I Think People Do Stupid Things When Panicked
When I was younger I use to suffer with severe anxiety. I was particularly afraid of the attacks because they occurred sometimes with no warning. I didn’t even have to think of much of anything to trigger it. One of the times I made a trip to the ER I couldn’t even look the nurse in the eye at the front desk when she asked me why I was here.
“I had a panic attack,” I said, red in the face
I admit, I’ve gone to the ER at least a few times over the years because I completely panicked. One time I miscalculated the milligram dosage when taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen to treat a severe migraine, so I went to the ER.
A few years before this happened to me, my father had been hospitalized for kidney failure, unaware he was allergic to sulfur drugs. He barely got help in time, and he almost died. It was not much of a surprise for us when we discovered why he was suddenly failing so quickly. His mother was allergic to it too. Ironically, my mother is allergic to sulfur as well, so I’ve made a mental note to keep that in mind in case I might be in a situation some day where it could be added to my own medical records. Anyway, he was given antibiotics to fight an infection, which resulted in the kidney failure because it contained sulfur.
That night I was convinced I was going to OD, I thought that my kidneys would fail. I remembered how it said right on the label that overdosing could result in internal bleeding or kidney failure. I was paralyzed with fear, and I begged my mother to take me to a hospital. It turned out that even though I had taken a considerable amount at one time, I hadn’t quite made the mark for a reason to be concerned. The doctor told me I was going to be fine.
I just want to say that if you’re suffering or previously suffered with severe anxiety, I feel for you. I don’t think some people really realize how potentially devastating and overwhelming it can feel when it’s happening. You can feel like you’re going insane, you can feel unstable, you can feel like you’re literally about to die.
And for some of us, it’s extremely humiliating. It’s humiliating for me to have been 23 years old at the time, trembling and gasping for breath while my mother held me like I was 4 years old again. It was hours before the violent tremors of my guts shaking around inside me finally stopped and I eventually calmed down.
Just know that you’re not alone, and you’re not pathetic for getting help with something that’s allegedly “all in your head.” Despite the fact that I have since outgrown these panic attacks, I still will never forget it. I’m rooting for you!
“I had a panic attack,” I said, red in the face
I admit, I’ve gone to the ER at least a few times over the years because I completely panicked. One time I miscalculated the milligram dosage when taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen to treat a severe migraine, so I went to the ER.
A few years before this happened to me, my father had been hospitalized for kidney failure, unaware he was allergic to sulfur drugs. He barely got help in time, and he almost died. It was not much of a surprise for us when we discovered why he was suddenly failing so quickly. His mother was allergic to it too. Ironically, my mother is allergic to sulfur as well, so I’ve made a mental note to keep that in mind in case I might be in a situation some day where it could be added to my own medical records. Anyway, he was given antibiotics to fight an infection, which resulted in the kidney failure because it contained sulfur.
That night I was convinced I was going to OD, I thought that my kidneys would fail. I remembered how it said right on the label that overdosing could result in internal bleeding or kidney failure. I was paralyzed with fear, and I begged my mother to take me to a hospital. It turned out that even though I had taken a considerable amount at one time, I hadn’t quite made the mark for a reason to be concerned. The doctor told me I was going to be fine.
I just want to say that if you’re suffering or previously suffered with severe anxiety, I feel for you. I don’t think some people really realize how potentially devastating and overwhelming it can feel when it’s happening. You can feel like you’re going insane, you can feel unstable, you can feel like you’re literally about to die.
And for some of us, it’s extremely humiliating. It’s humiliating for me to have been 23 years old at the time, trembling and gasping for breath while my mother held me like I was 4 years old again. It was hours before the violent tremors of my guts shaking around inside me finally stopped and I eventually calmed down.
Just know that you’re not alone, and you’re not pathetic for getting help with something that’s allegedly “all in your head.” Despite the fact that I have since outgrown these panic attacks, I still will never forget it. I’m rooting for you!
26-30, F
