What is it like to have an anxiety attack
Panic Attack vs. Anxiety Attack: What’s the Difference?
There are several similarities between a panic attack and an anxiety attack. But anxiety is often triggered by certain stressors and may build gradually. On the other hand, panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and abruptly.
You might hear people talking about panic attacks and anxiety attacks like they’re the same thing. But they’re different conditions.
Read on to find out more about the differences between panic attacks and anxiety.
The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition” (DSM-5) does not mention anxiety attacks, but it does define anxiety as a feature of a number of common psychiatric disorders.
This includes the following conditions:
- generalized anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- separation anxiety disorder
- agoraphobia without history of panic disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- specific phobia
Anxiety is usually related to the anticipation of a stressful situation, experience, or event. It may come on gradually.
Symptoms of anxiety include:
- worry
- distress
- fear
The lack of diagnostic recognition of anxiety attacks means that the signs and symptoms are open to interpretation.
That is, a person may describe having an “anxiety attack” and have symptoms that another person has never experienced despite indicating that they, too, have had an “anxiety attack.”
Panic attacks come on suddenly and involve intense and often overwhelming fear. They’re accompanied by very challenging physical symptoms, like a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or nausea.
DSM-5 recognizes panic attacks and categorizes them as unexpected or expected.
Unexpected panic attacks occur without an obvious cause. Expected panic attacks are cued by external stressors, like phobias.
Panic attacks can happen to anyone, but having more than one may be a sign of panic disorder, a mental health condition characterized by sudden and repeated panic attacks.
Panic and anxiety attacks may feel similar, and they share a lot of emotional and physical symptoms.
You can experience both an anxiety and a panic attack at the same time.
For instance, you might experience anxiety while worrying about a potentially stressful situation, like an important presentation at work. When the situation arrives, anxiety may culminate in a panic attack.
A panic attack or anxiety attack can both cause physical and emotional symptoms, including:
- apprehension and worry
- distress
- fear of dying or losing control
- a sense of detachment from the world (derealization) or oneself (depersonalization)
- heart palpitations or an accelerated heart rate
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- tightness in the throat or feeling like you’re choking
- dry mouth
- sweating
- chills or hot flashes
- trembling or shaking
- numbness or tingling (paresthesia)
- nausea, abdominal pain, or upset stomach
- headache
- feeling faint or dizzy
It may be difficult to know whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety or a panic attack.
Keep in mind the following:
- The cause: Anxiety is typically related to something that’s perceived as stressful or threatening. Panic attacks aren’t always cued by stressors. They most often occur out of the blue.
- The level of distress: Anxiety can be mild, moderate, or severe. For example, anxiety may be happening in the back of your mind as you go about your day-to-day activities. Panic attacks, on the other hand, mostly involve severe, disruptive symptoms.
- Fight-or-flight: During a panic attack, the body’s autonomous fight-or-flight response takes over. Physical symptoms are often more intense than symptoms of anxiety.
- Speed of onset: While anxiety can build gradually, panic attacks usually come on abruptly.
- Effect: Panic attacks typically trigger worries or fears related to having another attack. This may have an effect on your behavior, leading you to avoid places or situations where you think you might be at risk of a panic attack.
Unexpected panic attacks have no clear external triggers. Expected panic attacks and anxiety can be triggered by similar things. Some common triggers include:
- a stressful job
- driving
- social situations
- phobias, like agoraphobia (fear of crowded or open spaces), claustrophobia (fear of small spaces), and acrophobia (fear of heights)
- reminders or memories of traumatic experiences
- chronic illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, or asthma
- chronic pain
- withdrawal from drugs or alcohol
- caffeine
- medication and supplements
- thyroid problems
Anxiety and panic attacks have similar risk factors. These include:
- experiencing trauma or witnessing traumatic events, either as a child or as an adult
- experiencing a stressful life event, like the death of a loved one or a divorce
- experiencing ongoing stress and worries, like work responsibilities, conflict in your family, or financial woes
- living with a chronic health condition or life threatening illness
- having an anxious personality
- having another mental health condition like depression
- having close family members who also have anxiety or panic disorders
- using drugs or consuming alcohol
People who experience anxiety are at an increased risk of experiencing panic attacks.
But having anxiety does not mean you will experience a panic attack.
Doctors can’t diagnose anxiety attacks, but they can diagnose:
- anxiety symptoms
- anxiety disorders
- panic attacks
- panic disorders
A doctor will ask you about your symptoms and conduct tests to rule out other health conditions with similar symptoms, like heart disease or thyroid problems.
