The first time it happens you may have no clue what is going on. All you know is that suddenly you can’t move, you can’t breathe, and you are terrified. Your heart starts to race and you begin to sweat, feel nauseated and you begin to panic. You panic because of this crazy fear you have and don’t know what to do. When it passes you look around you and realize that everything is okay but are confused about what just happened. This is what they call a panic attack. It is a panic disorder that strikes millions of people of all ages and backgrounds and it comes on suddenly and usually out of nowhere.
It can take years between the first and second attack to occur for some people and for others it can happen more often. The more often it happens, the more a person can feel as if they are going mad if they don’t realize what is going on. If this condition is left unrecognized and untreated it can severely affect a person’s life. They can start to feel depressed, scared, and in extreme cases, suicidal. That is why it is essential to know how to deal with and treat this condition.
Symptoms can be different for each person that goes through an attack, but the one common factor seems to be the intense fear that is experienced. That fear gets worse when they start to worry about it happening again in the future. If you think that this may be happening to you, the first thing to do is see a doctor about it. A doctor will be able to let you know what is going on, even if it is something else causing the episodes, and whether you need treatment. This will be the first step in dealing with it.
Once it is confirmed that you do in fact have this disorder it would be a good idea to start learning everything possible about it. It is a frightening experience to go through and reading about other people going through the same thing can help. After you have a better understanding of what the attacks are you can find ways to help lessen or deal with an ongoing attack.
Certain situations may be the cause of attacks occurring. Take note of what is going on around you or in your life when one occurs to see if you can pinpoint a trigger. Stress is one main cause of these, stressful places, situations or people. If you find the attacks are more frequent when you are in a crowded or a closed place like an elevator, use that to your advantage and avoid those places till you have better control over the attacks.
It is believed that certain stimulants can trigger an attack as well as some medications, food, and drinks. Discuss your diet with a doctor to see if foods you are eating could be a cause. Caffeine and alcohol may also be linked to attacks. Some medications that make you more alert and stimulate may play a part in weakening the mechanism of fight or flight and send someone into panic.
Some longtime sufferers have discovered that they can talk themselves through an attack. Working on their breathing first to calm down, they begin to tell themselves that it is an attack, only an attack, and they’ll get through it. Breathing exercises or breathing in a paper bag helps some people. Acceptance seem to be the key, once it is accepted what is happening, it is easier to deal with.
Medications and treatment are available in helping to deal with panic attacks and lessen them. Although a panic disorder may not be cured totally, for the sufferers it can be manageable. Accepting that certain situations and things may always trigger an episode can help you find techniques to deal with them when they do occur.
Racing heart rate, shortness of breath and immobilizing terror are all panic attack symptoms. If you have experienced an anxiety attack, there is help to control the symptoms.