A panic attack belongs to anxiety disorders. The main reason why a panic attack is considered an anxiety disorder in modern psychopathological classifications is that it is seemingly inexplicable to the person experiencing it.
A panic attack is a sudden, intense anxiety characterized by a mixture of physical and psychological symptoms. They are caused by a sudden rush of the hormone adrenaline when a person feels threatened by something. Because of the adrenaline, the heart beats faster in a panic, the person can't catch his breath, he can't see, his palms sweat, his body trembles, nausea and dizziness appear, and a rush of blood to his face. People often think they are going to pass out, have a heart attack, "go crazy" or die.
The symptoms subside within a few minutes, but the attacks can be repeated several times in a short period of time, so it seems to the affected person that it is one long attack. In some people, panic attacks are frequent, in others they occur only once or twice in their life. There are patients who turn the tendency into a chronic condition. In such people, any faster heartbeat can trigger a series of anxiety symptoms, and then a panic attack. They quickly get into the habit of fearing the next attack, so they withdraw into themselves and isolate themselves from everyday activities.
A person who only suffers from panic attacks is psychologically completely balanced (clinically speaking), but very often suffers from an indescribable and subjective fear of going crazy, throwing an outburst, screaming or crying. sometimes it happens that a person cries, visibly panics or asks for someone to help them, writes stetoskop.info.
People who have a panic attack must learn to help themselves, that is, learn to control the attack. As panic attacks are 'in the head', it is important not to allow fear to take on huge dimensions, so fear and the feeling of impending danger should be known to 'devalue', i.e. diminish in the very beginning. It is also necessary to know that the physical symptoms are not dangerous, that is, regardless of the subjective feeling, that they do not lead to a heart attack, insanity or anything similar.
Treatment is quite complex. First, organic processing is required. This is important in order to rule out an organic disease and to reassure the patient so that the patient can see that it is not a physical but a mental illness. In psychiatric treatment, drugs (antidepressants and anxiolytics) are usually given along with cognitive-behavioral therapy. During the treatment, the patient's desire to live a normal life without limitations, as well as discipline and patience, are very important.
A panic attack can be an extremely unpleasant experience, especially if you don't know what techniques can be used to alleviate it.
Intense physical and mental symptoms that appear very quickly and for no apparent reason characterize a panic attack. Some of the symptoms include rapid heartbeat, fainting, sweating and nausea. Research have shown that 13,2 percent of people have experienced a panic attack at some point in their lives, and it usually lasts between five and 20 minutes. Calming techniques are, klix.ba reports, the following:
Breathe with your lower abdomen
The most important thing when dealing with a panic attack is to take control of your own breathing. Breathe with the lower part of the stomach, i.e. the diaphragm. Lung breathing makes a panic attack worse, so put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach and try to breathe through it.
If you still fail, rely on "classic" breathing through the nose. Inhale for three seconds and exhale for four to five seconds. It is important that you exhale longer than you take in air.
Use a paper bag to control your breathing
Hyperventilation, i.e. excessive breathing, increases the level of oxygen concentration in the blood, and decreases the concentration of carbon dioxide. Breathing with the help of a paper bag helps stop this problem, and the panic attack will soon stop.
Keep the ice in your hand
Using your other senses can help you "break away" from a panic attack. Your body can "forget" what it is currently going through. Put ice in a tea towel and hold it in your hand. You can do this until you feel a slight pain and then transfer it to the other hand.
Bite the lemon
Lemon (or some other sour or spicy food) is one way to activate your senses that can help you stop a panic attack.
Touch an object that has an unusual texture
Carry an object in your bag that is rough or particularly soft to engage the sense of touch. Bubble wrap or a stress ball can also be helpful.
Visualize the situation
This technique involves imagining yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a panic attack. It is also known as "negative visualization". As you imagine, try to imagine steps that would help you calm down. This kind of thinking will be reflected in the actual condition you are going through. It will give you the strength to take concrete steps.
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