To get a diagnosis, a doctor may conduct:
- a physical exam
- blood tests
- a heart test, like an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- a psychological evaluation or questionnaire
Speak with a doctor about other treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Here are some treatments they may discuss with you.
Counseling and psychotherapy
Talking therapies for anxiety and panic disorders can involve the following, often in combination.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of therapy can help you see things that worry you in a new way.
A counselor can help you develop strategies for managing triggers when they arise. - Cognitive therapy: This can help you pinpoint, reframe, and neutralize the unhelpful thoughts that often underlie an anxiety disorder.
- Exposure therapy: This form of therapy involves controlled exposure to situations that trigger fear and anxiety, which can help you learn to confront those fears in a new way.
- Relaxation techniques: These include breathing exercises, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, biofeedback, and autogenic training. A doctor can talk you through some of these.
A doctor may suggest attending individual sessions, group sessions, or a combination of the two.
Medication
Examples of medications your doctor may prescribe are:
- Antidepressants: These medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
- Beta-blockers: These medications can help manage certain physical symptoms, like a rapid heart rate.
- Anti-anxiety drugs: This includes benzodiazepines, a sedative medication that can suppress symptoms quickly.
All these drugs can have adverse effects. SSRIs and SNRIs are for long-term use, and it can take time to feel the effects. Benzodiazepines are for short-term use only, as there is a high risk of dependence.
Oftentimes, a doctor will recommend a combination of treatments. They may also need to alter your treatment plan over time.
You should speak with a doctor or mental health professional to find out what you can do to both prevent and treat anxiety- and panic-related symptoms. Having a treatment plan and sticking to it when an attack happens can help you feel like you’re in control.
If you feel an anxiety or panic attack coming on, try the following:
- Take slow deep breaths: When you feel your breath quickening, focus your attention on each inhale and exhale.
Feel your stomach fill with air as you inhale. Count down from four as you exhale. Repeat until your breathing slows. - Recognize and accept what you’re experiencing: If you’ve already experienced an anxiety or panic attack, you know that it can be incredibly challenging. Remind yourself that the symptoms will pass and you’ll be alright.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Mindfulness is a technique that can help you ground your thoughts in the present. You can practice mindfulness by actively observing thoughts and sensations without reacting to them.
- Use relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques include guided imagery, aromatherapy, and muscle relaxation. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack, try doing things that you find relaxing. Close your eyes, take a bath, or use lavender, which has relaxing effects.
Lifestyle changes
The following lifestyle changes can help you prevent anxiety and panic attacks, as well as reduce the severity of symptoms when an attack occurs:
- Reduce and manage sources of stress in your life.
- Learn how to identify and stop negative thoughts.
- Get regular, moderate exercise.
- Practice meditation or yoga.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Join a support group for people with anxiety or panic attacks.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine as well as the use of drugs.
Panic attacks and anxiety attacks are not the same. Though these terms are often used interchangeably, only panic attacks are identified in the DSM-5.
Anxiety and panic attacks have similar symptoms, causes, and risk factors. But panic attacks tend to be more intense and are often accompanied by more severe physical symptoms.
You should contact a healthcare professional if anxiety- or panic-related symptoms are affecting your everyday life.
Read this article in Spanish.
Panic Attack vs. Anxiety Attack: What’s the Difference?
There are several similarities between a panic attack and an anxiety attack. But anxiety is often triggered by certain stressors and may build gradually.
On the other hand, panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and abruptly.
You might hear people talking about panic attacks and anxiety attacks like they’re the same thing. But they’re different conditions.
Read on to find out more about the differences between panic attacks and anxiety.
The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition” (DSM-5) does not mention anxiety attacks, but it does define anxiety as a feature of a number of common psychiatric disorders.
This includes the following conditions:
- generalized anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- separation anxiety disorder
- agoraphobia without history of panic disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- specific phobia
Anxiety is usually related to the anticipation of a stressful situation, experience, or event. It may come on gradually.
Symptoms of anxiety include:
- worry
- distress
- fear
The lack of diagnostic recognition of anxiety attacks means that the signs and symptoms are open to interpretation.
That is, a person may describe having an “anxiety attack” and have symptoms that another person has never experienced despite indicating that they, too, have had an “anxiety attack.”
Panic attacks come on suddenly and involve intense and often overwhelming fear. They’re accompanied by very challenging physical symptoms, like a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or nausea.
