Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 6857

Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

mystical experiences and panic attacks

Posted by sean on May 31, 1999, at 4:02:05

I started having panic attacks in October of last year. I would suddenly feel that I was about to have a heart attack or stop breathing. For some reason, I thought that as long as I kept moving I wouldn't die. After going through these attacks for three or four consecutive days, I had the courage to tell myself that I wasn't about to die and to stand still and 'face my fears.' When I did this, i had what can only be described as a 'mystical experience.' I felt overwhelmed by peace which I felt as a physical presence. It wasn't good or bad though, it was like being where good and bad come from. I also had the sense of being inside of a paradox. Has anyone else had experiences of this kind following panic attacks?

 

Re: mystical experiences and panic attacks

Posted by thia on May 31, 1999, at 22:49:33

In reply to mystical experiences and panic attacks, posted by sean on May 31, 1999, at 4:02:05

Maybe you're bipolar too. Cyclothymic maybe. I've had many mystical experiences. Never any related to panic attacks though.

 

Re: mystical experiences and panic attacks

Posted by Sean on June 1, 1999, at 15:13:04

In reply to Re: mystical experiences and panic attacks, posted by thia on May 31, 1999, at 22:49:37

> Maybe you're bipolar too. Cyclothymic maybe. I've had many mystical experiences. Never any related to panic attacks though.

Yes! I have had this. In fact, almost every time
I have panic attacks, I get a mystical experience
within 1-3 days. It seems like my brain re-boots
or something and there is this incredible sense
of visual acuity, joy, and rich colors which are
unlike anything I can explain.

Apparently there is a recognizable subtype of
bipolar people who have panic disorder, so much
so that it is being used as a marking
characteristics in some genetic studies.

Panic is really wierd; at this point, I don't
get the racing heart. I start feeling this odd
rush of blood or something in my temples and
this sense of terrible dread. I've learned that
I just need to gulp a xanax, get grounded and
know that it will pass- oh, and I will likely
be rewarded with a mystical expererience...

Sean.

 

MUST WE PATHOLOGIZE THIS?????!!

Posted by JennyAnn on June 2, 1999, at 11:21:28

In reply to mystical experiences and panic attacks, posted by sean on May 31, 1999, at 4:02:05

why must we make this a function of pathology? sounds beautiful sean, i am glad to hear that you have had this peace:)
<3 JA

 

Re: MUST WE PATHOLOGIZE THIS?????!!

Posted by Sean on June 2, 1999, at 11:34:18

In reply to MUST WE PATHOLOGIZE THIS?????!!, posted by JennyAnn on June 2, 1999, at 11:21:28

> why must we make this a function of pathology? sounds beautiful sean, i am glad to hear that you have had this peace:)
> <3 JA

Nooo! I do not see a diagnosis code for "Pleasant
mystical experience" anywhere...

 

Re: mystical experiences and....

Posted by Elizabeth on June 2, 1999, at 12:23:25

In reply to Re: mystical experiences and panic attacks, posted by Sean on June 1, 1999, at 15:13:04

I've had "mystical experiences" similar to what you describe, Sean, as precursors to panic attacks. When I described them to my doctor he wondered about temporal lobe epilepsy. We discarded that idea, but it would be interesting if there is some sort of connection.

 

Re: mystical experiences and....

Posted by Sean on June 2, 1999, at 13:06:00

In reply to Re: mystical experiences and...., posted by Elizabeth on June 2, 1999, at 12:23:25

> I've had "mystical experiences" similar to what you describe, Sean, as precursors to panic attacks. When I described them to my doctor he wondered about temporal lobe epilepsy. We discarded that idea, but it would be interesting if there is some sort of connection.

This was also mentioned to me because I have smell
hallucinations from time to time and sometimes
get into these weird hypersalivation states where
saliva is literally gushing out of my mouth for
5 minutes. It is really rather comic and my old
girlfriend would laugh and laugh! But I did some
research on both of these symptoms and only
found them discussed with TLE.

Sooo, I went to my friendly neighborhood neurologist
and he said something was going on, but my symptoms
were not typical of TLE in that they are often
spread out over days or even weeks (I get brain
fog with smell hallucinations) and that since I
have a mood disorder, his opinion was that it
was more of an aura of this aspect of my brain.
He gave me a really funny diagnosis which sounded
like "Altered States of Awareness" or something.
Basically, these symptoms are *nothing* compared
to a deep depression or major panic situation, so
he suggested I treat the mood stuff with an
anti-convulsant which he would prescribe anyway.

There is also a relationship between TLE and
bipolar, so my conclusion is that I have some
kind of combinations of these two things. It
does seem to run in my family and I also have
a cousin with Tourette's. Luck of the neurological
draw I suppose...


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.