Average Age of First Full Blown Panic Attack

[jasonibs9]

Ok So based on 25 peoples responses in this forum as to what age they had their very first "full blown" panic attack , I calculated the results and it is -

21.4 yrs old

[schnauzer1]

Sounds about right. I think I was 20.

[cutebutpsycho]

Aw, you guys are all late bloomers compared to me! I was... probably 8? That's the first one I remember! Oh, the joys of a nervous temperament! 

Anyway--back to what you were doing!

cutebutpsycho

[forwells]

Hi Jason 

 Sorry about what i am about to say and i don't direct it at you but at a overall of anxiety

 WHO CARES ?

 This is really a major problem with panic and anxiety it is the focusing on what happened .

 OK you had a panic attack and it was terrible and yes i have been there but what we should be looking at is getting better , getting past the panic and anxiety. Not sitting their and fretting on what has happened.

 Is it really worth all our wasted time in focusing on something that happened in the past? Do we really think that the more we worry about the past that we will change it? No it wont it happened and there is nothing we can do about it.

 The day that this hit me was one of the days that i realised that i had final lost most of my fear of anxiety. Yes i still have it a bit but now i don't care all i do now is live the day i am in and don't worry about the past which i know i cannot change.

 There is a way out of major anxiety and panic but while we continuity to live in the past it will never go away. 

 Cheers and hope i didnt offend you
kev 

[shrublet]

I tend to agree with Forwells. Unfortunately, panic attacks can be so traumatic that it's hard to let the memories dwindle... which causes apprehension over getting another one. Which results in increased stress and, lo, perhaps another panic attack! Don't you love catch-22s?

It's an interesting statistic, and one that is quoted often, actually so perhaps it is not surprising to see that it would hold true here as well.

[cutebutpsycho]

shrublet and forwells--
I agree with both of you. The last time I had a panic attack was.... Oh, I don't even remember! I don't know what happened, maybe I'm just not thinking about it. My therapist told me on Wednesday (8/19) that I had made great strides in the last two years. She tells me that a lot, which is nice. I'm really glad that I haven't had panic attacks in a long time. I decided that I was going to take baby steps, and it has worked. Maybe it will take me longer to get where I want to go, but I will get there.
Yes, forwells, I have a strong dislike of living in the past (sometimes the thing you dislike most in others is the biggest problem you have yourself I guess ). My mom thinks back on her regrets in life a lot, even though most of the negative things that have happened to her/our family were out of our control. I always tell her to 'cut it out!' I suppose I need to follow my own advice more.... But as far as what shrublet said, it is a catch-22! I can remember (although I make a point to not think of it often, forwells!) having a panic attack about a panic attack. It's so circular or cyclical or catch-22-y or whatever. But I'll occasionally remember to look forward instead of backward, and that seems to work pretty well.
I'll see everyone around!

cutebutpsycho

[Elfi]

Ok So based on 25 peoples responses in this forum as to what age they had their very first "full blown" panic attack , I calculated the results and it is -

21.4 yrs old

21.4 is when I had my first full-blown panic-attack believe it or not. 

[calmatic]

21.4 is EXACTLY the age I was when I had mine, I'm still 21, probably the hardest year in my life. SMH