DSM-5 recognizes panic attacks and categorizes them as unexpected or expected.
Unexpected panic attacks occur without an obvious cause. Expected panic attacks are cued by external stressors, like phobias.
Panic attacks can happen to anyone, but having more than one may be a sign of panic disorder, a mental health condition characterized by sudden and repeated panic attacks.
Panic and anxiety attacks may feel similar, and they share a lot of emotional and physical symptoms.
You can experience both an anxiety and a panic attack at the same time.
For instance, you might experience anxiety while worrying about a potentially stressful situation, like an important presentation at work.
When the situation arrives, anxiety may culminate in a panic attack.
A panic attack or anxiety attack can both cause physical and emotional symptoms, including:
- apprehension and worry
- distress
- fear of dying or losing control
- a sense of detachment from the world (derealization) or oneself (depersonalization)
- heart palpitations or an accelerated heart rate
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- tightness in the throat or feeling like you’re choking
- dry mouth
- sweating
- chills or hot flashes
- trembling or shaking
- numbness or tingling (paresthesia)
- nausea, abdominal pain, or upset stomach
- headache
- feeling faint or dizzy
It may be difficult to know whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety or a panic attack. Keep in mind the following:
- The cause: Anxiety is typically related to something that’s perceived as stressful or threatening.
Panic attacks aren’t always cued by stressors. They most often occur out of the blue. - The level of distress: Anxiety can be mild, moderate, or severe. For example, anxiety may be happening in the back of your mind as you go about your day-to-day activities. Panic attacks, on the other hand, mostly involve severe, disruptive symptoms.
- Fight-or-flight: During a panic attack, the body’s autonomous fight-or-flight response takes over. Physical symptoms are often more intense than symptoms of anxiety.
- Speed of onset: While anxiety can build gradually, panic attacks usually come on abruptly.
- Effect: Panic attacks typically trigger worries or fears related to having another attack. This may have an effect on your behavior, leading you to avoid places or situations where you think you might be at risk of a panic attack.
Unexpected panic attacks have no clear external triggers. Expected panic attacks and anxiety can be triggered by similar things.
Some common triggers include:
- a stressful job
- driving
- social situations
- phobias, like agoraphobia (fear of crowded or open spaces), claustrophobia (fear of small spaces), and acrophobia (fear of heights)
- reminders or memories of traumatic experiences
- chronic illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, or asthma
- chronic pain
- withdrawal from drugs or alcohol
- caffeine
- medication and supplements
- thyroid problems
Anxiety and panic attacks have similar risk factors. These include:
- experiencing trauma or witnessing traumatic events, either as a child or as an adult
- experiencing a stressful life event, like the death of a loved one or a divorce
- experiencing ongoing stress and worries, like work responsibilities, conflict in your family, or financial woes
- living with a chronic health condition or life threatening illness
- having an anxious personality
- having another mental health condition like depression
- having close family members who also have anxiety or panic disorders
- using drugs or consuming alcohol
People who experience anxiety are at an increased risk of experiencing panic attacks.
But having anxiety does not mean you will experience a panic attack.
Doctors can’t diagnose anxiety attacks, but they can diagnose:
- anxiety symptoms
- anxiety disorders
- panic attacks
- panic disorders
A doctor will ask you about your symptoms and conduct tests to rule out other health conditions with similar symptoms, like heart disease or thyroid problems.
To get a diagnosis, a doctor may conduct:
- a physical exam
- blood tests
- a heart test, like an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- a psychological evaluation or questionnaire
Speak with a doctor about other treatments for anxiety and panic attacks. Here are some treatments they may discuss with you.
Counseling and psychotherapy
Talking therapies for anxiety and panic disorders can involve the following, often in combination.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of therapy can help you see things that worry you in a new way.
A counselor can help you develop strategies for managing triggers when they arise. - Cognitive therapy: This can help you pinpoint, reframe, and neutralize the unhelpful thoughts that often underlie an anxiety disorder.
- Exposure therapy: This form of therapy involves controlled exposure to situations that trigger fear and anxiety, which can help you learn to confront those fears in a new way.
- Relaxation techniques: These include breathing exercises, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, biofeedback, and autogenic training. A doctor can talk you through some of these.
A doctor may suggest attending individual sessions, group sessions, or a combination of the two.
Medication
Examples of medications your doctor may prescribe are:
- Antidepressants: These medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
- Beta-blockers: These medications can help manage certain physical symptoms, like a rapid heart rate.
