Anxiety/Panic after stressful events

[Resting]

I have noticed that I can usually hold it together during a stressful event (like having 30 people over to my house), but in the days following I will have increased anxiety and panic.  That's not to say that I don't feel stressed and anxious during the events, it just doesn't take over.  Does this happen to anyone else?  Is it from the increased stress hormones in my body that need to dissipate?  I hate feeling hyper sensitive for days.

Resting

[batmanjoey]

wow, thats exactly what i was wondering today. I've just been recently hit with anxiety and panic attacks after never suffering from them previously. so now, the past few months I have had to learn how to do everything over again. taking a long trip in my car is hard, going to the movies, being away from home for more than a few hours etc..

this weekend i went with my GF upstate to a friends house and although i was a bit nervous for the first few hours and ALMOST had a panic attack, I stopped it in its tracks and for 4 days i was relatively okay and i was surprised as to how calm and collect I was.

today was my first day back at home and i was out and about all day feeling not to bad and then this evening- BAM. hit me like a ton of bricks. I have no idea why- I'm anxious, nervous, palpitations, panicky, weak, shaky you name it. i was betting it just being residual side affects from me pushing out the anxiety out of my mind all weekend.

i feel like in stressful situations, like a fight, busting a tire and changing it in the midnight thunderstorm- etc, that i should be getting a panic attack but i don't. then the next day im overwhelmed, im nervous, i cant seem to breathe properly, im shaky, im so weak. it *****.

[nicksad]

Same here, seems to be much stronger after the fact recently.

[Resting]

Thank you both for your replies!  It often seems like the anxiety/panic is a never ending cycle.  Stressful events followed by anxious days followed by more stressful events...
There just never seems to be any significant break from it.  Can't figure out how to reduce the stress or how to handle it so that it doesn't have the unpleasant after effects.

Best wishes to you both.

[mammo]

Hi.  I think during the stressful events like you describe, your mind is distracted which helps with anxiety.  You're so busy doing things, that your anxiety can't take over.  Plus, with all the physical activity that goes with entertaining you're also burning up some of the extra adrenaline.  It's the same as nursegirl described when someone dies, once everything settles down, our anxiety sees an opening and takes over.  Distraction I feel is key to helping us deal with anxiety, it's when we have too much time to think and little to do that it gets worse. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best.

[nursegirl6572]

Hello there and welcome!

That is such a typical reaction to stress, and I think many of us go through it.  It's our body and brain's way of adapting to the stress level and repressing the anxiety while we're busy doing things that require composure.  

Same thing in tragedy situations, like a sudden death of a loved one.  A person can have the amazing ability to get through all of the planning, funeral arrangements, services, etc, but as soon as that is all over, the stress/anxiety hits with a vengeance!

That may be a poor example, but it is basically the same idea.  There is not too much that I've found I can do to avoid this and keep it from happening.  One of the things that has helped me is trying to accept that I'll have a few anxious days after a stressful situation, or after I've been super busy.  I've also tried the whole denial appraoch, where I try to kid myself into thinking it won't hit me, only to get smacked like a ton of bricks!  It's deinfitely a bit easier to deal with it if you're expecting it.

I don't know how helpful that was, just know that what you explain is a very common stress response.  If anyone else has tips, they'll surely share them with you!