Do panic/anxiety attacks cause you to have no oxygen in your lungs?!
Question: Quite the opposite. There is too much oxygen in your system. When you are hyperventilating, the oxygen doesn't have time to change into carbon dioxide. The old remedy of breathing into a bag was supposed to allow carbon dioxide to collect into the bag and reintroduce it into your bloodstream. However this had been found to be ineffective. Your best bet is to try to calm down by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. While doing this, count backwards from ten. With each number think of something good: your spouse, you pet, a favorite hobby. I hope this helps!
Answers: Quite the opposite. There is too much oxygen in your system. When you are hyperventilating, the oxygen doesn't have time to change into carbon dioxide. The old remedy of breathing into a bag was supposed to allow carbon dioxide to collect into the bag and reintroduce it into your bloodstream. However this had been found to be ineffective. Your best bet is to try to calm down by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. While doing this, count backwards from ten. With each number think of something good: your spouse, you pet, a favorite hobby. I hope this helps!
No you have more than enough oxygen during a panic attack basically because you are hyperventilating or breathing rapidly. It may feel like you don't but you do.
It feels that way, but actually, you're not getting enough carbon dioxide:
"About 60% of attacks are accompanied by hyperventilation and many panickers overbreathe even whilst relaxed.
The most important thing to understand about hyperventilation is that although it can feel as if you don't have enough oxygen, the opposite is true. It is a symptom of too much oxygen.
With hyperventilation, your body has too much oxygen. To use this oxygen (to extract it from your blood), your body needs a certain amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
When you hyperventilate, you do not give your body long enough to retain CO2, and so your body cannot use the oxygen you have. This causes you to feel as if you are short of air, when actually you have too much."
-- http://www.panic-attacks.co.uk/panic_att...
No, during a panic attack your breathing rhythym gets thrown off, so it might feel that way. Of course, that suffocating feeling only makes the panic attack worse, creating a vicious cycle.
The best thing to do when anxiety strikes is to try to relax and breathe steadily. If there is someone around that you trust, let them know what is going on and ask them to stay with you until it passes. If no one is around, try keeping your breathing steady by singing to yourself - a lullaby or something soothing.
If you pass out, get tunnel vision, or if your hands start curling in (pinky and thumb especially) to start looking like "talons," call for emergency medical attention. These are signs of oxygen deprivation and can lead to/indicate more serious problems.
If your anxiety attacks are frequent and they prevent you from leading a normal life - for example, if you can't go to the supermarket or to church because you're afraid you'll have an attack - you should consider seeing a psychiatrist. They can provide you with medications that can help control or alleviate your symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medications or sedatives depending on the severity of your problem.
In my opinion, the best course of action combines both an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication and a sedative for "spot use" in emergencies. However, every person is different and only you and your doctor can figure out what is best for you.
Good luck!
AzureSky
[This comment is not intended as a substitute for appropriate medical advice and should not be treated as such. If you feel you may have a medical condition, please consult your doctor for professional medical advice and treatment.]