- Anti-anxiety drugs: This includes benzodiazepines, a sedative medication that can suppress symptoms quickly.
All these drugs can have adverse effects. SSRIs and SNRIs are for long-term use, and it can take time to feel the effects. Benzodiazepines are for short-term use only, as there is a high risk of dependence.
Oftentimes, a doctor will recommend a combination of treatments. They may also need to alter your treatment plan over time.
You should speak with a doctor or mental health professional to find out what you can do to both prevent and treat anxiety- and panic-related symptoms. Having a treatment plan and sticking to it when an attack happens can help you feel like you’re in control.
If you feel an anxiety or panic attack coming on, try the following:
- Take slow deep breaths: When you feel your breath quickening, focus your attention on each inhale and exhale.
Feel your stomach fill with air as you inhale. Count down from four as you exhale. Repeat until your breathing slows. - Recognize and accept what you’re experiencing: If you’ve already experienced an anxiety or panic attack, you know that it can be incredibly challenging. Remind yourself that the symptoms will pass and you’ll be alright.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Mindfulness is a technique that can help you ground your thoughts in the present. You can practice mindfulness by actively observing thoughts and sensations without reacting to them.
- Use relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques include guided imagery, aromatherapy, and muscle relaxation. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack, try doing things that you find relaxing. Close your eyes, take a bath, or use lavender, which has relaxing effects.
Lifestyle changes
The following lifestyle changes can help you prevent anxiety and panic attacks, as well as reduce the severity of symptoms when an attack occurs:
- Reduce and manage sources of stress in your life.
- Learn how to identify and stop negative thoughts.
- Get regular, moderate exercise.
- Practice meditation or yoga.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Join a support group for people with anxiety or panic attacks.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine as well as the use of drugs.
Panic attacks and anxiety attacks are not the same. Though these terms are often used interchangeably, only panic attacks are identified in the DSM-5.
Anxiety and panic attacks have similar symptoms, causes, and risk factors. But panic attacks tend to be more intense and are often accompanied by more severe physical symptoms.
You should contact a healthcare professional if anxiety- or panic-related symptoms are affecting your everyday life.
Read this article in Spanish.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks (episodic paroxysmal anxiety) - attacks of severe anxiety (panic) or fear (most often - fear of death, less often - fear of losing consciousness, loss of control, helplessness or fear of "going crazy"), accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and a feeling of " suffocation, shortness of breath.
Sometimes there are additional symptoms such as increased blood pressure, a feeling of "internal trembling", trembling in the limbs, a feeling of "hot flashes" of heat or cold, numbness of the extremities, increased sweating, a feeling of "unstability" or dizziness, nausea, derealization or depersonalization, etc. nine0005
Panic attacks last on average 5 to 30 minutes. However, sometimes they can last several hours, and in rare cases - up to several days.
I must say that even 30 years ago this disease was extremely rare. But now the incidence of panic attacks is increasing exponentially every year! Especially in big cities. Alas, panic attacks are considered a “disease of megacities”. And they suffer, most often, people with increased anxiety and the so-called perfectionists. nine0005
Earlier, in Soviet medicine, this disorder was called " sympathoadrenal crises ". This name, more than the modern one, reflected the essence of the processes occurring in the body during panic attacks.
Nevertheless, I will not bother readers with a description of biochemical processes and a list of the hormones and neurotransmitters involved in these reactions. Knowing this practically does not affect the fact of the occurrence of seizures. Because biochemical processes are just an "intermediate link" in the chain of cause and effect relationships occurrence of panic attacks . What then is the "primary link", so to speak, the root cause?
Panic attacks occur suddenly, and, as it often seems, without any external causes or under the influence of minor unpleasant factors (an ordinary quarrel in the family, another trouble at work, overcrowding and stuffiness in a subway or train car, a long “traffic jam” on the road, etc.). etc.). In fact, panic attacks always occur against the background of an already long-term depression (most common), or after repeated or severe stress (or rather, distress). Don't be surprised by this, because it is quite difficult for an ordinary person, not a specialist, to diagnose depression.
Especially, at himself. Moreover, its mild or atypical forms. Especially if it lasts a year or several years (and for some people - since childhood!). In this case, they may not even remember how they felt without depression. In this variant, the body functions “with the last of its strength”, works “at the limit of its capabilities”; and some minor unpleasant event can be the “last straw” for him! nine0003 Figuratively speaking, a panic attack is “hysteria of the body”, its “desperate cry: “I can’t do this anymore !!!”
