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Exercise for someone with panic attacks?

MagickalKat777

MagickalKat777

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Feb 4, 2004
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Denver, CO
So I've had panic disorder since 2004 and I'm currently in the process of tapering off of my Valium as I want to be med free. The problem is that I have become completely sedentary. I mean we're talking that I have full blown agoraphobia so I don't ever leave the house...

I know that one of the things that they tell you to get over panic attacks is to exercise but does anyone have any tips on how to start? I hate getting my heart rate up there because once I feel it, then I feel it getting faster and then BAM! Panic attack.

I don't have a clue where to start. Would doing some sit ups and push ups every day count? Do I need cardio? I actually have no health problems outside of my mental health which is what is so damn frustrating but I know I need to start making healthier choices in the things that I eat, maybe take some supplements, and I'm going to have to do the dreaded exercise thing.

I'm 6'1 and 185 pounds so I'm not terribly out of shape and I stopped smoking and drinking back in September when I started my taper but when my taper ends in February, I want to be able to get out and do things ASAP and I have a feeling that starts out here while I'm at home with exercising and such.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Sorry if its in the wrong section, it seemed more appropriate to put it here than in mental health since it deals with physical wellbeing but I wasn't 100% sure.
 
I had panic attacks on month 3 of my comedown and exercise is one of the things that made me recover faster. I started with a slow cardio of just walking on the treadmill and just buildup until I can run faster. If you are quite sensitive to running you can start with a bike or eliptical and go on a speed you ate confortable with. As with the other exercises you can do weights and pushups etc and this will also help with the the panic attack.
 
I guess my problem is that my panic attacks actually start from physical activity most of the time. Once my heart rate feels elevated, I get convinced it isn't going to come down. If we had a treadmill, it wouldn't be as much of an issue as I could do that without leaving the house. :\
 
You can actually do some short workouts at home with a few dumb bells, jumping rope and jumping jacks etc. Maybe perhaps start with fast-walking around the block and then slowly get into running?

A family member of mine actually works out at home and he does fast walking back and forth as his cardio so maybe you can do fast walking at home and then go from there so that at least you are not overwhelmed with running.

I think I have also mentioned the Nike training workouts on my other posts so if you have an i-phone you can add this application and browse at 15 min workouts that will not require any type of equipment such as pushups, situps squats and other leg workouts.
 
I don't have an iPhone but you reminded me that I have a similar app that I got as the free app of the day from Amazon awhile back and never used.

I think I'm psyching myself out more than anything. I just know what happens when I have a panic attack - I suck down a damn pill full well knowing it takes over an hour before Valium will hit me anyway.
 
Same here, I sometimes doubt myself specially if my head pressure attacks me and if I am able to perform my cardio workout. Nowadays I use the eliptical as it seems to be a better equipment for me and it doesn't affect my head pressure as much. I have learned to accept that for now, I have to deal with this anxiety related head pressure and to just work my way around it. I hope you find that way to fight off the panic attacks as I know it can be very frustrating.
 
Its more than frustrating. I can't even take a Vitamin D3 without spending the next day in anxious hell. Who the hell ever heard of D3 being a trigger for anxiety?!
 
2 years ago i tapered off a pretty big xanax dose, i feel ya, i was a total mess, during the taper and for like 3 months after,
yoga is relaxing , changing my diet helped., every little bit of any small accomplishment you do helps,. going to the supermarket was major,
going for a walk around the lake helped, i was real reluctant and had to force myself to do anything
but once whatever i was doing was done, i did feel kind of lighter,
baby steps,
i was lucky i had a job and i worked so that kept me busy,
it sucked dumps, but now a days all them sick feelings are gone, and i dont need any meds
check out benzobuddies.org if you havent allready its a forum for people coming off of benzos a wealth of coping skills, and anxiety triggers, vitamins ect ...

good luck =D
 
Exercise is wonderful for panic and anxiety. It calms you down, takes time though. You know how athletes have slower than average resting heart rates? Well cardio and exercise will help decrease your bpm and you might notice a change. At least I did. If you have exercise anxiety or exercise intolerance than that's different of course. Even mild cardio will help, it's not like you have to do the insanity workout.
 
