Inexplicable Panic!

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By Kirsty

Woke up after approx 2 hours’ sleep this morning (was self-inflicted, so a good thing), and the first thing I was conscious of was a feeling of panic in my chest. Uncomfortable. Try to lie in bed with it, but no avail, so get up. Perhaps coffee and water and the view outside, etc, etc will ease it.

Am sat here doing all those things, and it continues to be there.

Feeling panicked

Why? There’s nothing I can pinpoint feeling panicked about. Was overwhelmed a bit with so many memories of the night buzzing like a beehive in my head before I went to bed, but sat with it for a few minutes, deep breathing, and it eased off. Anyway, overwhelmed is not panicked.

It’s still there in my chest. It occurs to me to check my heartbeat. Usually panic induces increased heartbeat. And increased heartbeat can make you feel panicked.

Heartbeat faster than normal. Hmm, ok.

Something I’ve noticed about myself the last year is that excessive alcohol can cause my heart rate to increase. I’ve drunk a vast quantity of alcohol in the last 48 hours or so (yes, I know I said I’d monitor intake in the interest of “come downs”). Although I wasn’t off my face on it, it’s feasible it could have caused my heart rate to increase, which would in turn create a feeling of panic.

And yet…