How To Treat Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are a problem for many people, and it can be hard to know how to react when faced with one, but this article will give you all the information you need. Whether you're one of the estimated 19.3 million people in America who suffer from panic disorder or someone who knows someone else struggling with a panic attack, there are some ways to help and treatments that have been proven effective in treating these episodes.
This article will give an overview of panic-attack symptoms and their causes, recommend techniques for overcoming an attack when possible, and provide links to trusted resources where you can learn more about treatment options.
What Are Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks, also known as panic disorder, are episodes of intense fear that can be triggered by a variety of emotions and situations. People who have a panic attack may feel their heart pounding, shortness of breath and/or pain in their chest. They may feel as though they're losing control, or going crazy. Sometimes they may feel more like they're dying than living.
A panic attack usually happens fairly suddenly and can disrupt normal functioning for a few hours or days at a time. Panic attacks don't only occur in the "drama-queen" type; people with anxiety disorders are likely to be triggered unexpectedly.
Panic attacks are a symptom of an anxiety disorder, and sometimes having a panic attack can be a sign of one. People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), in particular, tend to experience panic attacks. However, anyone can be affected by panic attacks if they have an anxiety disorder or suffer from a related condition.
Sometimes people mistake these episodes for heart problems or other medical conditions that cause chest pain or shortness of breath. It's important to see your doctor to rule out these conditions before deciding you have panic disorder.
Who Gets Panic Attacks?
Although some people are more vulnerable than others, pretty much anybody can develop a panic attack under the right (or wrong) circumstances. Some people are more naturally prone to anxiety and are more likely to experience an attack in response to stressful situations.
Some people tend to calm down after a stressful situation, while others may enter a cycle of panic that stops them from feeling better. A genetic predisposition and environmental factors can also play a role in determining how likely you are to experience an episode of panic.
One of the most common reasons for panic attacks can be pinpointed by looking at the activities the person typically avoids, such as crowds, shopping or even driving on the open road. People who avoid these activities are often more prone to panic attacks.
It's also common for people to experience panic attacks in response to being separated from a loved one, even if the person is physically there. Whereas this might not seem like a big deal, studies have shown that there's a strong link between separation anxiety and panic attacks.
The symptoms of anxiety disorders may be triggered by stress at work, school or other situations where there's an expectation that you'll do well but your performance is affected and you end up feeling anxious. If you avoid these situations altogether because they make you feel nervous, it can cause problematic anxiety later on when you're forced to face them.
Panic attacks can sometimes be triggered by a traumatic event. This type of attack is known as a "traumatic stress disorder." When this happens, it's almost like you're experiencing the trauma all over again, which can cause you to feel even more stressed than before.
What Causes Panic Attacks?
In short, panic attacks are the result of a malfunction in your brain's ability to interpret danger signals. When you encounter something that is perceived as life-threatening — such as a bear, a car you almost hit or a stressful situation at work — your body responds by releasing stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
This is your body's way of protecting itself from danger (in the form of a bear, for example), and it's actually a very important survival mechanism. However, when it sends those fight-or-flight messages in response to what many people would consider harmless events or situations that don't pose a real threat to your safety, it's considered an anxiety disorder.
Your brain is responsible for processing the "threat" and making the decision of what to do — freeze or fight. And it doesn't know any better than to react like that in response to a perceived threat. The problem is, you don't expect your body to do this; you expect it to stay calm and collected when faced with these kinds of events, so you never learn how to react calmly and collectedly when faced with real threats.
But just because your brain is sending out all these negative signals doesn't mean that they're necessarily accurate, or even a true signal of danger. In fact, quite a few panic attack sufferers have never been in any real danger.
Some people tend to experience panic attacks soon after they've experienced something they perceive as dangerous or "scary." So if you've had something scary happen one day, and then the next day you have a panic attack, it's possible that this kind of "conditioning" has occurred.
It's entirely possible that a specific event can trigger an episode of panic, making that situation feel like the only cause of your panic attacks. But it's also entirely possible — as is often the case — that there are other reasons for these feelings and experiences.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your body's "alarm" system may not be working correctly. It can actually be a good thing that you feel fear or panic when confronted by something that "looks like" a threat, since this is your body's way of protecting you from danger.
However, the problem comes in when it starts sending out all these signals even when there is no danger, which can contribute to an anxiety disorder: if you're constantly experiencing intense anxiety as a result of this "conditioning," it can make it much more difficult for you to enjoy your life and lead an active life.
What Are the Symptoms of Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks can vary greatly in their severity, and they can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours or longer. Some people experience only very mild episodes of anxiety or fear, while others experience intense bouts of anxiety that bring them to the brink of panic.
In either case, the person experiencing an episode will likely describe an intense feeling of anxiety and a sense that something dangerous is about to happen. They may feel short of breath, a sensation in their chest or body (like butterflies in their stomach) and/or dizziness. In some cases, there may be numbness or tingling instead.
Conclusion
There are many different causes of panic attacks. Simply being anxious, for example, can cause a panic attack in some people. It's important to receive treatment for any anxiety disorder you're dealing with if you suffer from an ongoing panic attacks in order to help you manage these debilitating feelings.
If an initial diagnosis isn't clear or your symptoms don't seem like they fit this diagnosis, consider working with an anxiety specialist who specializes in treating anxiety disorders. If you have a secondary anxiety condition that is causing symptoms such as these, it's important to get treatment for both conditions to get on the path to recovery.