Do panic attacks ever get better?

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Hey, just a precursor, I've never really posted here before, just been a lurker.

So, recently I've been having these really nasty panic attacks about not existing, like the fact that there isn't life after death. It really freaks me out how when I die I won't think, or breathe, or be able to feel things with my fingers, or smell. The idea that my consciousness is here one minute and then permanently 'asleep' the next has been dwelling on my mind for a long time. I know that I have at least seventy more years of life in me, but in comparison to the amount of time that the earth has been around, and the rise and fall of technology and civilisation and society, well, seventy years is barely anything.

Sometimes I believe in little fantasies like by the time I'm 80 they'll have invented virtual intelligence to the point where my brain could get put into a computer, slowly transferring my memories while killing off my physical body so that there aren't two versions of me alive, just the one version which will indefinitely be 'me'. Other times I have little montages of my post death experience, where I look at how my actions affect the world, but most times I just want to sit down and cr y and scream and yell a lot at everything. Half way through making a sandwich I just break down and hyperventilate until I distract myself with something else.

My real question is in the title; will these panic attacks get any better? Will I be ale to move on from this in say, five years time, and look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking? Are there any coping mechanisms to help the 'healing' process? Currently I've imagined myself into another world, or thought about stuff like Dungeons and Dragons and worlds and just created lore in my head, but I feel that's only prolonged the time before I'm going to have to confront this.

Thanks for your time, whoever you are, and karma/kudos points to you for reading all of this.

Yes, they can get better. And the good news is, you can help the process along. Part of your problem is that you don't have enough going on in your life to fully occupy your time, your hands, and your mind. Here are some useful ideas to fix that.

- Exercise. This generates mood boosting endorphins. It also occupies some time.
- Read funny stories, and watch funny shows. Humor also generates mood boosting endorphins, and these activities also occupy some time.
- Voluteer. There are people out there who are worse off than we are. Also this boost the mood too, and also occupies some time.
- Take courses, either in person or online. Some online courses are free. This occupies time.
- Take up a hobby. Great way to spend some time, and you may meet some new friends who share your interest.
- Join a club. Occupy your time and make new friends.
- Surf the web. Great way to learn stuff and hang out with your WP friends.
- Play games. Great way to have fun and occupy some time.
- Travel, see the world. Another great way to have fun, to learn, and to occupy your time.
- Visit the doctor. You will occupy some time, and when you are done you will be very happy the visit is over, so you will feel better.

Now go and occupy your time, unless you really prefer--AAAAAHHHHH!! !! !

I guess that's some solid advice!
I think I'll try going for more cycle rides and reading moreoften than I do now, and see how it helps.
Thanks

I think mine are getting worse...or at least more frequent. So I'm not sure, but I think it is possible for them to get better......just not sure how one would do that. Also I don't know about anyone else but it's pretty much impossible to distract myself from having an anxiety attack......I mean its kind of hard to ignore an increased heart rate, more sweating than usual, panicky/on edge feelings, feeling like total doom is upon you and such.

Yes, panic attacks can get better. My therapist is helping me with this. When you have a panic attack, try and concentrate on slowing your breathing down, it really helps. It's hard to do, though.
When you're not having a panic attack, try practicing just watching your breathing - that way when you need to do it when you have a panic attack it's a bit easier to do.

I agree with all the tips above. I found a combination of short-term therapy to address two specifics (things to do when a panic attack was underway and recognizing a panic attack before it starts) with a med change was very helpful.

To help stave off a panic attack during "idle times" when my brain isn't fully occupied by the task at hand, I like listening to books on tape or public radio shows. Now, with the advent of podcasting and e-books, it's really people on ipod, but it's the same basic idea.

I agree with everyone. As ECJ said, when you are having a panic attack try to control your breathing. A good way to do this is to breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts, then out your mouth slowly for seven counts. Another thing that has helped me in the past is, when I have my gentle breathing happening to tell myself as I breathe slowly: There is no thought, person, place or situation that can make me feel anything, I and only I control my thoughts. I have the power. The point of power is right now in this present moment.

When I do this the fearful, anxious feeling doesn't evaporate away immediately but does lessen in intensity to the point where I now feel that I control the anxiety and it doesn't control me. Does that make the sense? The more I do this, the easier it becomes and eventually the panic attacks will lessen and even cease completely.

The other thing for me as an anxious person is that I absolutely have to do vigorous exercise almost everyday. I've had anxiety so bad in the past that I could only lie there shaking, my husband made me exercise. It was absolutely the best thing he could have made me do.

Of course, if you haven't already, see a dr about medication. Avanza is working quite well for me. (I'm only on a low dose)

Anyway, I've rambled enough.

Hope that helps,
Ness

Breathing excercises are nothing but a distraction that is made to sound like a "medical" solution when it's nothing but a placebo. Thinking about the breathing is supposed to make it harder to think about the thing that is making you panic, nothing more, it does not magically control your inner workings in any way at all, contrary to what a therapist would have you believe.

If distractions don't work for you then it is pointless.

I suppose the only solution for fear of death is to do what you want to do in life until you're satisfied that you didn't waste it.

You're going to die and you can't change it. The panic is your own feeling of not wanting to die, in other words it is your feeling of wanting to live. If you want to live then do it while you can, before you're dead. The panic is a sense of urgency to do that before it is too late.

It is like you want a sandwich, but you're looking at that desire from a weird angle, looking at it more like you're scared of not having a sandwich, and you're just telling yourself over and over that you're terrified of never having one, but you're not using that energy or focus to actually make one.

All fears and negative feelings are like that. It's your mind reminding yourself that you're meant to be doing something, and these feelings are not necessarily a bad thing. Without them, we wouldn't know what we wanted.

I'm rambling but yeah I'm pretty sure the only way to deal with fear of death is to make sure you gain satisfaction in life.

No the breathing doesn't control your inner workings or make the fears magically evaporate as I said, it just helps in that panic moment from feeling like you will completely lose control and hyperventilate and pass out. That leads to feeling more in control of the panic attacks which then helps to get on with doing things that will give you satisfaction in life.

If you're terrified of having panic attacks all the time it makes it harder to just get on with doing things.

Well, it worked for me anyway. I guess everyone has to figure out what works for them as an individual.