Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#1

Post by lsiunsuex » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 5:14 PM UTC

UI Lead here - managing a few projects at any given time, mentoring junior developers, working with the backend team on endpoints, etc... most of you know the drill.

Pulled master branch, no build errors, Angular isn't complaining but I know the problem is in the UI side, probably with graphQL (angular apollo). I cannot get a single VSCode extension to work to help debug it so a junior is going through and commenting out code they changed to try to find it.

There is no way this project is done on time and the entire software department is looking at it. I'm 1 of 3 leads on it.

Quite literally just gave myself a panic attack thinking about it and the looming deadline.

This isn't the first time; I've been dealing with this for months now. It went away for a bit (2-3 months) and now it's back. I've been drinking all kinds of clamming teas, supplements, trying to change my diet, walk more, etc...

I just can't stop them :( 99% of the time it's chest pain or back pain or etc... every once in a while it escalates into a panic attack.

I keep trying to tell myself f' it - it doesn't matter. Fire me if you want to; we're doing the best we can. But it's not sinking in...

I.do.not.know.what.to.do.anymore. Vacation? FMLA? Career change? wtf would I do if not web development (been doing it 20+ years)

help.

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#2

Post by eatonphil » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 5:23 PM UTC

For actual mental/health issues, don't come to HN. There should be no stigma with seeing a therapist or psychiatrist. They will help you! Folks on HN can't help you the same way.

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#3

Post by qnsi » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 5:44 PM UTC

go to the therapy

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#4

Post by IanDrake » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 5:45 PM UTC

No post body was provided.

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#5

Post by prichino » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 5:46 PM UTC

Magnesium in the short term, fix lifestyle long term

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#6

Post by acadapter » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 6:00 PM UTC

Consider the idea of changing your job and/or dietary habits.

Sometimes, a workplace doesn't care about its people enough to feed realistic expectations into the production flow.

Also, talk with a health professional about this. Is the feeling of panic related to high blood sugar levels (eating lots of carbs during stress)? There is for example a phenomenon called "diabetic rage". Or maybe there's too much caffeine in the tea? Do you pause your coffee intake when drinking tea at the job? Or maybe it's something totally different that's hard to think of as a non-professional.

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#7

Post by tsol » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 6:05 PM UTC

Wim hof breathing could help.

Honestly there's a list of supplements and techniques that can help. From meditation and cold showers to magnesium and black seed oil. They are all employed for anxiety, but you have to try them yourself one by one. But for most people, just going to a doctor is the simplest thing and the thing they're most likely to stick to. It's hard to try supplements, them failing week after week, until you find the right thing. It can be done but most people only do that when they've exhausted all the other options. Exhaust your options first

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#8

Post by bfuller » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 6:05 PM UTC

Try a gluten free lifestyle, gluten psychosis is a thing. I had stress induced gluten intolerance and one of the main symptoms was my heart beating out of my chest. Within a few weeks of strictly maintaining FODMAP my anxiety went away.

In the meantime, practice anti-anxiety breathing techniques (google should help you here, there are even helpful apps that help guide you) but those techniques are really bandaids to cover a shitty situation

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#9

Post by BlameKaneda » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 6:09 PM UTC

Breathing into a paper bag is a stereotypical "calm yourself down when panicking" technique, but I've done it mid-panic and it has had an effect on me. With that being said, it's debatable as to how well it works.

Re: Ask HN: I just gave myself a panic attack. How do I stop this?

#10

Post by throw8383833jj » Tue, Feb 22, 2022, 6:13 PM UTC

Magnesium definately can help calm the nerves in the short term. the vast majority of the population is deficient in this essential mineral. try to get it from natural sources: bananas, cashew nuts, leafy greens, whole grains, beans, cacao powder (this is a very dense source for it).

Long term, it sounds like you work at a severely toxic work place. there's only one thing to do with such a place, get it out of your life.

as far as "being a web developer", much of people's mental pain and conflict in their lives comes from their sense of identity. Long term advice: look up a mystic named "Sadhguru" on youtube and watch some of his better known speeches (some of this stuff is seriously life changing knowledge). that will give you some insights into how to begin deal with life problems.