Home page of BPDFamily.com, online relationship supportMember registration here
March 28, 2024, 07:24:55 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Board Admins: Kells76, Once Removed, Turkish
Senior Ambassadors: Cat Familiar, EyesUp, SinisterComplex
  Help!   Boards   Please Donate Login to Post New?--Click here to register  
bing
Books members most read
105
The High
Conflict Couple
Loving Someone with
Borderline Personality Disorder
Loving the
Self-Absorbed
Borderline Personality
Disorder Demystified

Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: BPD and Panic Attacks  (Read 514 times)
wilsonian
**
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: married
Posts: 97



« on: September 05, 2014, 03:26:46 PM »

ok... things have been going awesome between my dBPDw and myself... .the only thing lately seem s she is having more and severe panic attacks... .is there a relation between BPD and panic attacks and does anyone have any ideas how I can help her... I am always at work when it happens but would love to know what I can do to help
Logged
PLEASE - NO RUN MESSAGES
This is a high level discussion board for solving ongoing, day-to-day relationship conflicts. Members may appear frustrated but they are here for constructive solutions to problems. This is not a place for relationship "stay" or "leave" discussions. Please read the specific guidelines for this group.

ColdEthyl
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 2 years
Posts: 1277


« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2014, 05:15:13 PM »

Hello, and I'm not sure if there is a connection, but I know my dBPDh does have a lot of social anxiety, and really cannot handle any sort of problem, issue or situation very well without panicking. Also, traffic is a huge flarer for it.

The only thing I can do is keep a low calm voice, that seems to help him. I don't TELL him to calm down, I know that doesn't work on ME, it certainly won't go well for him. If there is something I can take over, I am more than happy to if it helps.

What exactly are you seeing as panic attacks? How often are they?
Logged
Inquisitive1
***
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: married
Posts: 230



« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2014, 05:19:45 PM »

I'm no expert, but i believe BPD and anxiety are related and anxiety is related to panic attacks. I know my dBPDw has panic attacks and takes meds to avoid them. Does your dBPDw use meds for anxiety?

Exercise and also help reduce anxiety.
Logged
maxsterling
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: living together, engaged
Posts: 2772



« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2014, 06:10:28 PM »

My fiance suffers from severe panic attacks to the extent I would consider them life threatening.  By life threatening I mean that she has tried jumping out of a moving car and other forms of self harm.  Had there been means of hurting herself nearby, I would not be surprised if she took advantage when she was completely emotionally overwhelmed (such as running out into traffic).  It's that scary.

She has meds to help her now, and I keep my fingers crossed that they actually work.  She also tells me that during those times I should be forceful with her, and demand she call a crisis line or have some other kind of safety plan.  She also said it would help if I reassured her that things will be okay.  Strange, that almost seems invalidating to tell someone that things are going to be okay when she is fully convinced they won't be 

Logged

enlighten me
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Ex-romantic partner
Posts: 3289



« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2014, 06:21:01 PM »

Both my uBPD ex's had panic attacks. The exgf was worse. She told me she was claustrophobic and once when stuck in a traffic jam had a panic attack and had to get out of her car and off of the motorway.

I believe that BPDs probably suffer more due to the fact that when panic sets in adrenaline and cortisol are released in massive quantities. There is no proof that BPDs have already elevated cortisol levels but a lot of evidence points to the fact that they may. If this is the case then by adding more the system is getting overloaded.

Caffeine can be a cause of panic attacks and people who suffer from them are recommended to cut out caffeine. Caffeine also increases cortisol so possibly a link there.
Logged

wilsonian
**
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: married
Posts: 97



« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2014, 10:36:07 AM »

thank all for there input... .he attacks have been pretty bad... .usually will start as a hot flash or being over stimulated by people... traffic etc... .she was so bad one day at a nursing home she volunteers at she got picked up by an ambulance with a heartbeat rate over 180 and couldn't remember who she was or her birthday anything like that until I got into the ER room and had her focus on me... .now she is scared to be alone because she doesn't want to ever get that bad again but what she is doing is having panic attacks worrying about that... .she has been on adavan? I believe for her anxiety but been the same dose since 2008 makes me wonder if her system has built up a tolerance to it and needs more strength... she takes 05 three times a day... .not much knowledge on my part about drugs like that... .just hate seeing my beautiful wife go through this when everything else with her BPD has improved so much... .
Logged
waverider
Retired Staff
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: married 8 yrs, together 16yrs
Posts: 7405


