I do not know where to start with this... but for all of my life, I have had chronic asthma but the amount of asthma attacks I've had is minimal... until recently.

For about a year (I'm 16), my attacks have become more persistent. I go through an inhaler in less than two months now. I have come to learn that I am having anxiety attacks that are inducing my asthma. I have no idea what is wrong! I've been leading a healthy lifestyle. I workout, eat like a normal person, and have a normal social life. I have no idea how to fix this. I have anxiety attacks every single night, and the only thing that soothes me is a warm shower which frightens me because what if there is no access to a warm shower?

I recently went on a vacation to the beach, and it was a nightmare. I took about four showers a day because of all of the panic attacks I had. Heck, I couldn't even eat dinner because that is when they occur - at nighttime. I felt so bad because the focus was on me the whole time. I could tell that my mother was stressed out.

The symptoms I face are a dry mouth, trouble swallowing, and heavy breathing.

Do any of you suffer from anxiety attacks? If so, how do you prevent them? Is there a special way you have learned to ease them?

TL;DR I have been suffering from anxiety attacks more often, and I do not know why. I need advice on how to prevent/soothe them.

Thank you, guys.

Even though I don't have asthma, I do suffer from Panic Disorder. I experience anxiety attacks on a daily basis, and if I'm lucky, I'm sedated as soon as they start. Panic Disorder is a bit different than the usual "anxiety" stuff. Mine can happen without triggers. And sadly, because of this disorder, I've never been able to do many different activities; and lost friends because of it. I can't go to theme parks because I don't like rides, and even if I do go, I get really dizzy and light-headed (it's like that for any large place that I go to). Growing up, I used to be scolded for panicking. I can't go to the grocery store without my heart pace rapidly increasing, and my throat starts closing (throat closing is a reaction of the body when it feels endangered). Sometimes I end up crying in the middle of the store and I have to leave. When I was younger and friends invited me to stay over at their homes, I'd make it until the middle of the night and beg to go home. I remember doing this a few times when staying with family. Acid Reflux Disease is one of my biggest triggers; I've had tons of really bad episodes from that alone.

My regular symptoms during an attack are throat closing, rapid heart beat, nausea, extra gas, hot flashes + sweating, shaking, dizziness, confusion, hyperventilation, and numbness in my left arm (sometimes tingly/needle feels). During extreme attacks, I can hallucinate, hyperventilate, convulse, confusion, dizziness, and even end up harming myself. Unintentionally or intentionally. With my disorder, I experience derealization; which is somewhat like a loss of touch in reality - nothing seems real; or I don't believe I or anything else is real. I'm also a very paranoid person.

TL;DR

For your questions; Prevention and easing are different for everyone. I found my comfort in a television show. Prevention is a little bit trickier, and I haven't had much experience with that. The most I can say for prevention is keep yourself busy. Read a book, clean, go for a walk, talk to someone. When easing attacks, find something that is calming to you. Use breathing techniques, talk yourself out of an attack (actually sometimes works), find somebody immediately and talk to them, or listen to sounds or music. Meditation used to work for me. Do you have a hobby of any sort? Like drawing, sports, writing, or something? I found an escape through writing. It keeps my mind busy and concentrated on the story rather than anxious thoughts.

I'm not going to recommend that you do this before anything else, even as a last resort. I take medication for my disorder. I take sedatives and antidepressants. Try asking a guardian to go in for a checkup with a psychologist before a psychiatrist. They might be able to help you verbally rather than medically. If all else fails, it might be good to try a psychiatrist; see if there are any safe medications that can help with anxiety, and are easy to come off of.

I can relate to you... I couldn't even eat my food at a noisy restaurant and had to take it back to the hotel. I went into the restroom and stood in front of the mirror, trying to compose myself. :/ I also get scolded for panicking, and I sometimes get told that it's just in my head, but I know it isn't. My throat closes as well. I feel for you, though - it does affect hanging around my friends because they love exploring forests, and the one time I go into one with them, I had to run out of it with my sister because I began to panic and could not breathe.

Do you ever feel like... well, think you are going to die? It's something that happens, even though I know I probably won't.

