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Panic attack while riding

I've encountered this feeling two times in my life and for some reason they were both on an airplane. started to feel anxious, started to sweet, body temp shot up, it was hard to focus, and started seeing dark with tunnel vision.

damn near passed out, the over head air cooled me off a bit then i got real cold a few seconds later. my pride kept me from calling for help, so i just drank some water and slowly i was back to normal. never thought of what it was about other than being enclosed breathing in other peoples exhaust fumes. good luck to you OP, i hope it was an isolated situation.
 
I've had many. The best description I ever made was "there's a creature living inside my chest trying to get out." I had one in all my years on the track, in a race where something really crazy happened. I just pulled in. Once they start they may go on for awhile.

Mainly I got them commuting to SF. I'd start to get anxious approaching the bridge, and it would get worse till I got to the job. As soon as I got out of the truck they ended.

May not have been panic attacks, maybe anxiety attacks. They were controllable in the sense that I never had a problem driving or riding, but they certainly took the fun out of it.
 
Panic attacks/panic disorder isn't a major focus of mine but I am a psychotherapist and do have some perspective on it (and some personal experience with panic attacks also) - as best you can try and recognize/identify the panic feelings starting, then "embrace" them - this is opposite the natural tendency to try and resist it - the problem with resisting/recoiling from fear, is that doing so increases it, and this creates a vicious feedback loop that escalates into the state of full-blown panic, where you become convinced that various forms of doom (like death or insanity) are upon you..

Literature might say that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (or methods) are the best for panic attacks/panic disorder, but that's more because CBT is the most extensively researched therapy at this time and is kinda in vogue in the field of psychology/psychotherapy generally... And part of the CBT approach certainly is helpful with panic attacks; you can learn to recognize the unhelpful/irrational thoughts that occur as the panic attack starts ("omg, I'm dying!", or omg, I'm going crazy!", or "something terrible is happening!"), and you can challenge and replace those thoughts with something more realistic ("ok, this is a panic attack starting, which is just fear of fear, and it doesn't need to escalate and can/will dissipate soon").. And that's a great way to think, in terms of the actual thoughts in your mind, at that time...

But the experience of "embracing" the fearful experience is more of a felt thing than a thinking thing, and can be helped greatly by developing a meditation practice where you learn to simply be with your present moment conscious experience, whatever that may be, and however uncomfortable those emotions may be - then you learn on a deeper level that feelings are just feelings, and pass like weather does - so when the fearful/disorienting/panicking feelings start you can just embrace them/be with them without trying to control them, and let them dissipate when they do... If you don't fear the fear, but accept/embrace it, the fear dissolves readily..
 
What with weekly shrinking CBT style and all, I haven't had an actual panic attack in... geez... two whole years maybe? Wow. Used to be near once a week, and since just one takes me out of commission for several hours and leaves me physically sore for DAYS, meant I basically felt pretty sick most of the time. Never had em while riding though-- hell, even in the midst of fucking crashing I'm oddly calm, while I get the OMGIMGONNADIE reactions over totally non-deadly, pedestrian (hah, pun!) situations.

My therapist recommended the (I know I know so it was on Oprah shuddup) book Power of Now, which really takes an in-depth look at similar concepts to what Lumberjack is describing. Actually a cool book, once I got over the Oprah cooties. :laughing

Basically, you learn to catch the thing developing BEFORE it can hit your limbic system full force and you get the feedback loop of fight-or-flight adrenaline that sets off that nasty downward spiral to hell.
 
I'm prone to panic/anxiety attacks (still not even sure why I started having them; some research says it's a result of the sleep apnea I used to have), but interestingly I have never had one while riding. Most common is in a car. Had a mild one today, in fact. Was stopped at a red light, and suddenly became aware that I was "boxed in". Started feeling my heart rate and blood pressure go up, got kind of tunnel vision, felt a little light headed. Light turned green and I was able to pull over and take some deep breaths to calm everything back down. It's really fucking annoying. Especially since 99% of the time I can be in that same "boxed in" situation, and it doesn't faze me a bit.

I take medicine to try to prevent them, and for the most part it works well. But every so often, one "sneaks through". Sometimes I want to get off the medicine, especially since one of the side effects listed is "anxiety". That's real great. I'm taking medicine to prevent anxiety, and one of the side effects is anxiety. So when I get anxious, is that my condition or a side effect of the medicine?!
 
