With strong physical and psychological symptoms, recurrent sudden crises characterize a syndrome or disorder
What are the symptoms of a panic attacks?
For those who suffer from Panic Syndrome or Disorder , attacks occur unexpectedly and suddenly . The condition makes the patient feel very scared and anxious for short periods of time (a few minutes) .
Easily confused with heart attacks , panic attacks can also cause chest pain and breathing problems that lead people to seek emergency medical care or emergency services .
Even though a panic attacks itself does not pose a risk of death, it can be frightening and significantly impact the individual and their quality of life.
Panic attacks generally start without warning . They usually happen at any time, whether at the mall, sleeping, driving, or during a work meeting. Attacks can be occasional or occur more frequently, once or several times a day, causing a real social impact.
Panic attacks come in many different forms, but symptoms generally peak within minutes. After an attack ends, a person may feel tired and exhausted.
Attacks often include one or more of these symptoms or signs:
- Nausea
- Goosebumps
- Chest pain
- Heat waves
- Headaches
- Abdominal colic
- Sweating
- Tremors in the body
- Tachycardia
- Dizziness , lightheadedness or fainting
- Vomiting
- Tightness in the throat or shortness of breath
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Feeling of unreality
- Sense of imminent danger
- Fear of death or losing control
One of the biggest challenges with panic attacks is the intense fear of having another one . The person is so terrified of having the problem that they avoid certain circumstances in which they might occur.
How to act in a panic attack?
If someone is having a seizure, you should do the following:
- Stay with the person and stay calm
- Speak to her in short, simple sentences.
- Ask her what she needs
- Help her focus on the present
- Help her practice deep breathing, counting slowly to five for each inhale and exhale ( breathing exercises are excellent alternatives during crises).
- Confidently and gently reassure her that she is safe and that the attack is temporary.
In addition to controlling your breathing, other methods for overcoming a panic attack include seeking relaxation, such as meditation or prayer . The person should sit in a quiet place where they feel safe, close their eyes and try to remain calm and think positively, believing that the discomfort will pass quickly.
Difference between anxiety attack and panic attack
Anxiety attacks appear abruptly and make the individual feel generally unwell and very vulnerable .
In most cases, a panic attack is a physical phenomenon derived from anxiety attacks : it appears when you least expect it , for example, when the individual is sleeping, it lasts a few minutes and can even be confused with a heart attack or stroke .
Panic is similar to fear, it is the body’s response to imminent danger , even if there is no obvious threat to the person’s physical well-being. Therefore, it is unlikely that the attack will occur just once, and it is the repetition that characterizes panic disorder.
Some of the distinguishing symptoms are fear of dying or losing control and going crazy. The treatment is performed with medication and therapy. Therefore, it’s vital to have the support of a psychiatrist, since it limits quality of life and may lead to depression.
Generalized anxiety is a disorder in which worry is more constant, with occasional peaks . It is a natural response to situations that the mind sees as dangerous.
Thus, in these moments of intense worry, a defense mechanism comes into action that prepares the body to flee or face the threat.
In an anxiety attack, the symptoms do not last long, and are both physical and emotional. In this way, they grow over time, alternating between peaks of improvement and worsening.
The signs that differentiate a panic attack are restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension and insomnia .
Is there a cure? What is the treatment like?
Is there a cure for panic disorder? Yes, treatment is satisfactory in many cases, controlling and preventing attacks.
As quality of life gradually improves, the frequency and intensity of panic attacks decrease . The main alternatives for managing the syndrome are psychotherapy and medication.
One or both treatment options may be recommended, depending on preference, history, severity of the disorder, and whether the person has access to therapists who specialize in treating the problem.
Medication can also be used to alleviate the symptoms that accompany panic attacks . There have been several classes of drugs that are effective for the management of panic attack symptoms:
- Norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors: medications in the category of antidepressants
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Typically safe with a low incidence of serious adverse reactions, antidepressants are frequently prescribed as first-line medication interventions in the treatment of panic attacks.
- Benzodiazepines: Central nervous system depressants. These sedatives, in general, are used only for a short period of time as symptomatic treatments for attacks because dependence, both physical and mental, is likely. They are not a good choice if the patient has had problems with alcohol or drug use.
If a medication fails to work effectively in a patient, the psychiatrist tends to recommend changing another or mixing certain medications to increase the effectiveness against Panic Syndrome . It might take several weeks after starting substance use for the patient to begin feeling an improvement in the discomfort.
Psychological therapy also has its great contribution towards the treatment of Panic Syndrome. It can help the patient to face the attacks as well as to know what panic attacks and the disorder denote.
A type of therapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy may enable patients to learn, through their experiences, that panic disorder symptoms are not life-threatening.
The therapist would help the patient gradually recreate panic-attack-like symptoms in a safe, repetitive way. The more they feel the sensations without threat, the more the attacks will remit.
Successful treatment can also help people overcome their fear of situations they have avoided because of their panic attacks. Seeing results takes time and dedication. Symptoms may reduce within weeks and often disappear within months .
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