Visit A Medical Professional
If you dont have much experience with panic attacks, the chances that youll be able to diagnose one yourself are low, the experts said. So its a good idea to seek medical attention, particularly if you are experiencing intense panic symptoms for the first time.
Depending on other risk factors and that adrenaline discharge, all of the effort that the heart is making might not be good for that person, De Faria said. It might have started as a panic attack, but you dont know.
A visit to a doctor can be reassuring. Trott said he knew he probably wasnt having a heart attack at the grocery store in February, because he gets regular checkups and has normal blood pressure readings.
What Is A Panic Attack
A panic attack causes sudden, brief feelings of fear and strong physical reactions in response to ordinary, nonthreatening situations. When youre having a panic attack, you may sweat a lot, have difficulty breathing and feel like your heart is racing. It may feel as if youre having a heart attack.
Panic disorder can develop when you worry too much about having another panic attack or change behaviors to avoid having a panic attack.
S You Can Take To Help Your Child Cope With Panic Attacks
There are a number of things that you can do as a parent, to help your child to cope with panic attacks.
Stay in control during the panic attack
If your child is having a panic attack, its likely that theyll feel as though theyve lost control. This is why its so important for you to stay in control for the duration of the panic attack. Try to stay calm and talk to them in a gentle and soothing voice. Tell them to take deep breaths and reassure them that the panic will be over soon. Once the panic attack seems to be subsiding, give them plenty of time and space to calm down.
Breathing exercises
Explain to your child that when theyre having a panic attack, this causes their breathing to become faster, which can make them feel light-headed, dizzy and cause chest pains. Teach them to slow their breathing down; this can help to reduce the physical symptoms of a panic attack, and help the panic attack to pass more quickly. Tell your child to breathe in through their nose for three seconds , hold their breath for two seconds, before exhaling completely and fully. Your child can then use this breathing strategy the next time theyre having a panic attack.
Teach your child about panic attacks
Encourage your child to face their fears
Challenge negative thinking
Help your child to shift their focus
Reassure your child that there are always people there to help
Get help
Don’t Miss: Sesquipedalophobia Vs Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
What Is It Like To Have Panic Disorder
One day, without any warning or reason, a feeling of terrible anxiety came crashing down on me. I felt like I couldnt get enough air, no matter how hard I breathed. My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I thought I might die. I was sweating and felt dizzy. I felt like I had no control over these feelings and like I was drowning and couldnt think straight.
After what seemed like an eternity, my breathing slowed and I eventually let go of the fear and my racing thoughts, but I was totally drained and exhausted. These attacks started to occur every couple of weeks, and I thought I was losing my mind. My friend saw how I was struggling and told me to call my doctor for help.
What Helps To Manage Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be frightening, but there are things you can do to help yourself cope. It could help to print off these tips, or write them down, and keep them somewhere easy to find.
During a panic attack:
- Focus on your breathing. It can help to concentrate on breathing slowly in and out while counting to five.
- Stamp on the spot. Some people find this helps control their breathing.
- Focus on your senses. For example, taste mint-flavoured sweets or gum, or touch or cuddle something soft.
- Try grounding techniques. Grounding techniques can help you feel more in control. They’re especially useful if you experience dissociation during panic attacks. See our page on self-care for dissociation;for more information on grounding techniques.
After a panic attack:
- Think about self-care. It’s important to pay attention to what your body needs after you’ve had a panic attack. For example, you might need to rest somewhere quietly, or eat or drink something.
- Tell someone you trust. If you feel able to, it could help to let someone know you’ve had a panic attack. It could be particularly helpful to mention how they might notice if you’re having another one, and how you’d like them to help you.
See our pages on self-care for anxiety and treatments for anxiety for more information on what could help.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Phobia Of Throwing Up
Panic Attacks I Turned My Mental Health Crisis Into A Mental Health Triumph
“Although it’s taken me a long time I have learned I am a strong person who has the potential to help others.”
You might find that you become scared of going out alone or to public places because you’re worried about having another panic attack. If this fear becomes very intense, it may be called agoraphobia. See our pages on types of phobia;for more information.
“I felt like I couldn’t breathe, I just wanted to get out, to go somewhere else, but I couldn’t because I was on a train.”
Find A Focus Point For Your Mind
To counter the overwhelming sense of helplessness that often accompanies a panic attack, some people find it helpful to train their minds on a simple focal point, like a small object in the room or actively listening to a song. You can alsto count backward from 100 by intervals of three.
Focus all your attention on that one thing and be as actively involved with your focus point as possible. The goal here is to be so focused that your anxious feelings melt away in the backgrounds until they disappear. This is a distraction technique.
Pick a focus point in advance so that you can quickly go there during a panic attack.
