Visit a neurologist and have an MRI and any other test the doctor will advise. It may be a seizure, and I think that’ll be the first thing the doctor will check. Catatonia is relatively rare. On the other hand, what you’re describing doesn’t sound like a physiological state, and taking your panic disorder into account, I’d say that checking out with your psychiatrist should be the next thing after a neurologist.
What an odd experience. I haven’t had anything like that, but I’ve been getting CBT treatment for my panic attacks. Perhaps you should focus on breaking the cycle of your panic disorder, and that in turn will put a stop to any such situations? My panic attacks have also changed since I’ve been in treatment. They’re still very emotionally draining but I don’t try to fight them anymore, just let them happen and don’t lose my mind over it.
As someone who has GAD, I can only imagine how it feels to be motionless, helpless.
I’m sorry I can’t really help you with this and I hope you'll be able to receive professional help ASAP. What helps me a bit with my random anxiety is grounding techniques. Have you heard of it? I just thought perhaps it can also help to get you out of that state.
@djamal abdel kereem I don’t know what to do. I mean, of course I’ll keep seeing my psychiatrist and I’ll ask their advice, but it seems like I’m missing something. If I don’t describe it correctly I may end up with a wrong diagnosis, and I don’t want that.
@Katt3rmune I’ve read that similar symptoms may be because of a psychosis, schizophrenia, trauma, some infections and toxins. Psychosis is treated with anti-psychotic medications. My psych has never prescribed me those. But I haven’t even discussed these episodes with her yet
@ShanChun1964 Yes, I know about grounding techniques. Focusing on the things I see, touch, smelling strong things, and so on. It never helped me with my panic disorder, because you can’t be so prepared for when it comes. I literally don’t have ice cubes every minute of my day. My antidepressants used to help with my general moods, that’s for sure. But my psych decided I don’t need them anymore, and I was so happy about it! Guess we’ll have to reconsider… :/
@Margarita Please DO NOT self-medicate. There’s so much trash info on the Internet. If (and just if – I’m not an expert) you’re experiencing catatonia, antipsychotics are not the medication for it; in fact in this case they are very dangerous. Catatonia requires sedatives and anxiolytics.
Make an appointment with your medical care provider and let them figure out the causes.
@Margarita I agree that some issues are difficult to diagnose. There are all kinds of overlapping symptoms and different things can resemble it. Psychiatrists sometimes don’t recognize what they’re dealing with during the first session. But there’s nothing wrong in that, it’s a process. Trial and error, like always. Just don’t distress over it beforehand. It very well may be that your freeze response has transformed due to extreme stress.
Has anything particular happened when you had these panic attacks?
@djamal abdel kereem Nothing out of the ordinary. I was with my boyfriend, and we started talking about my future. It makes me very anxious, due to some reasons, and I immediately knew it was coming. My panic attacks often start in the stomach, that’s how I feel when it builds up… You’re right. It probably makes sense to see what leads up to me going into that state to begin with. My psych will ask it for sure.
Yes, this can happen during severe panic attacks. From the post and the comments I also understand that you’ve been also treating depression. Your episodes may also indicate that your depression has gotten worse. In any case, this condition is caused by something else, be it neurological or psychiatric, or both. So, as with most symptoms, you need to treat the underlying illness.
Hi,
I think it is really important that you talk to the therapist. This could even be withdrawal symptoms. Did you slowly and gradually stop taking medicines like reducing the dosage slowly and then eventually stopping it? There would be series of questions therapist would ask to assess and rule out all the possibilities to understand is it withdrawal or any other underlying issues.
Symptoms of withdrawal are electric shocks like sensation in head, dizziness, shock like sensation, problems with involuntary movements like walking, balancing, ringing in the ears, confusion. There is much more to this so talk to your therapist.