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"Panic attack" can mean different things. May be he's talking about something related to riding or may be the source is somewhere else and not triggered by riding. There's a good saying in aviation when trouble starts, don't stop flying the airplane.

The human motor balance system controls the bike. It's a fly by wire system with a mind of its own, sensing lean angle changes, traction changes, momentum changes, visual information about the path ahead, etc. and generating physics solutions that become control inputs, changes in steering angle, body position, throttle, and brakes. Most of it is unconcious. The system only learns by experience and repetitions. For some things it needs thousands of repetitions over years before it's plotting reliable solutions. It can get overloaded or plot a wrong solution from lack experience, or from the intrusion of an irrelevent variable. Sometimes there is no solution (crunch). A motor balance lapse has rattle me a time or two. If we were digital computers we could install software and everybody would have identical skills instantly.

I'm on a dirt bike and spend time on pavement and time off road. In the first two years I was dropping the bike off road about every two weeks. This year I've only dropped the bike a couple of times even though I'm riding a bit more aggressively. A recent discovery, I can maneuver the bike on iced surfaces comparable to being on foot--at walking speeds. Last year I would have told you that's impossible.
 
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OaklandLion and Lumberjack have some great advise.

One thing I would STRONGLY advise if you are going to use CBT, whether it's for panic attacks, anxiety, or depression is to do the exercises while you are healthy. Don't wait until you need them to try them out. PM me if you want to know how I know.

When you are already suffering it's difficult to think with a rational mind. Your mind is already irrational to start with, which is what got you to the panic point to start with.

Work on the techniques while you are healthy and they'll be easier to put in place when they are needed.
 
Lumberjack said:
Panic attacks/panic disorder isn't a major focus of mine but I am a psychotherapist and do have some perspective on it (and some personal experience with panic attacks also) - as best you can try and recognize/identify the panic feelings starting, then "embrace" them - this is opposite the natural tendency to try and resist it - the problem with resisting/recoiling from fear, is that doing so increases it, and this creates a vicious feedback loop that escalates into the state of full-blown panic, where you become convinced that various forms of doom (like death or insanity) are upon you..

Literature might say that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (or methods) are the best for panic attacks/panic disorder, but that's more because CBT is the most extensively researched therapy at this time and is kinda in vogue in the field of psychology/psychotherapy generally... And part of the CBT approach certainly is helpful with panic attacks; you can learn to recognize the unhelpful/irrational thoughts that occur as the panic attack starts ("omg, I'm dying!", or omg, I'm going crazy!", or "something terrible is happening!"), and you can challenge and replace those thoughts with something more realistic ("ok, this is a panic attack starting, which is just fear of fear, and it doesn't need to escalate and can/will dissipate soon").. And that's a great way to think, in terms of the actual thoughts in your mind, at that time...

But the experience of "embracing" the fearful experience is more of a felt thing than a thinking thing, and can be helped greatly by developing a meditation practice where you learn to simply be with your present moment conscious experience, whatever that may be, and however uncomfortable those emotions may be - then you learn on a deeper level that feelings are just feelings, and pass like weather does - so when the fearful/disorienting/panicking feelings start you can just embrace them/be with them without trying to control them, and let them dissipate when they do... If you don't fear the fear, but accept/embrace it, the fear dissolves readily..
Click to expand...

:thumbup

But . . .

"Yo Lumberjack, I'm really happy for you, I'ma gonna let you finish, but Yoda had some of the best advice of all time.". :twofinger

[youtube]4qq1mNZh8TA[/youtube]
 
Hangin_Low said:
It hit .....
This ever happen to any of you?
Click to expand...

No, and I am thankful that panic attacks are not in my resume.
I hope you can nail down a solution.

I wish you luck, certainly someone has been there and has been able to adjust or mitigate the problem you have. Now it's just a matter of finding that person(s) and getting some help.
 
your mind can play a lot of tricks on you. it may be time to get off the bike a while if it happens again its time to sell the bike and find another hobby like another barfer suggested. you need all your faculties when riding if you are have this kind of reaction you shouldnt be on the street for your own safety.
Over the years ive been riding ive had a lot of emotional responses to situations ive decided it was time to hang up the helmet many times ive been mad,shocked,scared ,fedup but nevr what you experienced I think after 48 yeas on the road that would be the end og my riding.
 