You May Like: What Is The Meaning Of Phobia
Natural Triggers Of Anxiety
There are also several natural, understandable triggers of anxiety. A stressful job, for example, is a common natural anxiety trigger. Long-term, persistent stress can make it very hard to cope with life, and that can create long-term anxiety issues. Living with cancer or a disease can also create anxiety, as can trouble with your relationships or social life. These types of anxiety triggers are very common and may create anxiety in the short or long term.
Heres What Happens In Your Body During A Panic Attack
Even though psychiatrists have been investigating just what panic is since the mid-to-late 1800s, the term panic disorder didnt appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980. Experts still arent sure precisely what underlies this disordered brain-body connection.
Sometimes panic might start in your body itself, and then create processes within your brain. Other times, your brain could initiate the entire onset of a panic attack, which then manifests itself in your body, says Feinstein. In some cases, genetics or changes in brain function may be at play. In others, stress is a factor.
Panic attacks begin with something that causes your heart to race it could even be caused by something as innocuous as a jolt of caffeine.
But once an attack is triggered, the cascade of physiological responses in the body is fairly universal. Typically, it begins with something that causes your heart to race. This might be a stimulus in the environment perhaps a sound or a scent that you associate with a traumatic event or even something as innocuous as a jolt of caffeine. In a panic attack, the racing heart sets off a danger alarm in your brain and sends your bodys fear response into overdrive.
Panic attacks typically peak and subside within 10 or 15 minutes, and there are a handful of solid techniques that can help you ride them out.
Recommended Reading: Prodromal Symptoms Of Schizophrenia Are Evident
What Do I Do If Im Having A Panic Attack
With or without panic disorder, panic attacks are common. And theres a big misconception around dealing with them, Gruner explains.
The most common advice people hear when theyre experiencing a panic attack is to take deep breaths, think positively, and try to calm down, he says.
However, trying to control anxiety in these ways can backfire. Struggling to prevent a panic attack can have a paradoxical effect and actually cause a panic attack.
During a panic attack, a person should do the counterintuitive thing: let go of control and allow the panic attack to run its course.
It can also be useful to remind yourself that you cant die from a panic attack, and that its your bodys normal, natural reaction, which is not dangerous.
Gabe Gruner, LICSW, is a psychotherapist at the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic at Brigham and Womens Hospital .
How Embarrassed Will I Be This Time Because I Can’t Get Past This Unfounded Fear
“I think about how silly I feel and how it’s all going to be okay. You know all of this, but the spiraling just keeps happening.” –Mendy Serbantez
Many fears at the core of anxiety are categorized as irrational. Whatever triggers the panic attack usually is unfounded — but the brain often doesn’t know the difference.
Read Also: Phobia Suffix
Panic Disorder Causes And Risk Factors
Doctors donât know exactly what causes panic disorder, but one possibility is that the brains of people who have it may be especially sensitive in responding to fear.
A few things can make you more likely to have panic disorder:
- Someone in your family has it
- High levels of stress
- Frequent negative feelings or trouble dealing with negative emotions
Using drugs or alcohol to try to deal with panic disorder can make the symptoms worse.
People with this disorder often also have major depression. But there is no evidence that one condition causes the other.
What Do Anxiety Attacks Feel Like
Anxiety attacks can make you feel restless, feeling wound up or on edge fatigued, or you may experience physical symptoms like muscle tension. Other symptoms may include difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, or having trouble sleeping. An anxiety attack can be terrifying; it can feel so scary that it might even make you think youre going to die. Rest assured, anxiety attacks are not dangerous and the feeling will go away.
Until it passes, you might experience some of the unsettling symptoms discussed earlier. It is important to remember that what youre feeling is temporary, know that you will get through it. Although it might be extremely uncomfortable in the moment, you will regain composure soon enough. Some coping strategies to employ during an attack include taking deep breaths through your stomach and talking out loud to yourself. They both have a calming effect on the surge of irrepressible panic and stressed breathing you might feel during an attack.
Recommended Reading: The Suffix Phobia Means
Always Seek Professional Advice
Always seek medical advice if you are not sure whether your symptoms, or another persons symptoms, indicate a panic attack. In an emergency, dial triple zero for an ambulance.;Its important to see your doctor for a check-up to make sure that any recurring physical panic-like symptoms are not due to illnesses, including:;
- Diabetes
Diagnosis Of Panic Attack In Children
You have to explain in detail the panic episodes of the child. Doctors may ask a few questions to identify any triggers or phobia related to panic attacks. They may also perform a physical examination and order some tests to exclude medical conditions that may resemble a panic attack .
If there is no evidence of other physical illnesses, then your doctor may refer your child to a psychiatrist. A detailed analysis by a psychiatrist could help diagnose the mental health disorders that led to the panic attacks. Mental health disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or social anxiety disorder, are a few examples of conditions that may cause panic attacks.
