Panic attacks

 

Panic attacks

Panic attacks are more than just an emotional experience. When someone experiences a panic attack, their “fight or flight” response is triggered, and they experience a full-body physical reaction that can be as scary as the panic itself. Common symptoms include racing thoughts, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, shaking or trembling, numbness, dizziness or fainting, and nausea or digestive upset. Panic attacks can be debilitating and seriously affect your quality of life.

Panic attacks are usually thought of as a symptom of anxiety, but not everyone who has an anxiety disorder experiences panic attacks. They can be experienced by anyone with a mental health disorder, including PTSD, depressive disorders, and substance abuse disorders. Sometimes people with no history of mental illness experience panic attacks.

 

If you experience recurring, periodic panic attacks, you may be diagnosed with panic disorder, a standalone mental health condition experienced by 2-3% of the population in any given year. Treatment for panic disorder and panic attacks usually include therapy, or medication, or both. It’s important for people who experience panic attacks to get help because recurrent attacks can lead to extreme isolation, or other associated panic disorders, which can severely limit a person’s ability to function normally and live a full life.

 

                 HOW TO PREVENT PANIC ATTACKS ?

 

 

 

·         Doing breathing exercises every day will help to prevent panic attacks and relieve them

when they are happening.

 

·        
Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise, will help you to manage stress levels, release tension, improve your mood and boost confidence.

 

·         Challenge your thoughts.

 

 

·         Face your fears.

 

 

Panic disorders are often classified into six types, including anxiety disorders, phobias and more.

Panic Disorder (Characterized by Anxiety or Panic Attacks) ...

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Phobias.

Social Anxiety Disorder.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

 

Who might have panic attacks?

     Anyone can experience a panic attack. These factors play a role:

• Age: Panic attacks typically first occur during the teen or early adult years. But people of all ages, including children, can have panic attacks.
• Gender: Women are twice as likely as men to develop panic disorder.

 

MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT

  How are panic attacks managed or treated?

 Psychotherapy, medications or a combination are very effective at stopping panic attacks. How long you’ll need treatment depends on the severity of your problem and how well you respond to treatment. Options include:

• Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy, or talk therapy. You discuss your thoughts and emotions with a mental health professional, such as a licensed counselor or psychologist. This specialist helps identify panic attack triggers so you can change your thinking, behaviors and reactions. As you start to respond differently to triggers, the attacks decrease and ultimately stop.
• Antidepressants: Certain antidepressant medications can make panic attacks less frequent or less severe. Providers may prescribe serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac®) and paroxetine (Paxil®). SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta®) and venlafaxine (Effexor®). TCAs include amitriptyline (Elavil®) and doxepin (Sinequan®)

-Nishant Verma