Worries, Fears and Anxiety Disorders / Question
Published: January 13, 2005
Dear TeenHealthFX,
My son was having a heated discussion with his father and I and all of sudden he almost became hysterical and his mouth, fingers and feet felt numb and tingly and he began to cry. It took a little time but he went and sat down and it took a a little time before he felt better. He is normally a very calm kid. I have never had any real problems except that he is strong willed, but it balances because he has a good head on his shoulders. My son will be 18 years old in a few months. This really scared me and I'm not sure what to do. Is he stressed or is this something else? I have a 4 year old and when he was 2 and 3 if he got upset he would stop breathing and fall to the ground. The doctors at that time said that some small kids do that and they grow out of it by the age of 5 ( he has ). Please help me, I'm scared for my son.
Signed: Heated Discussion With Father - Son Became Hysterical
Dear Heated Discussion With Father - Son Became Hysterical,
FX can certainly understand why you are concerned about your son. Unfortunately, there is no way for us to explain what happened to him over the Internet. Only a doctor who has examined him would be able to do that.
That said, some of the symptoms you describe your son having are similar to those in a panic attack.
Some of the symptoms of panic attacks are:
-
sensation of shortness of breath
-
dizziness or giddiness
-
palpitations
-
shaking or tremors
-
sweating
-
feeling of choking
-
nausea or abdominal discomfort
-
depersonalization, feeling detached from oneself; or feelings of unreality
-
numbness or tingling sensation
-
feeling of smothering or chills
-
chest pain or discomfort
-
fear of sleeping
In addition to the above symptoms, a panic attack is marked by the following conditions:
-
It occurs suddenly, without any warning and without any way to stop it.
-
The level of fear is way out of proportion to the actual situation; often, in fact, it's completely unrelated.
-
It passes in a few minutes; the body cannot sustain the 'fight or flight' response for longer than that. However, repeated attacks can continue to recur for hours.
If your son continues to have experiences like this, TeenHealthFX recommends that he seek treatment. If you live in Northern New Jersey, you can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at (888) 247.1400 to make an appointment. If you live outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals near you.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
About a third of women who seek services related to unprotected sex, such as pregnancy testing or emergency contraception, do not receive STD counseling, testing, or treatment.
