take several deep breaths
- Listen to and/or play music
- Read
- Do some kind of hobby activity
- Exercise

Remember, check with your doctor about your panic attacks.


Well I need a job before I can hope to afford that....and I am working on that, but yeah I have been to therapy before and it did not reduce it any. Also it did not even occur to me that would be considered a panic attack but that could be.

I do the breathing thing, that does help some.....music is something I could not live without so that is also something I do. I used to read but now reading is just a PTSD trigger most of the time but I can handle it from time to time. I admit I really don't have any hobbies and don't even know what hobby I'd be interested in......and I do quite a lot of walking except on days when I feel to anxious to go anywhere.


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Tuttle
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29 Feb 2012, 2:52 pm

questor wrote:
What you described is called a "panic attack." This is a real condition brought about by extreme emotional distress.


I do this and they're definitely not panic attacks (I've had one or two panic attacks before, and this is just normal emotions for me.)

Emotions have physical reactions. Some of us might just notice them more without it being panic.

I think for me its partially sensory at least, because this happens even with strong positive emotions.



Sweetleaf
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29 Feb 2012, 2:58 pm

Tuttle wrote:
questor wrote:
What you described is called a "panic attack." This is a real condition brought about by extreme emotional distress.


I do this and they're definitely not panic attacks (I've had one or two panic attacks before, and this is just normal emotions for me.)

Emotions have physical reactions. Some of us might just notice them more without it being panic.

I think for me its partially sensory at least, because this happens even with strong positive emotions.


I don't seem to feel strong positive emotions at all.


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dizzywater
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29 Feb 2012, 4:13 pm

I something makes me startle, like someone throwing something near me, or moving suddenly towards me, or a bang, then I get bad pains in my arms or legs that shoot down them really sharply. My family don't understand how I can be genuinely in pain if nothing hit me, its the fear/shock emotion that goes with it that causes the pain. Like with being tickled it is worse than actually being hit.

I thought it was the feeling of adrenaline being shot through the body, but I guess it's too quick for that cos its instant.
It is definately nothing like a panic attack, I would feel that coming on before it happens and that isn't sharply painful in the same way.



Sweetleaf
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29 Feb 2012, 4:18 pm

dizzywater wrote:
I something makes me startle, like someone throwing something near me, or moving suddenly towards me, or a bang, then I get bad pains in my arms or legs that shoot down them really sharply. My family don't understand how I can be genuinely in pain if nothing hit me, its the fear/shock emotion that goes with it that causes the pain. Like with being tickled it is worse than actually being hit.

I thought it was the feeling of adrenaline being shot through the body, but I guess it's too quick for that cos its instant.
It is definately nothing like a panic attack, I would feel that coming on before it happens and that isn't sharply painful in the same way.


Uhh I hate sudden movements...I mean I never like how people react when they make some quick move and I freak the hell out and look like i am having a tourettes attack or something for a couple seconds. I mean to them it seems like I am over-reacting. Or it can be simular with loud noises. But that I think is likely mostly part of the PTSD.......but the thing with people saying something hurtful or having something that does not upset most people so much happen and seems to also kind of have a crushing depression feeling to it...the other is more a anxiety response mechanism or whatever.


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ECJ
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29 Feb 2012, 4:30 pm

Sweetleaf wrote:
Anyways sometimes if I experiance sudden painful emotions I kinda get a physical reaction. Like if someone says something really hurtful I get this weird combination of increased heart rate and chest pain and kind of a feeling of being about ready to explode.


I get this. It scares me sometimes. I usually get it if I've experienced/am experiencing really strong anger or sadness or fear. Sometimes if I've had really bad nightmares I wake up feeling this way.
I've found that when I talk about stuff from my past which I've kept to myself and not spoken to people about, this causes pain all over my body. My psych says because I've bottled up the emotions for so long, they have to find a way to come out of my body, and they come out in the form of pain.

He's given me breathing exercises to do, they help a bit. Playing sport definitely helps me a lot.