I put this under embarrassing because I hate the feeling of weakness, like something is wrong with me. This is a problem I have had for a couple of years now, and it really makes people worry about me when I am faced with a sleepover situation and forced to explain. But, people hate surprises, and it sure would be a nasty surprise...

I wake up with panic attacks. When my sleeping self senses someone else in the room, I start to panic in my sleep and it wakes me up. Even if I fall asleep with someone I trust implicitly, I still wake up terrified. My best friend, my family, strangers. Anyone. The attacks aren't long, only a few minutes, but plenty long enough to wake people up! I'm usually quiet, just hyperventilating with my heart racing, but I've woken up screaming before, naturally waking everyone up. My best friend and I take naps together, so he is fully aware of my problem, and wakes up with me to calm me down. What concerns me is that I have several overnight trips coming up, and it's for school so guys and girls (I am female) have to sleep in different rooms, meaning he won't be there. I have no close girlfriends, and people feel really awkward about letting me sleep on the floor when there is enough bed space. Sleeping on the floor will by no means prevent the attacks (yes, I get multiple ones sometimes) but it would prevent people from hearing me, unless I scream.

What should I do? Why do I have these attacks? How can I prevent them from waking others? They don't bother me much, I don't usually lose much sleep, and I barely remember the attacks in the morning. I am worried about the way I affect others, like my best friend who wakes up every time and helps me. We are in a dating relationship and plan to live together, which means he is going to lose a lot of sleep, between school, his chronic insomnia, and now my panicking on him every night. If I have to get these, I wish I had them when I am alone instead, but it's the presence of others that scares me so much.