Panic attacks and panic disorder

If you have experienced panic attacks before, of course you know that it is a terrifying, disturbing and exhausting experience, as a panic disorder is a diagnosis given to patients who experience unexpected and frequent panic attacks, and in this article we will review for you everything related to this condition and how to control and treat it.

What are panic attacks?

It is a sudden bout of extreme anxiety, which causes a physical feeling of fear, and its symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, tremors and muscle tension, panic attacks often occur frequently and unexpectedly and are often not associated with any external threat . Panic attacks can last from a few minutes to half an hour, however, the physical and emotional effects of the seizure may last for a few hours.

For many people, these seizures only occur from time to time during periods of stress or illness, but if this episode is repeated in a person more than once in this case it is diagnosed with a panic disorder, which are frequent panic attacks and it is also a type of anxiety disorder.

What are the symptoms of panic attacks?

Symptoms of a panic attack can include:

• Feeling of danger
• Thinking, anxiety and irrational
• A strong feeling of dread, danger, or threat
• Fear of feeling crazy, losing control or dying
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed
• Tingling and chills, especially in the arms and hands
• Tremors or tremors and sweating
• Feeling of hot flashes
• Rapid increase in heart rate
• The presence of constriction in the chest
• difficulty breathing
• Nausea
• Muscle tension
• Dry mouth
• Unrealistic feelings and separation from the environment

The body's response to panic attacks

When the body faces a direct danger, the brain alerts the autonomic nervous system to activate the response of the " hit-and-run theory ", as the body is flooded with a range of chemicals, including adrenaline, and this explains the occurrence of many physiological changes such as increasing the rate of acceleration Heart, breathing, and blood supply to muscles In preparation for physical confrontation or flight, a person may develop symptoms of a panic attack in harmless and stress-free situations such as watching TV or while sleeping.

Some of the factors that can lead to the body inappropriately stimulating hit-and-run theory include:

• Chronic (persistent) stress: This results in the body producing higher-than-normal levels of stress chemicals such as adrenaline.
• The body can suddenly drown in large quantities of chemicals resulting from acute stress (such as exposure to a violent shock).
• Hyperventilation: This leads to an imbalance of gases in the blood because there is not enough carbon dioxide in the blood.
• Intense physical exercise: For some people, this may cause severe reactions.
• Excessive caffeine intake: Caffeine in coffee, tea and other drinks is a powerful stimulant of many physical changes.
• Diseases: that may cause some physical changes.
• Sudden change in the environment: for example, walking in a crowded, hot, or stuffy environment.

Causes of panic disorder

There is no single cause for panic disorder, as there are usually a number of factors that cause it, including:

• Family history: People with panic disorder often have a family history of anxiety disorder or depression, with some studies indicating a genetic component.
• Biological factors: some medical conditions (arrhythmia, hyperthyroidism, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and irritable bowel syndrome) are linked to a panic disorder.
• Negative experiences: Very traumatic life experiences such as child sexual abuse or trauma have been linked to panic attacks, and periods of constant stress are a risk factor as well.

Anxiety disorder diagnosis:

Many people who suffer from panic attacks do not seek medical care because of their embarrassment, and may also be afraid to seek medical attention or fear to take medication. If you suffer from panic attacks, it is important that you seek medical care and discuss your problem with your doctor, after Your evaluation, your doctor will be able to tell you whether panic attacks are related to panic disorder or caused by another problem, there is no room for concern of this problem as simple treatments are available to help control panic attacks and panic disorder.

Can panic disorder be prevented or avoided?

You cannot prevent panic disorders because doctors are unsure of their causes, but you may be able to prevent panic attacks by knowing the reasons that cause them to occur to you, and your doctor may help you with that, as he can help make sure that panic attacks won't get worse or More frequent, as you are advised to be physically active, because exercise is a known stress reliever and may also protect you from panic attacks.

What is the treatment for panic attacks or panic disorder?

Panic attacks can be treated with the following methods:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This treatment focuses on patterns of thinking and behaviors that maintain or trigger panic attacks and help you view your concerns in a more realistic light. For example, if you get a panic while driving, what is the worst thing that could really happen? All you will do is withdraw to the side of the road, it is unlikely that you will hit your car or have a heart attack. Once you know that nothing real catastrophic will happen, the experience of panic becomes less effective.

Exposure treatment

This treatment allows you to experience panic disorder to experience the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment, which gives you the opportunity to learn more healthy ways to adapt to these symptoms, you may be asked to breathe excessively, or shake your head from side to side, or hold your breath, these exercises Different causes you to feel the same symptoms that you face when you experience panic attacks, and the more you experience these feelings, the less you will feel them, and thus this can help you in resolving the problem categorically.

pharmaceutical

There are several medications that can make panic attacks less severe or stop them altogether as follows:

• Antidepressants: Very effective in preventing anxiety and panic attacks, as they often stop seizures completely. And their side effects are usually mild, as they will not make you lose control or change your personality, as you can use them as long as necessary, even for years.
• Anti-anxiety medication: These are useful panic disorder medications, as they help relieve fear and anxiety, and should be used for a short period of time (from a few weeks to a few months), unless you are fully able to work without them, and do not suddenly stop taking any of These medications, and if you need to stop, you should withdraw them slowly over several weeks under your doctor's supervision.