I have exercise anxiety if you couldn't tell.

My heart rate has already plummeted since I stopped smoking and drinking (went from ~85 resting down to roughly 70 now) but it still spikes when I get up and move around. It really doesn't help that I'm in an active benzo taper because I have no way of knowing what's what :\
 
Try Yoga, the breathing techniques can be a real great help. Just Google Yoga breathing if you don't want to do the yoga its self.
 
Neoprimitive said:
Try Yoga, the breathing techniques can be a real great help. Just Google Yoga breathing if you don't want to do the yoga its self.
Click to expand...

I have the exact same problem with regard to exercise and panic. I've had a panic attack before on a treadmill because of the feeling of my heart rate being elevated. I second the suggestion of Yoga. Pilates also works. If you suffer from agoraphobia, you can follow along to Yoga/Pilates podcasts or videos by yourself at home.
 
MagickalKat777 said:
So I've had panic disorder since 2004 and I'm currently in the process of tapering off of my Valium as I want to be med free. The problem is that I have become completely sedentary. I mean we're talking that I have full blown agoraphobia so I don't ever leave the house...

I know that one of the things that they tell you to get over panic attacks is to exercise but does anyone have any tips on how to start? I hate getting my heart rate up there because once I feel it, then I feel it getting faster and then BAM! Panic attack.

I don't have a clue where to start. Would doing some sit ups and push ups every day count? Do I need cardio? I actually have no health problems outside of my mental health which is what is so damn frustrating but I know I need to start making healthier choices in the things that I eat, maybe take some supplements, and I'm going to have to do the dreaded exercise thing.

I'm 6'1 and 185 pounds so I'm not terribly out of shape and I stopped smoking and drinking back in September when I started my taper but when my taper ends in February, I want to be able to get out and do things ASAP and I have a feeling that starts out here while I'm at home with exercising and such.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Sorry if its in the wrong section, it seemed more appropriate to put it here than in mental health since it deals with physical wellbeing but I wasn't 100% sure.
Click to expand...

This interested me because I can relate to it so much. Through various stimulant binging then a horrible time withdrawing from Xanax I had a bad case of this where I thought I needed benzo's to leave the house (the thought they make things better does still ring in my head, but I know it's not the case., I actually got signed off work for depression, anxiety and stress, which helped in the short term but has left me feeling off form. I'm still working at getting it back but a month on and things are much better than they were.

To answer your question yes a few push ups every day will help, whatever exercise you can do will help you feel better about yourself, purely because you did it if nothing else. I'd suggest trying to vary what you do though. When I slipped up I was at the tail end of the Insanity workout, then blew everything on a binge using speed paste/Xanax. Several doctors appointments later I was no further and I can honestly say the 2 things that have helped in getting me back to normal the most are diet and exercise.

Do you have a garden at all? I know you have agoraphobia but any fresh air you can get helps. I started off back doing a work out that consisted of 3 sets of 6 reps pull ups, 3 sets of 20 press ups, 3 sets of 20 tricep dips, I'd do that one day, then some legs or abs stuff the next day. For the first week or so it was really simple gentle stuff though. I'd say you should maybe think of 4 exercises for for 4 different days of the week, like a chest/triceps, legs, back/biceps, mild cardio/abs type split. Some stretching would also be good. I can't say exactly because everyone knows themselves best but something along those lines will get you back into the swing of things.

As you say you want to get back out ASAP, I was the same boat, so moral of the story is, eat healthy, do what exercise you can do and things will get better. I started off doing that and now I'm already back doing Insanity on a quest for form :)
 
Dude, just run. Simple as that. Go out side, and do a light jog for 30 min. No less!!

Trust me. Ive been running almost every day like that and feel great.

It might feel uncomfortable to get your blood flowing like that, but you have to just do it and push through it.
With in like 2 weeks you will feel different. But you have to do it at least 5 time a week

Lifting weights does not get your blood flowing the same way cardio/running does. It has other benefits, but running will give your brain more oxygen and more blood. 2 things that will be responsible for calming down your brain and producing more "feel good" chemicals
 
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