My Panic Attack Story – A First Experience

When I had my first panic attack I was 23 years old and for many years the symptoms continued without warning on different days. I was in a business meeting at work when the feelings of fear and anxiety slowly began to creep into my conscious mind.

I did not know what was going on at first, just thought maybe it was something I had for lunch or anxiety from the pressures of the meeting.Then the feelings of fear and anxiety became stronger. My hands started to sweat and I could feel a tightness in my chest and then started to feel shortness of breath. The panic attack symptoms made me want to take over the body’s natural breathing cycle and control it on my own.

All this time a bunch of random thoughts were running through my mind. “What in the world is going on, I feel like I’m losing my mind?” I felt the need to run out of the room and leave the meeting, but it was soon my turn to speak. I felt increasingly subconscious that someone would notice my uncomfortable situation.

Then even worse thoughts started running through my mind. “What if I’m having a heart attack? “ 

All I wanted was for the panic attack to stop but it was like my body and its emotions were taking over and I was out of control.
 
At this point I began to feel out of touch with reality. It was like I was looking at the world through an entirely different view.  I got up from my chair in the business meeting with a red face and it felt like everybody’s eyes were burning holes through my body.

The meeting director started to call my name, but the only thing I could do was run out the door with an embarrassed look on my face and feeling like a complete fool. I just wanted to get away as fast as possible and be alone.
 
I later realized what I was experiencing was a panic attack or anxiety disorder. I went to a doctor for treatment, but the only thing the doctor did was prescribe medication and the panic attacks continued to torment my life.
 
It was horrifying and then when one panic attack was over I was always left with one recurring thought, “When will I have to suffer through another panic attack? When will it strike again?

 It was only until I found the Panic Away treatment program and discovered a technique called the One Move that I was finally able to overcome my problems with panic attacks.
 
What’s amazing about this program to me was that after reading it, I actually wanted to go through another panic attack because it instilled enough confidence that they would longer have any effect over me.

Looking back on it I realized I had all the resources within me to cure my panic attacks, I just needed someone to guide me in the right direction. I’m writing this in hope that at least one other person can be cured from their panic attacks and no longer live their life trapped in fear.

Sincerely,

Louis D. Merz