If YOU don't change, things will stay the same


« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2014, 07:04:40 PM »

thank all for there input... .he attacks have been pretty bad... .usually will start as a hot flash or being over stimulated by people... traffic etc... .she was so bad one day at a nursing home she volunteers at she got picked up by an ambulance with a heartbeat rate over 180 and couldn't remember who she was or her birthday anything like that until I got into the ER room and had her focus on me... .now she is scared to be alone because she doesn't want to ever get that bad again but what she is doing is having panic attacks worrying about that... .she has been on adavan? I believe for her anxiety but been the same dose since 2008 makes me wonder if her system has built up a tolerance to it and needs more strength... she takes 05 three times a day... .not much knowledge on my part about drugs like that... .just hate seeing my beautiful wife go through this when everything else with her BPD has improved so much... .

Adavan & Xanax are fast acting benzos in the same family as valium which are slower acting. Slow acting benzos help reduce anxiety. The fast acting ones are to treat panic and severe anxiety. However tolerance does build up. As the fast acting ones wear off they can start to cause withdrawal and eventually cause addiction issues as there is a tendancy to want to up the dose to get the noticeable fix. Long term use of fast acting benzos is not recommended and it's main use is now for crisis management. Though historically they were prescribed ongoing. Withdrawing off fast acting benzos is hard and unpleasant. In Australia they have now been put on the restricted list so only short term permits can be granted for them without specialist approval. GPs just can't keep prescribing them anymore. In fact Xanax as a brand has pulled out of distribution in Australia with only generic brands left


Panic attacks are usually triggered by something trivial then overwhelming rears come crashing until the person is totally overwhelmed they dont even know what the panic is about. It is a kind of instant dysregulation so pwBPD are probably more susceptible to panic attacks as that avenue of emotional overload is already open.
Logged

  Reality is shared and open to debate, feelings are individual and real
drummerboy
****
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Parent
Posts: 419



« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2014, 08:17:58 PM »

I'm no expert but from what I've read BPD and anxiety together is quite common, its called co-morbid. My uBPDexgf had been in treatment for 10 years with GAD. So I don't think in your case the BPD is causing the panic attacks but rather the anxiety.
Logged
joshbjoshb
***
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Posts: 241


« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2014, 10:15:06 AM »

My wife had a nice share of them. With her it comes in waves and thank g-d we didn't have any for good couple of months.

Sometimes I think that it happened when she doesn't express her emotions in the regular form - anger - it comes out as fear, than panic attack.

She will feel her heart beating crazy fast, almost dying, always in middle of the night so I am up too
Logged
wilsonian
**
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: married
Posts: 97



« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2014, 11:26:25 AM »

hum josh... ?... .That may make some sense since its has been a really really calm 6 weeks or so... .no anger no rages... .no conflict to speak of... .does make me wonder...
Logged
ColdEthyl
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 2 years
Posts: 1277


« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2014, 04:53:23 PM »

I agree with Josh here too. I've noticed my husband's anxiety is always a lot higher if he hasn't had a rage episode in some time.


My wife had a nice share of them. With her it comes in waves and thank g-d we didn't have any for good couple of months.

Sometimes I think that it happened when she doesn't express her emotions in the regular form - anger - it comes out as fear, than panic attack.

She will feel her heart beating crazy fast, almost dying, always in middle of the night so I am up too

Logged
waverider
Retired Staff
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: married 8 yrs, together 16yrs
Posts: 7405


If YOU don't change, things will stay the same


« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2014, 05:29:44 PM »

I agree with Josh here too. I've noticed my husband's anxiety is always a lot higher if he hasn't had a rage episode in some time.


My wife had a nice share of them. With her it comes in waves and thank g-d we didn't have any for good couple of months.

