I feel for you man! I'm 37 now and have been having major problems with anxiety and panic attacks since I was 19. I also tried to ignore it but that eventually lead to a couple of very serious attacks a few years back during covid lockdown.
Initially it was the same as yours in that it happened during the night with the same symptoms, however a couple of days after that I had one during the day that lasted around 14 hours. It was at least a week before I felt better after that one. The belief that you may be having a heart attack is the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced!
Following that period I eventually decided to get help and talked to my doctor for the first time in about 16 years. They starting me off with medication, which helped a lot in the short term. The real success I've had came when I decided to start therapy though. I had to wait a few months for an NHS therapist to become available as they have had a huge influx of people seeking therapy in the aftermath of the pandemic but eventually I got to the top the waiting list.
In short, it really helped me to understand what was going on with my body when these attacks were occurring and as I result I've had much more success in preventing them.
Wow, I can't even imagine. I was thinking it was bad that the attack was lasting close to an hour. 14 hours is just nuts. It's funny because I'm probably what you would consider a middle class average American. It's a little embarrassing to believe my "first world problems" could be enough to be triggering a "fight or flight" response in my body. I'm glad you got some help and that you are able to manage it better now. I will definitely be talking to my doctor about it when I go in again. I'd be interested how you prevent the ones at night because I am seriously in a dead sleep, then boom. I wouldn't even know how to prevent that!
I still have the occasional one that wakes me up but it's how I respond to it that has changed. At the point where I recognise the symptoms so well that I can lower my heart rate much quicker and get my breath back because I recognise the pattern the attacks take. Once you get rid of that uncertainty and fear you should be able to reduce that initial adrenaline flood, that's how it's worked for me anyway.
I've really found that doing yoga has helped in the past couple of weeks since I started being consistent with it. Getting rid of aches and pains in my body has helped my mind become much more calm and not misinterpret symptoms so easily. The breath control during tough uncomfortable poses has really helped with the sleep aspect as well as anything else I'm doing.
Worth pointing out that I'm a severe example of an anxiety disorder so it's almost easier for me to make gains. One thing I'd think about other than that is your caffeine intake as that's often an easy adjustment to make. Wish you the best of luck man! Being proactive and talking about it is a great idea for men though, well played!
Thanks, I appreciate the tips! My wife is a school social worker, so I know all about that deep belly breathing! I tried that last night, but I guess I didn't try hard enough. I need to work on that! I had caffeine the night before, but not last night, so that is kind of weird. My wife had wondered before if caffeine intake had something to do with it. Thanks again for sharing your experience!