Panic Attacks/Need Help/Insight Please

[tange4]

Hello All,

I asked "How can I get rid of these debilitating, horrific panic attacks"? and received Hex 54 last line changing red, then Hex 40 two straight black lines in third and fifth position.

The Marrying Maiden said something to the effect of a younger wife. Does that mean that the panic attacks have taken over my life and I am second place to the first wife......the first wife has control, the younger second one does not? control in the sense of mental stability?
and then there is the corresponding Hex of 40.

No comprendo friends so please help me as I need to get control of these attacks. The medicine helps a great deal but it isn't fool proof and the counselor I see needs just as much help as I do, lol.
Thanks All .

 

[ginnie]

The bottom line of the I Ching hexagram is called the first line, not the last line. You must have 54.1 > 40 if your relating hexagram is 40. In other words, we count the lines from the bottom going up, not from the top down.

It seems, therefore, that there is a situation in which you must play a subordinate role, subordinate to another person, that is, even though by all rights and so forth maybe it seems to you that you ought to be the one in charge. Yet even in a subordinate role you will be able to make a contribution to the situation and you and the other person will be able to assist each other. Go forward and your situation should work out fairly well.

I am assuming that there is another person to take account of in this situation, but it could be that you are subordinate to your own state of anxiety at present. You would get free of it by walking on or going forward, despite your problems.

 

[bradford]

The hexagram isn't about wives. That's just a symbol.
It's about haste and impatience. Tranquilo. Deep breaths.

 

[pedra]

54. The maiden is taken into a place where she has no control, command. But she follows, even if she knows she is not in control. I like what bradford wrote about deep breath. When you are having the panic attacks, like the maiden, don't try to fight the situation you are in (control it) because you will only get more flustered and anxious. Take deep breaths, accept them instead of trying to fight them, calm your body by breathing, calm your heart. Wilhelm says of 40.1:"In keeping with the situation, few words are needed. The hindrance is past, delivery has come. One recuperates in peace and keeps still..."

 

[tigerintheboat]

Hello All,

I asked "How can I get rid of these debilitating, horrific panic attacks"? and received Hex 54 last line changing red, then Hex 40 two straight black lines in third and fifth position.

If you got H54.1, as Ginnie suggests, then the hexagram is about "settling in" to the current situation. No, the situation isn't ideal, but many people have far worse, and you can make a limited progress within the situation. If you can settle in (be "married"), understand your position, then you can make some progress.

Tiger

 

[tange4]

Thank you all for your answers. I finally understand now about reading the lines from the bottom up.
These attacks almost seem like I am subordinate to something akin to a demon spirit because I almost leave reality for a few moments and in public which is terrible for those around me. Tiger you wrote, "No, the situation isn't ideal, but many people have far worse, and you can make a limited progress within the situation.If you can settle in (be "married"), understand your position, then you can make some progress."
So in a sense I guess settling in (being married) means to accept my fate in this area and roll with the flow?
Awfully hard to do when going through such terror of the mind.
I do actually believe that I am going to be delivered from these attacks completely some day especially with prayer...........hope so.

 

[tange4]

Thank you all for your answers. I finally understand now about reading the lines from the bottom up.
These attacks almost seem like I am subordinate to something akin to a demon spirit because I almost leave reality for a few moments and in public which is terrible for those around me. Tiger you wrote, "No, the situation isn't ideal, but many people have far worse, and you can make a limited progress within the situation.If you can settle in (be "married"), understand your position, then you can make some progress."
So in a sense I guess settling in (being married) means to accept my fate in this area and roll with the flow?
Awfully hard to do when going through such terror of the mind.
I do actually believe that I am going to be delivered from these attacks completely some day especially with prayer...........hope so.

 

[meng]

54 - I'm not myself.

So then why do I believe it? Why give it power?

I need not be so shortsighted

to sell myself out.

 

[rodaki]

hi tange,

I like Meng's 'short-sightedness' here, and Pedra's post . . I think 54 often comes up when we get so fixated to some goal that we miss the forrest for the tree (lame & one-eyed).
Trying too much to 'fix' yourself or this frightening thing leaves you injured - just relax . . As Brad said earlier, take deep breaths.

In the short-term aspect of this, when it's all unfolding, that's the best you can do, to believe in yourself being greater than this and to keep on breathing deeply. In the long term, you 'll probably need to address the underlying reasons . . perhaps seeing a therapist - not just any therapist, one that helps you feel comfortable and at home- could help you gain a greater perspective on the causes


take care!!

 

[tange4]

Greatful

Greatful for all who have helped me understand a wee bit more about the panic attack situation.
Your answers and concern for my well being has touched my heart. I have been thinking of going to a new therapist for a long time now but many of them will not accept my insurance in the state I live in so that might be a problem, dunno am going to keep looking for one nevertheless.
Did you all know that Paula Dean the famous TV cook had severe panic attacks at one time that kept her housebound for years? I read that in a number of publications so I wrote to her asking how she managed to get well but she never replied. Guess it was too personal for her and I understand that but she could do a lot of people a great favor by talking about it it seems. After all the scrutiny she has been under lately I would have thought that the panic might have resurfaced but I haven't read that anywhere currently.