Sometimes I think that it happened when she doesn't express her emotions in the regular form - anger - it comes out as fear, than panic attack.

She will feel her heart beating crazy fast, almost dying, always in middle of the night so I am up too


I think this highlights the fact that the rages are coming from compounded emotions that are being triggered, like a ticking bomb. Rather than the issue/person at hand. Knowing this helps you get through them better
Logged

  Reality is shared and open to debate, feelings are individual and real
joshbjoshb
***
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Posts: 241


« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2014, 02:23:59 PM »

100% true! I never doubted it. The rages are coming from major fears and inner turmoils.

I guess now you have to choose between panic attacks and rages, what would you take?
Logged
ColdEthyl
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 2 years
Posts: 1277


« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2014, 04:52:01 PM »

You are so correct. I KNOW I got a rage episode coming up because our car had to back to the shop and we have had to borrow his mother's car. Because we have her car, she has him running around taking her places all day for 3 days straight... .it's driving him nuts. I know his social anxiety is going through the roof. But, I know it's coming, and I can prepare better by knowing where it's coming from.



I agree with Josh here too. I've noticed my husband's anxiety is always a lot higher if he hasn't had a rage episode in some time.


My wife had a nice share of them. With her it comes in waves and thank g-d we didn't have any for good couple of months.

Sometimes I think that it happened when she doesn't express her emotions in the regular form - anger - it comes out as fear, than panic attack.

She will feel her heart beating crazy fast, almost dying, always in middle of the night so I am up too


I think this highlights the fact that the rages are coming from compounded emotions that are being triggered, like a ticking bomb. Rather than the issue/person at hand. Knowing this helps you get through them better

Logged
waverider
Retired Staff
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: married 8 yrs, together 16yrs
Posts: 7405


If YOU don't change, things will stay the same


« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2014, 04:53:15 PM »

If only you could install a relief valve in them that lets a little out at a time so that it doesn't all bottle up. It all or nothing.

They know this and that in itself can create anxiety. It is also why a little panic or anger coming from others is hard from them to handle as they dont understand regulated frustration/anger/panic, which normal folks experience most of the time.
Logged

  Reality is shared and open to debate, feelings are individual and real
ColdEthyl
********
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 2 years
Posts: 1277


« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2014, 05:01:05 PM »

You're right! He cannot handle me being upset at all! And, he can't understand me ranting for 10 minutes and being over it after I get it out. He has explained to me that my anxiety issues bleed onto him so if I'm upset it makes him upset, even more so because he feels like he wants to do something to make me not upset, and then gets angry because sometimes it's an issue he can't do anything about. His knee jerk reaction is always anger. If he feels worry... .it's coming out as anger. Sad=angry, anxiety=angry, etc



If only you could install a relief valve in them that lets a little out at a time so that it doesn't all bottle up. It all or nothing.

They know this and that in itself can create anxiety. It is also why a little panic or anger coming from others is hard from them to handle as they dont understand regulated frustration/anger/panic, which normal folks experience most of the time.

Logged
wilsonian
**
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic Partner
Relationship status: married
Posts: 97



« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2014, 11:16:03 AM »

josh... .panic and anxiety attacks over the rages... .the last six or so weeks have been awesome for our relationship and I do my best to be there for her during these attacks... .she also seems to think its a more workable issue with her T... .?... .Wait and see I reckon... .thanks again for all the input from everyone!
Logged
Can You Help Us Stay on the Air in 2024?

Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Our 2023 Financial Sponsors
We are all appreciative of the members who provide the funding to keep BPDFamily on the air.
12years
alterK
AskingWhy
At Bay
Cat Familiar
CoherentMoose
drained1996
EZEarache
Flora and Fauna
ForeverDad
Gemsforeyes
Goldcrest
Harri
healthfreedom4s
hope2727
khibomsis
Lemon Squeezy
Memorial Donation (4)
Methos
Methuen
Mommydoc
Mutt
P.F.Change
Penumbra66
Red22
Rev
SamwizeGamgee
Skip
Swimmy55
Tartan Pants
Turkish
whirlpoollife



Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2006-2020, Simple Machines Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!