Panic attacks themselves are a malfunction of natures fight or flight response. A panic attack includes a sudden overwhelming surge of fear that comes with out any real warning or obvious reason as to why. It can not be explained to those that have never felt if, but it is far more than the average feelings of being anxious or stressed as most people experience throughout their lives. Around 1 in 75 people may get full blown panic disorder which are panic attacks more the 2-3 times per week without any known cause.
Again talking about the flight or fight response that occurs naturally to help keep us from harm, telling us to run away or prepare to defend ourselves from a situation of danger. These feelings in the right circumstances are vital to our survival but in the case of a panic attack they appear for no reason, rising out of no where to confuse a person tremendously as to what is happening. Panic attacks can even happen when you are asleep maybe having a vivid dream of being attacked or falling off a building.
The feelings of dread with shortness of breath along with all the other symptoms tend to pass in a few minutes but can last up to an hour as the body cannot sustain the response of flight or fight for any longer. However, subsequent attacks can follow and make it seem like one long continuous panic attack. This can be detrimental to ones well being and cause problems in sleep and daily functioning. Panic attacks in themselves are not dangerous to one’s physical health, but over time upset can occur such as stomach problems, migraines and a variety of disorders.
In worst case scenarios suffers of panic attacks can feel so overwhelmed that they turn to drugs, excessive alcohol or other harmful activities to help numb the intensity of their attacks. Also people that suffer from long term, reoccurring panic attacks or panic disorder are more that twice as likely to commit suicide. So to say panic attacks have no danger is a misnomer, it is all about how and whether a sufferer treats their symptoms. But many treatments but traditional and alternative are available and many therapists can help patients handle their symptoms.
Developing phobias are also common place with panic attacks, as the attacks are so terrifying that people avoid the things or places that tend to trigger them such as crowds, driving or other people. Fear and embarrassment go along hand and hand with panic attacks as well. Many people will stay away from people to avoid feeling ashamed and uncomfortable in case they may have a panic attack in their presence. The three main phobias the develop with panic attacks are agoraphobia, a fear or leaving home and being trapped in public places; social phobia, an extreme fear of people or public and a fear of looking stupid or foolish there; and simple specific phobia, which can be of anything.
If you have tried traditional techniques and still cannot seem to get any better with your panic attacks you may look into ways you can control them on your own with out as much outside help (though you still need support) or intervention. Relaxation techniques are a very important step in long term self treatment, they can be done alone at home and are proven to work in reducing stress and stopping panic attacks in their tracks. Take time to at least once a day practice them and although they won’t cure all your symptoms alone, in combination with other treatments and techniques they will help you immensely in easing anxiety levels and feeling better.
The first part of relaxation techniques is deep breathing. Deep breathing techniques can be used either as a short term response to when you are about to or experiencing a panic attack or used when anxiety levels are high to help lower them. Although they cannot get rid of the stemming fears that cause the panic attacks they can treat the end result, the attacks themselves and the fear that leads to them. Simply slowly let your lungs fill with air by breasting in through your nose and letting out a long slow breath from your mouth, repeat this for a few seconds, maybe 10 or so times in a row and you will begin to notice a calming effect emerging.
Positive thinking can also be very effective during the process of recovery or preparing for an anxiety filled day, this is only however, if a person actual believes what they are telling themselves, so try to think of a true statement that you can believe before having to go into that scary situation that you dread. Something like “If I have a panic attack I can always go sit in the bathroom or my car and breath until I feel better.” verses “I will be fine and love every minute I am there.” You can repeat positive phrases as much as you like to yourself, but unless you are actually believing them, your anxiety level will remain the same.
You may also wish to work on affirmations that you are doing better in your self help, count how many panic attacks you have had this week versus last and whether they were as severe, did you have to go home or leave any activities or did you use techniques to get through them? Consider rewarding yourself for things well done and make sure to stay on track with trying new techniques and repeating the things that seem to be working.
Something else that can work with all of these self help areas are distraction techniques, very simple things like reading a book or magazine or turning on the TV can immensely help those stress levels. And literally take you mind off of having a panic attack by entertaining it with something it finds relaxing. Even when in public, things like counting all the red cars on the road or imagining everyone in there underwear, seriously, can help in distracting you enough that you can get on a new wavelength.
Panic attacks are hard to understand for someone that has never experienced them, it is large a fear of the irrational, but that does not stop it from being a reality for a sufferer of the attacks. They themselves will know it is irrational, but that knowledge does not make the attack go away or help them feel any better. The most common mistake people make is trying to help a loved one or friend with an attack by shoulder shrugging nonchalance. Remember no matter how far from reality their fears are based they are still getting all the input from their brain that they are under attack and have something to fear.
So telling someone “what’s the big deal?” is the same as giving someone with a major snake phobia a pet boa constrictor to hold and then wondering why they run screaming out of the room. Your help needs to be actually helpful to merit the trust of someone suffering from panic attacks. One of the most basic easy things is just to talk to them in a calm and distracting way. Encourage them to breathe deeply and give them a remember-when story or even tell a joke. The brain can only hold out those feelings of panic so long and can cut them off if distracted by humor or happy thoughts.
Reassure them without critique. Simply letting someone know you are there and reminding them that these feelings will pass can be a huge help in calming them down. Fighting panic will only make them feel more of it so encourage calmness and relaxation. A human touch can also work wonders, so hold there hand or give them a pat on the back or even a back rub if you are comfortable enough with them. This will help to immediately center them and reduce the feelings on unreality and disassociation that they may be feeling.
It is important in being able to help that you learn as much about panic attacks as you can. You will never fully understand what it feels like, but you can get an idea of what exactly they are experiencing at the time of the attack and keep that in mind while helping them. It is not only at that time that they will need help also; many people live with the fear of when the next one is coming. Reassure them that no matter when it happens they can make it through and if you see them starting to stress change the subject. Do something fun to take their minds off it, also encourage them to get some kind of help, whether it is a full blown therapy session or to try a natural anxiety aid.
Do things at home that will decrease stress and anxiety, so as this will not cause and trigger more attacks or worsening of the symptoms. If you are involved in a relationship with some one who has this condition, light some candles and play some low key music, it will be both romantic and helpful at the same time.