 

[meng]

Tange, you're certainly not the only one here who has at one time or another suffered from panic attacks. It's very serious stuff when it's happening to you. There was one year when it terrified me to leave my apartment to walk to the mailbox and back. It wasn't a fear of someone or something harming me from outside; it was a dark terror from within, that would have to be exposed to the light of day. There were external reasons that led to the conditions, and I felt stuck in time and held hostage by life. But through it, I had the courage to persevere all the more. 'A warrior sees all of life as a living challenge.' There is light at the end of the tunnel. Once we let go of our pride and the need to control everything, a way always shows itself.

 

[tigerintheboat]

Tiger you wrote, "No, the situation isn't ideal, but many people have far worse, and you can make a limited progress within the situation.If you can settle in (be "married"), understand your position, then you can make some progress."
So in a sense I guess settling in (being married) means to accept my fate in this area and roll with the flow?
Awfully hard to do when going through such terror of the mind.

Not exactly "roll with the flow" and not exactly "accept your fate." More like "understand your position" and use it to make limited progress. A single person becomes a concubine; not ideal in the ancient Chinese world, but much better than never marrying. Within that position, they can be cared for, and can still take steps.

If I received the question, I would ask myself what the steps should be.

There are many nutritional approaches and Nutraceutical products you should consider, in addition to or possibly in replacement for what the doctor has given you. I give you this one (Theanine Serene) as a starting point for your own research; it has been very effective for me. (There are two versions of the product, with and without Relora, please read the user reviews on both. You may find some people like yourself who are getting relief using this product for anxiety and panic.)

Theanine Serene with Relora user reviews

I hope this is helpful for you.

Tiger

 

[Escape20]

Hi meng, I suffered from panic attacks many years back when no one ever heard of them. I was housebound for several months and spent years unable to travel or even be very far away from my car or home. The basics they teach for panic....controlling your breathing, focusing your thoughts any way you can (count back from 1000 by 7s, anything really), telling yourself it will pass because it always does, and maybe an as needed anti-anxiety medication can really help. Many times depression goes hand in hand with anxiety and medication can help but it can be a frustrating series of trial and error. Please hand in there....I had panic disorder about as bad as it can get and I am finally free of it and the phobic thought patterns that feed it. Good luck.

 

[tange4]

Some light at the end of the tunnel.........perhaps

What a swell bunch of people you are to help me with this panic disorder. All of your comments have been very helpful and I am going to look up the Therine link as I'm willing to try natural methods as well.
One thing I don't understand about the panic issue is the idea of pride. I'm not sure what pride may have to do with getting over them. I never thought that I was too prideful before but maybe I was deceiving myself about too much pride, but pride in what? I can't seem to figure.

 

[meng]

Pride as in not letting go of something, pride as in feeling cheated or short-changed somehow. I can't speak to your situation with certainty, but I know my pride played a major role in my dark pitfall after a divorce and my career taking a major blow. Rather than just taking some menial job to hold me over, I mourned the unfair demise of a long career. I could not accept the ride downward, economically.

But there were other elements involved too, which were more than I could control, and that, of course, created the sense of being out of control internally, creating fear and avoidance of any available help. I was too proud to seek help. I was so used to being the helper: disabled wife's caregiver, manager at work, solving client problems, serving in the church above and beyond, the one people went to for help; but I couldn't accept help for myself. Again, pride. I had to let go of my own ideas about myself and start again, but without support and admiration of friends and co-workers (they all disappeared after my fall). Pride is a poor surrogate for self-respect.

 

[meng]

Hi meng, I suffered from panic attacks many years back when no one ever heard of them. I was housebound for several months and spent years unable to travel or even be very far away from my car or home. The basics they teach for panic....controlling your breathing, focusing your thoughts any way you can (count back from 1000 by 7s, anything really), telling yourself it will pass because it always does, and maybe an as needed anti-anxiety medication can really help. Many times depression goes hand in hand with anxiety and medication can help but it can be a frustrating series of trial and error. Please hand in there....I had panic disorder about as bad as it can get and I am finally free of it and the phobic thought patterns that feed it. Good luck.

Hi Escape,

Crazy, isn't it? That need to cling to what's left, no matter how little it may be: an apartment. Related: the way to calm a beast or baby is to embrace them.

Those are all good remedies. They all happen naturally if one can release themselves.

As it was with me, the foundation of my faith system was simultaneously crumbling. I had been on Prozac for five years, but neglected the Neurologist's advice to seek professional counseling, along with the meds he'd tried on me. It can be difficult to breathe or practice yoga when everything you've identified yourself as being, has crumbled like a deck of cards. What I needed was help; the one thing I'd never accepted. I did learn eventually though. Life's panicky moments are why 51 exists. Being the calm in the storm is not always a matter of ones control. Often it's a matter of relinquishing control, and following the Way.

 

[tange4]

Pride

. Pride is a poor surrogate for self-respect.[/QUOTE]
Wow I like this statement of yours concerning pride. I never ever thought of it in this way before so thanks a lot for the understanding of it. Yes I think it is pride on my part simply because I don't want to have any "problem" to deal with and having to go get more help than I have already. Therefore I need to look within to see just how prideful I have become. Blessings.

 

[tange4]

From your posting to me me Meng I can understand better what you all are saying to me and it is helping but you too have been through a rough spot for sure and come out on the brighter side and as you've said, from accepting help. I'm praying for a different psychologist to go to, one who will accept my insurance first of all and then one who will actually try new ideas with me. I'm at least willing.

 

[meng]

Maybe these quotes from the teachings of Don Juan may inspire you, as they have me.


A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's
control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go.
That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind.
No one can push him, no one can make him do things against himself
or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive and
he survives in the best of all possible fashions.