Well, in the question "Who is to blame?" figured it out. Now let's move on to the equally important question "What to do?" The fact that no one in the world has yet died from panic attacks is little consolation for those suffering from this excruciating disorder. To say that panic attacks are an unpleasant state is an understatement! These are unbearable sensations, and in the most severe cases, a real feeling of approaching death, which a person is sometimes forced to experience daily! And most importantly, he does not understand what is happening to him, and how to stop it! nine0005
Panic attacks sharply reduce the quality of a person's life, subordinating her entire expectation of the next attack.
And, accordingly, they affect social activity, sometimes making a person completely incapacitated.
When panic attacks first appeared in the clinical practice of physicians, they were treated empirically with various sedatives and tranquilizers. However, after their cancellation, the seizures reappeared, and with prolonged use of these drugs, tolerance (insensitivity) inevitably and rather quickly set in. Therefore, in order to stop panic attacks, it was necessary to constantly increase doses or resort to more “strong” tranquilizers. But everywhere there is a limit: the number of tranquilizers is not unlimited, especially their doses. It was necessary to remember another very important aspect: long-term use of these drugs causes dependence on them. And after the abolition of tranquilizers, the symptoms of mental and physical withdrawal joined the renewed panic attacks, which further worsened the patient's condition. nine0005
Then the tactics of treatment were somewhat changed: antidepressants were added to "light" or small doses of "medium-powered" tranquilizers.
And it was a "breakthrough" in the treatment of panic attacks! Because antidepressants do not just "relieve" the symptoms, but they affect the foundation on which these attacks are based - depression itself! Of course, in modern medicine there are a huge number of antidepressants, and the effectiveness of their effect on panic attacks is very different. But an experienced psychotherapist or psychiatrist can quite accurately select a drug that is suitable for a particular person. It is important to note that antidepressants have a cumulative effect, so their therapeutic effect does not appear immediately after the appointment, but after a certain time (on average, after a month). And, here, the full duration of treatment with antidepressants is, at best, from 6 to 12 months, and sometimes up to several years. nine0005
At the same time, there are cases of especially severe courses of panic attacks, when the appointment of even "powerful" antidepressants for a sufficiently long time does not bring the desired effect, i.
e. panic attacks do not stop completely, but only become less pronounced or occur less frequently. In this version, a person, anyway, does not feel healthy and constantly lives in fear of the next attack. In this case, doctors are forced to launch "heavy artillery" - to add NEUROLEPTICS to the treatment, which patients have to take for quite a long time. Antipsychotics have a large number of unpleasant side effects, which is why many patients refuse them. nine0005
However, there is another way to treat panic attacks. He is not a drug! That is, there is a REAL METHOD OF COMPLETE CURING FROM PANIC ATTACKS, ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT RESORTING TO ANY KIND OF MEDICINES !!! This method is PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC.
In the modern world there are a lot of different types and directions of psychotherapy. But, it must be said bluntly that with panic attacks, most of them are not effective without medical support. nine0005
However, the method that I use in my psychotherapeutic work is unique.
It often allows you to completely eliminate panic attacks in 1 session! One or two more sessions are required to eliminate the FEAR of the appearance of seizures (or their expectation).
But in order to begin the direct elimination of panic attacks, a certain “intellectual” preparation of the patient is necessary. It requires from 8 to 12 sessions (depending on the severity of the disease and the personal characteristics of the patient) with a frequency of 1-2 sessions per week. nine0005
After eliminating panic attacks and the fear of their occurrence, it is extremely important to “develop” the underlying causes that led to their appearance. This will be a kind of "insurance" against the occurrence of panic attacks in the future. This requires 3-4 months on average (with the frequency of classes 1 time per week). But, having worked through these “deep roots”, a person not only completely gets rid of panic attacks, but also depression, solves many personal problems and begins to live a full life! nine0005
Panic attacks: causes, symptoms, treatment
Excruciating fear, loss of control over the situation.
.. Panic attacks poison life. But this condition can be dealt with. Natalya Vladimirovna Umerenkova, a neurologist at Expert Clinic Kursk, told us about the causes, symptoms and treatment.
Excruciating fear, loss of control over the situation... Panic attacks poison life. But this condition can be dealt with. Natalya Vladimirovna Umerenkova, a neurologist at Expert Clinic Kursk, told us about the causes, symptoms and treatment. nine0005
- Natalya Vladimirovna, what is a panic attack?