Thank you very much for your input. I want to try and avoid medication. But I should really spend more time getting back into art because I've been so wrapped up in working out and working that I really just spend all of my other time just sitting around! It makes sense to keep busy... ^-^

Ah, the public eating. I used to have problems with that as well, especially as a very young child. I couldn't eat in the school cafeteria because I'd start getting nauseous and panic. I couldn't go out to eat with my parents either. My father told me a story the other day about how when we were seated, I started panicking and they had to order everything to go. I don't remember that, but I sure feel bad for it. It definitely destroyed my self-esteem as a kid being scolded for my episodes. I really hated myself. One thing I hated most in my life, and still do, is my place in any group of friends. I was always outcasted and most likely everyone's last choice. They didn't like inviting me anywhere because of how I react sometimes. They just didn't understand my situation; and even now, it's difficult making friends because I don't go with the "norm". IE: smoking + drinking, going out to parties, going to carnivals or theme parks, or going shopping... It just makes me feel bad that I have no one who cares for the person that I am, or rather that I don't know any laid-back natured person. I'm a huge nature freak and a lot of times spending my day outside in a natural reserve is very... relaxing. I plan to go on a hike next week. I probably would have never done this a couple weeks ago. I'm currently recovering from an extreme relapse in depression, and so far, I've come a good long way.

Yes, I do sometimes feel like that; usually during attacks triggered by health. I'm a Hypochondriac to the fullest extent. Other times I feel like I'm going or might go insane, which makes me worry a lot because I honestly believe I might have Psychosis some day. During other attacks, I mostly fear for vomiting.

I'm very hesitant when it comes to medication. It took me two weeks to begin taking my antidepressants after I'd picked them up from the pharmacy. I wanted to stay away from meds too, but my mother convinced me that I needed it. Now I'm just afraid about coming off of it, because most antidepressants have bad withdrawal symptoms. What sort of art are you into? I used to be great at traditional drawing and just lazy doodles, but I keep straying away from it. I even stray from writing, too. In fact, I have a story that I really want to write but haven't gotten around to doing it.^_^;

Keeping busy, I can assuredly say, helps a lot with anxious people or anyone who has problems with anxiety. I noticed during my urges to clean my bedroom, I'd have a good time while doing it. It eases some stress, I suppose. :)

Different things work for different people. I know when I start feeling an attack coming on I isolate myself, turn on music and focus on breathing and/or distraction. If I'm in one, I'll employ the same techniques. Different extents depending on how bad it is. Once, shortly after I returned to school from about three months of illness it got so bad I had to go home and get sedatives...

Has there been any change in anything recently, or right before they started? When my panic disorder reared it's ugly head for the first time in years it was from going back to school after being sick for almost three months. I've got pretty bad social anxiety, and going back to the crowded hallways of public school was too much after spending weeks at home where it's quiet. It was worked out with my Counselor that I could go into a... well, I'm not really sure what it was, but an unused room by his office if I needed to. Between having the option to relax there and gradual reintroduction I was able to finish my senior year of high school.

The biggest thing with going off is to go off gradually- cold turkey can have some weird effects up to and including seizures, but if you do be sure to consult your doc before hand.

Definitely an important detail about coming off of them. I've heard people say they've had some withdrawal effects from the same medication I take, even coming off gradually, which is what I'm paranoid about.

I'm sorry to hear about your Panic Disorder. :( I've had similar problems when returning to school. I spent about 2 or 3 days in the councelor's office at the beginning of fourth grade. I didn't even stay in the classroom for more than 5 minutes without having an epic breakdown. I've never encountered anybody else who has this disorder; makes me feel less alone. My best wishes to you.

medication. just make sure you research it, don't let the doctors push you in any way and try different kinds/dosages if needed.

I'm sorry you're going through this. I have anxiety attacks, too, but have been learning to better deal with them. It might help for you to keep a journal on this. Every time you have an anxiety attack, write down what was going on. Maybe once you do this, you can figure out what about each situation is making you have anxiety.

One thing that's really helped me when I feel an anxiety attack coming on is removing myself from the situation. If I'm inside a house, I will go outside. If you focus on slowing your breathing down, you cannot breathe fast and start that hyperventilating that can lead to a bigger anxiety attack or asthma attack. Take yourself out of whatever you are doing that is making you anxious.

You can also try guided meditation. I've found some great videos on youtube that have helped me relax. Meditation alone does not work for me, but guided meditation has actually worked very well. Guided meditation forces you to slow your thoughts down and focus on whatever the guide is having you focus your energy down. Try looking up some videos on youtube to see if they work for you.

Medication (anti-anxiety) may or may not work for you, but it's better to figure out why you are having these anxiety attacks so that you can work to prevent them and empower yourself.