Never had apanic attack but ....every now and then I look down at the asphalt and think how much it would suck to become one with it .
Good luck with your problem , I think that you seeking help (even here) is a positive..WD
 
bluesjr said:
cognitive therapy helps identify thoughts and mental triggers, then teaches you to reshape them for a more reasonable response. It attempts to break your automatic responses, or internal feedback loop.

Of course, any therapist is going to have a lot more knowledge/ideas than I do on the subject.
Click to expand...

Cognitive Therapy is really helpful in identifying the thoughts as they're "ramping up"... best book I've ever come across on the subject was called "Feeling Good" by Dr. Burns. I've bought it over half a dozen times, and have given away every copy. It's an easy read, with easy to do exercises, and you see results almost immediately.

If traffic situations like that are problematic for you, you might want to consider not riding in those situations until you get a better handle on what's causing the panic attacks.
 
OP,

I recommend you take flying lessons
Click to expand...

I've gone skydiving, does that count? :cool

First off, I give you mad props for asking this community for help.
Click to expand...

Thank you. But a note for the rest of the peanut gallery: I wasn't asking for therapeutic advice. My post was: yo, peeps, this happened today, this ever happened to you? I'm not sure the reason for the mass tendency to psychoanalyze and be all therapeutic and gushy. Seriously, man up, y'all. :twofinger

Literature might say that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (or methods) are the best for panic attacks/panic disorder, but that's more because CBT is the most extensively researched therapy at this time and is kinda in vogue in the field of psychology/psychotherapy generally... And part of the CBT approach certainly is helpful with panic attacks; you can learn to recognize the unhelpful/irrational thoughts that occur as the panic attack starts ("omg, I'm dying!", or omg, I'm going crazy!", or "something terrible is happening!"), and you can challenge and replace those thoughts with something more realistic ("ok, this is a panic attack starting, which is just fear of fear, and it doesn't need to escalate and can/will dissipate soon").. And that's a great way to think, in terms of the actual thoughts in your mind, at that time...
Click to expand...

However, if one were to go therapeutic, this is the kind of stuff that'd be helpful. Or would work for me. Thanks.

The human motor balance system controls the bike. It's a fly by wire system with a mind of its own, sensing lean angle changes, traction changes, momentum changes, visual information about the path ahead, etc. and generating physics solutions that become control inputs, changes in steering angle, body position, throttle, and brakes. Most of it is unconcious. The system only learns by experience and repetitions. For some things it needs thousands of repetitions over years before it's plotting reliable solutions. It can get overloaded or plot a wrong solution from lack experience, or from the intrusion of an irrelevent variable. Sometimes there is no solution (crunch). A motor balance lapse has rattle me a time or two. If we were digital computers we could install software and everybody would have identical skills instantly.
Click to expand...

YOU. Speak geek at me, and I will love you forever. Or at least, lust, in a weird, nerdy way. Go on with your synaptic complexity.

And with regards to the people who mentioned that possibly it's the riding itself, traffic, AAAH!!!!!!ness that caused the panic attack. No, it was completely other stuff in my life, combined with a particuarly bad reaction from a med I was on. I'm way too heedless and reckless, I throw myself into traffic and danger without a thought, a little Bay Bridge, rush hour traffic doesn't faze me. :party

And for all who responded by mentioning how you've dealt with panic attacks on your own timeline: right there with you, more power to you, and let's all keep on keeping on. :ride
 
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I'd like to think, you got carbon monoxide poisoning from all the exhaust, it really doesn't take much to make you feel all weird like that. I was helping a bro get his bike ready last year, we had it in the garage, door open, he was running it, I musta got a good whif, I felt like crapping, and puking, had to get to the can to piss, all light headed, started pissin' and bam! I hit the floor, pissed all over myself, after a few minutes, I came to, I was sweating and still spinning...wtf? did somebody dose my beer?...I made it to the pool where I layed for an hour, all headspun.....
 
I have to believe...there are different forms of "panic attacks". The things called "pucker moments", are panic attacks.

The biker that "freezes" maybe locks up the rear wheel while braking, or doesn't turn the bike as quick and sharp as the bike can turn...just is faced with the incompetence of the sudden moment, of not knowing or trusting what can be done...doesn't do anything. And wham, hits the car, or doesn't make the corner.

I'd say "panic attacks" are very common...in some form.

I refuse to feel fear...it screws you up...it prevents you from doing what needs to be done.
 
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