You May Like: What Is The Meaning Of Phobia
Panic Disorder In Children
Panic disorder is more common in teenagers than in younger children.
Panic attacks can be particularly hard for children and young people to deal with. Severe panic disorder may affect their development and learning.
If your child has the signs and symptoms of panic disorder, they should see a GP.
After taking a detailed medical history the GP will carry out a thorough physical examination to rule out any physical causes for the symptoms.
They may refer your child to a specialist for further assessment and treatment. The specialist may recommend a course of CBT for your child.
Screening for other anxiety disorders may also be needed to help find the cause of your child’s panic attacks.
Common Characteristics Of A Panic Attack
What, exactly, is a panic attack? A panic attack refers to a sudden episode of intense fear, panic or anxiety that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no imminent danger. Its disproportionate fear. Effectively, a panic attack fills you with the feeling of imminent doom when theres actually no immediate threat. Think of it as a false alarma misfiring of your fight-or-flight instinct, as it were.
In addition to an intense feeling of anxiety, a panic attack usually triggers a variety of physical symptoms, as well. These may include any or all of the following:
- Shortness of breath/hyperventilation
- Sensations of numbness or tingling in parts of the body
- Fear of dying
The scariest part of having a panic attack may be the physical symptoms themselvesmany people describe feeling like they are having a heart attack when it is instead a panic attack. The primary differences between a heart attack and a panic attack are that a panic attack is usually triggered by a wave of fear and panic attacks are usually brief, usually descelarating afting 10 minutes or so. Regardless, panic attacks can be highly disconcerting and uncomfortable, however brief.
Also Check: Can Depression Make You Lose Your Appetite
If You Think You Have Panic Disorder Self
Many individuals with panic disorder realize they have the disorder after a trip to the emergency room , as panic attack symptoms can easily be mistaken for a heart attack or stroke. An ER can only offer short-term relief or provide a referral to mental health services.
Many people who are concerned about panic disorder visit their primary care provider . Unfortunately, according to Gruner, PCPs can sometimes mistreat panic disorder by prescribing benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam or klonopin . However, current research shows that benzos are a counterproductive long-term treatment approach.
Benzodiazepines can reduce your anxiety in the short-term, but people can become dependent on them to the point where they dont feel safe without it. They usually attribute progress to the benzo, so it can make treatment progress difficult, says Gruner.
Gruner advises individuals to be wary if their PCP prescribes benzodiazepines. There is increased awareness among PCPs now with the problem of prescribing benzos to people with panic disorder, but its not perfect, says Gruner. So, its worth educating yourself about effective treatment before meeting with your PCP.
Ideally, a PCP would recommend a therapist or psychiatrist. A cognitive behavioral therapist who has experience with anxiety disorders is an ideal choice.
Answers To Your Questions About Panic Disorder
Answers to your questions about panic disorder.
Panic Disorder is a serious condition that around one out of every 75 people might experience. It usually appears during the teens or early adulthood, and while the exact causes are unclear, there does seem to be a connection with major life transitions that are potentially stressful: graduating from college, getting married, having a first child, and so on. There is also some evidence for a genetic predisposition; if a family member has suffered from panic disorder, you have an increased risk of suffering from it yourself, especially during a time in your life that is particularly stressful.
A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being “stressed out” that most people experience. Symptoms of a panic attack include:
-
racing heartbeat
-
hot flashes, or sudden chills
-
tingling in fingers or toes
-
fear that you’re going to go crazy or are about to die
You probably recognize this as the classic “flight or fight” response that human beings experience when we are in a situation of danger. But during a panic attack, these symptoms seem to rise from out of nowhere. They occur in seemingly harmless situations–they can even happen while you are asleep.
In addition to the above symptoms, a panic attack is marked by the following conditions:
The answer to this is a resounding YES — if they receive treatment.
Don’t Miss: Can Being Cheated On Give You Ptsd
Main Symptoms Of A Panic Attack
You may have just a few of these symptoms or several.
- Chest tightness, like feeling like youâre having a heart attack
Wondering if you have panic disorder?
Free, secure, and powered by Buoy advanced AI to get you the best way to better. Learn about our technology.
When Should You Call Your Doctor
911, or other emergency services immediately if you have symptoms of a heart attack. These may include:
- Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
- Sweating.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both shoulders or arms.
- Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.
- A fast or irregular heartbeat.
After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself.
- Attacks of intense fear or that seem to come on without a reason.
- A panic attack or worry that you will have another one, and your worrying keeps you from doing your daily activities.
- Physical symptoms now and then , and you aren’t sure what is causing them.
Recommended Reading: Psychology Behind Eating Disorders