- This is a paroxysmal condition, which is characterized by internal tension, fear, anxiety and various vegetative (somatic) symptoms. The attack usually appears without precursors, reaches its maximum severity within ten minutes, lasts from several minutes to half an hour.
- What are the causes of panic attacks?
- A combination of factors predisposes to the occurrence of panic attacks, in particular a combination of psychological and biological mechanisms.
The causes of panic attacks include genetic predisposition, personality traits (for example, suspiciousness, anxiety), as well as certain brain disorders (excessive activity of norepinephrine structures and insufficient work of the inhibitory systems of the brain; this leads to stimulation of the adrenal glands and the release into the blood of substances that trigger a rapid heartbeat , nausea, sweating and other symptoms). Often there are provocateurs in the form of severe stress, hormonal changes in the body, excessive physical exertion, alcohol abuse, lack of sleep, etc. When a panic attack occurs, it is important to exclude diseases that may have similar manifestations (for example, pathology of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, diseases of the cardiovascular systems, etc.). nine0005
Myths and truth about thyroid diseases. Read more in our article
- What are the symptoms of panic attacks?
- They are varied. Typical manifestations include palpitations, shortness of breath, numbness or tingling in the body and limbs, feeling of a lump in the throat, waves of heat / cold, chest pain, trembling, sweating, a feeling of derealization, shortness of breath, nausea and discomfort in the gastrointestinal organs.
path, possible urge to urinate or defecate, pre-syncope. The attack is accompanied by a strong feeling of fear. nine0005
- Can I deal with a panic attack on my own? How to do it?
If an attack has overtaken a person for the first time, it is hardly possible to cope on your own. Indeed, at this moment a person experiences severe stress and cannot control the situation. It's best to seek help right away.
A person who is already undergoing treatment may have on hand drugs that reduce anxiety, drugs that relieve heart palpitations, nausea, and other "bodily" manifestations of a panic attack. Some are helped by physical activity, being in the fresh air. nine0005
- How can others help a person who has had a panic attack?
- First, call an ambulance for a person. If the panic attack is related to a specific location, remove the victim from there. For example, a person may find it hard to endure closed spaces, tunnels, subway lobbies; someone has an attack because of being in a crowd.
In such situations, the impact of the traumatic factor must be stopped.
If you are familiar with the technique of breathing exercises, you can suggest doing exercises, give the person with a panic attack a package for such exercises. nine0005
- Natalya Vladimirovna, what is the probability that a panic attack will recur and even a panic disorder will occur?
- I can't say for sure, because it depends on many factors. It matters whether the diagnosis was made on time, whether the doctor was able to establish contact with the patient and prescribe effective treatment.
- Which doctor should I contact with panic attacks?
- First see a therapist. He must exclude other diseases that may be masked behind the symptoms characteristic of a panic attack. If the diagnosis of panic attack is confirmed, the therapist will refer the patient to a neurologist. nine0005
- What is the treatment for panic attacks?
- Since the disease is multifactorial, the success of treatment largely depends on the experience of the doctor and the common sense of the patient.
To begin with, it is important to explain to the person the cause of panic attacks. This does not heal completely, but often greatly alleviates the condition, because before a visit to the doctor, a patient with panic attacks experiences a strong fear of death, frightening symptoms, and builds various assumptions about the presence of a “terrible” disease. The doctor analyzes the concomitant factors, suggests the patient to make adjustments if the disease is caused by lifestyle features (for example, violations of the work and rest regimen). Pharmaceutical treatment is possible: for example, in case of violation of the production of neurotransmitters, antidepressants and tranquilizers become an effective remedy for panic attacks. It is also important to teach the patient relaxation techniques, breathing exercises. nine0005
- Natalya Vladimirovna, why can psychotherapy be prescribed for panic attacks?
- Panic attacks often require psychotherapy. Working with a psychotherapist helps the patient develop an effective strategy for dealing with panic attacks based on personality traits and the individual situation.
In some cases, the help of a psychiatrist is required when a patient is diagnosed with a panic disorder (typically, recurrence of panic attacks, anxious expectation of deterioration, concern about the recurrence of panic attacks). nine0005
- How long does the treatment usually take?
- Here, again, everything is very individual. It depends on the cause that caused the disease, the ability to eliminate or neutralize provoking factors, timely visits to the doctor, etc.
- Is it possible to recover completely?
- It is difficult to speak with certainty about a complete cure. Cases where, with successful treatment, the patient no longer experiences panic attacks are quite typical. However, it is impossible to guarantee that new provoking factors will not appear, that there will be no situations in which attacks will start again. nine0005
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