Panic Attack
It’s almost midnight as I’m typing this. I’ve been in the industry for 5 years. I worked for an extremely sweaty Investment bank as an analyst and my associate years in PE weren’t much kinder. However, I never experienced my body just physically shutting down as it did today. It wasn’t an exceptionally insane day either, just a back-to-back domino chain of things going wrong and immediate fixes needed.
At one point I had to get up from my desk go lie in bed and turn my phone off that was buzzing nonstop as I shivered. I’m pretty certain I experienced a few panic attacks today and I’ve never dealt with this before so am struggling to piece together what to do. I’m sure others have gone through this in the industry but I’d imagine by year 5 in, I would be used to it, but clearly not. I am genuinely lost for what to do. Quitting seems unrealistic, I’m chasing targets to sign before the end of the year so I can’t take time off, I’m likely working over the holidays and I have projects already lined up for Jan/Feb.
Suffered from panic attacks before so I know what it’s like.
Very sorry to hear this is happening. It’s a definite sign to consider whether the role/firm you’re in now is sustainable long term.
All I can recommend is to focus on protecting your sleep/meditation/breathing techniques + anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) drugs from a psych. I have ativan I take if I have a true panic attack, and then non-benzo drugs for social anxiety etc
PM if you need more advice
Name of the non-benzo thing for social anxiety?
Propanolol and it's easy to get a prescription for it from your primary care. Helps a lot for public speaking, large events, general social anxiety as needed.
Exactly as the other commenter said, propranolol. It’s a blood pressure drug that also works for anxiety especially social anxiety.
Hydroxyzine is also good for anxiety. It is an antihistamine however so you need to watch the dosage; you don’t want to be falling asleep at your desk as the cost of feeling more relaxed. I’ve had success with it and a little bit extra can help you fall asleep at night too.
Sorry to hear you are dealing with it but you certainly are not alone.
I had panic attacks kick in mid-20s and, at least for me, there wasn’t a quick fix. That said, I remain a functional member of society and you learn to cope. If it becomes something that you are dealing with on a more regular basis see your doctor and let him/her know what’s going on as it may be something else.
Either way, sleep is important and your doctor can help so don’t be shy to seek out support as it doesn’t need to be a big deal once you’ve learned to ride the waves a bit.
Wishing you more pleasant days to come!
Pray, brother. You can’t imagine how powerful and useful it is. Been in the industry for 5 years too and experiencing something similar albeit not in IB but in m&a at a single FO, and relationship with God is everything I have, specially when things get dark.
In case you are atheist/‘spiritually” agnostic then still, talk to that superior force out there that brought you to where you are, be grateful and keep strong, just trust me you’ll be fine.
Blessings
The prayer itself doesn’t relieve the anxiety immediately but it sure will help you surpass things like this and allow you to figure things out.
This might sound corny to some but I’d say despite all of the work I’ve put in in my life I wouldn’t have made it without God.
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Happened to me in 2023 and was totally out of the blue. As others have said, it takes time to adjust...
Unfortunately mine happened while on holiday, so I had to extend and miss a work offsite
I don't know if you've got time, but if you can plan out your upcoming work period now until whenever you need to hit your targets maybe that will help...that actually helped me a lot, but I'm someone for whom planning and calendaring helped out a ton...but always feel free to chat to others facing similar challenges
Also Dm if you need more help...always OK with helping you out
It sounds like you experienced a severe panic attack, which can happen even after years in high-pressure finance roles. Focus on sleep, breathing exercises, and consider speaking with a doctor or therapist for coping strategies—you’re not alone, and it’s manageable with the right support.
drop the caffeine and zyns
Just dropping caffeine is very difficult. You should do it slowly. Trycaffio (a smart bottle + app that micro-doses your caffeine through the day) has a withdrawal feature that helps you get rid of your dependence slowly overtime (like 4-7 weeks), instead of dropping it at once.
never had any issues like that, could not even comprehend having them, up until 2 weeks ago, burned out from work. avoid any benzo's and shit like that. you just need to go on vacation. I took a week off to a tropical place and came back as good as new.
also it will take you a few days to get back to normal don't worry its only temporary
I suffered a Tony Soprano moment myself after never thinking I could crack.
Booze makes everything worse and creates an anxiety loop. punishing myself through sweating helped tremendously.
As someone said earlier, prayer helps, and there’s two thousand years of literature of smart and tough men dealing with immense pressure and challenges.
Most of all, helps to help friends to talk all of this madness through
Repellendus minus nobis tempora consequatur quae excepturi fuga. Iste vero eveniet ut enim. Quia expedita et labore officiis voluptatem labore. Non dolore et provident magnam voluptates facilis praesentium.
Rem maiores est voluptatem neque sint distinctio esse rem. Commodi architecto necessitatibus et dicta.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...