All About Panic Attacks
If you’ve ever had a panic attack, then you know that they are seriously terrifying. Panic attacks can come out of the blue and often make you feel out of control or even like you’re having a heart attack. Panic is oft-misunderstood, but the good news is, panic attacks are treatable. Read on to learn more about what defines a panic attack, how they relate to mental health disorders, and how they can be treated.
A panic attack is an intense episode of fear unrelated to any real or apparent danger. Symptoms of an attack usually peak within a few minutes and subside after 15-20 minutes. These symptoms can include:
Sense of impending doom or danger.
Rapid heart rate.
Sweating and/or chills.
Trembling/shaking.
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or faintness.
Shortness of breath or chest pain.
Numbness, a feeling of unreality or detachment.
A panic attack is a misfiring of our body’s evolved defense mechanisms. Thousands of years ago, the panic response would have served to push our ancestors to action in the face of a predator or threat. Today, however, such threats are rare, and non-threatening circumstances can set off a panic attack. Most people will have one or two panic attacks in their lifetime, but some people experience them recurrently. This can be a sign of an underlying mental health diagnosis. Some diagnoses that may include panic attacks are:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: panic may accompany obsessions and compulsive behaviors in this disorder, especially if one is unable to carry out the compulsive action.
Social Phobia/Anxiety: social situations may trigger panic attacks in those who experience social anxiety.
Anxiety and Depression: in some people, these common mental health conditions may manifest with panic attacks.
Panic Disorder: diagnosed when panic attacks are recurrent and not due to another mental health condition.
While the actual panic event is bad enough, it’s the worrying about the next attack that can often be most harmful to the sufferer. Anxiety over where and when the next attack will occur can raise baseline anxiety, cause you to avoid people and situations that have caused panic in the past or you think may cause panic, and in extreme cases, even contribute to the development of agoraphobia (fear of leaving the home). That’s why it’s important to seek treatment if you’ve experienced more than a few panic attacks. Common, effective treatments for panic include:
Psychotherapy: your therapist may apply several techniques to counter panic attacks, from delving deep into potential root causes to practical strategies for halting the attack.
SSRIs: antidepressant medications have been shown to be effective at reducing the occurrence of panic attacks and are the first-line medication for Panic Disorder.
Benzodiazepines: these medications have a powerful calming effect that can stop a panic attack in progress. However, these medications are being prescribed less and less recently due to their high potential for habit formation.
Panic attacks are serious and scary. Even if the danger is only in your head, that doesn’t mean that what you’re feeling isn’t real. If you’re concerned about panic attacks, reach out to your primary care physician or a qualified mental health professional to get an evaluation.
References
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018, May 4). Panic attacks and panic disorder. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376027
