PANIC DISORDER

 

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger. You may feel as if you are losing control.

Anyone experiencing panic attack may complain of rapid heartbeat, nausea, chest pain, shaking, sweating, or feeling dizzy, it breeds the feeling of dying.

Women are twice as likely as men to have a panic attack, but the reasons are unclear. However, there could be a connection between having panic attacks and major life changes, such as getting married or having a child.

Whether or not, everyone is pre-disposed to panic disorder due to genetics, stress, brain chemistry, or environment, there are some risk-factors that can increase one's chances of developing panic disorder including: Being diagnosed with a mental health disorder – depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder.

Signs or symptoms of Panic Attack

• Sense of impending doom or danger.
• Fear of loss of control or death.
• Rapid, pounding heart rate.
• Sweating.
• Trembling or shaking.
• Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat.
• Chills.
• Hot flashes.

10 strategies you can use to try to stop a panic attack when you're having one or when you feel one coming on.

1. Use deep breathing: While hyperventilating is a symptom of panic attacks that can increase fear, deep breathing can reduce symptoms of panic during an attack. If you're able to control your breathing, you're less likely to experience the hyperventilating that can make other symptoms and the panic attack itself  worse.  Focus on taking deep breaths in and out through your mouth, feeling the air slowly fill your chest and belly and then slowly leave them again. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a second, and then breathe out for a count of four. 

2. Recognize that you're having a panic attack: By recognizing that you're having a panic attack instead of a heart attack, you can remind yourself that this is temporary, it will pass, and that you're OK. Take away the fear that you may be dying or that impending doom is looming, both symptoms of panic attacks. This can allow you to focus on other techniques to reduce your symptoms.

3. Close your eyes: Some panic attacks come from triggers that overwhelm you. If you're in a fast-paced environment with a lot of stimuli, this can feed your panic attack. To reduce the stimuli, close your eyes during your panic attack. This can block out any extra stimuli and make it easier to focus on your breathing.

 4. Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness can help ground you in the reality of what's around you. Since panic attacks can cause a feeling of detachment or separation from reality, this can combat your panic attack as it's approaching or actually happening. Focus on the physical sensations you are familiar with, like digging your feet into the ground, or feeling the texture of your jeans on your hands. These specific sensations ground you firmly in reality and give you something objective to focus on.

5. Find a focus object: Some people find it helpful to find a single object to focus all of their attention on during a panic attack. Pick one object in clear sight and consciously note everything about it possible. For example, you may notice how the hand on the clock jerks when it ticks, and that it's slightly lopsided. Describe the patterns, color, shapes, and size of the object to yourself. Focus all of your energy on this object, and your panic symptoms may subside.

 6.   Use muscle relaxation techniques: Much like deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques can help stop your panic attack in its tracks by controlling your body's response as much as possible. Consciously relax one muscle at a time, starting with something simple like the fingers in your hand, and move your way up through your body. Muscle relaxation techniques will be most effective when you’ve practiced them beforehand.

7. Picture your happy place: What's the most relaxing place in the world that you can think of? A sunny beach with gently rolling waves? A cabin in the mountains? A walk down the street? Picture yourself there, and try to focus on the details as much as possible. Imagine digging your toes into the warm sand, or smelling the sharp scent of pine trees.  

8. Engage in light exercise: Endorphins keep the blood pumping in exactly the right away. It can help flood our body with endorphins, which can improve our mood. Because you're stressed, choose light exercise that's gentle on the body, like walking or swimming. The exception to this is if you're hyperventilating or struggling to breathe. Do what you can to catch your breath first.

9. Keep lavender at hand: Lavender is known for being soothing and stress-relieving. It can help your body relax. If you know you're prone to panic attacks, keep some lavender essential oil on hand and put some on your forearms when you experience a panic attack, breathe in the scent, you can also try drinking lavender or chamomile tea. Both are relaxing and soothing. Lavender should not be combined with benzodiazepines. This combination can cause intense drowsiness.

10. Repeat a mantra internally: Repeating a mantra internally can be relaxing and reassuring, and it can give you something to grasp onto during a panic attack. Whether it's simply “This too shall pass" or a mantra that speaks to you personally, repeat it on loop in your head until you feel the panic attack start to subside. 

 Benzodiazepines may help treat panic attacks if you take one as soon as you feel an attack coming on.

While other approaches to the treatment of panic may be preferential, the field of psychiatry has acknowledged that there is a handful of people who will neither respond fully (or at all in some cases) to the other approaches listed in above, and as such, will be dependent on pharmacological approaches to therapy.

These approaches often will include benzodiazepines, some of which carry Nafdac approval for the treatment of this condition, such as alprazolam (Xanax). Because benzodiazepines are a prescription medication, you’ll likely need a panic disorder diagnosis in order to have the medication on hand. It is strictly sold on prescription

This medication can be highly addictive, and the body can adjust to it over time. It should ONLY be USED sparingly and in cases of extreme need.

This terrifying experience can cause you to feel anxious for the rest of the day. Once you notice that your symptoms are lessening, begin to breathe slowly and purposefully. Take a deep, smooth, even breath through your nose.

Symptoms often begin before age 25 but may occur in the mid-30s. Children can also have panic disorder, but it is often not diagnosed until they are older.

Difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack

An anxiety attack, people may feel fearful, apprehensive, may feel their heart racing or feel short of breath, but it's very short lived, and when the stressor goes away, so does the anxiety attack. Panic attack on the other hand doesn't come in reaction to a stressor. It's unprovoked and unpredictable.

Helping Someone During a Panic Attack

• Stay with the person and keep calm.
• Offer medicine if the person usually takes it during an attack.
• Don't make assumptions about what the person needs. Ask.
• Speak to the person in short, simple sentences.
• Be predictable. ...
• Help slow the person's breathing by breathing with him or her or by counting slowly to 10.

Psychological symptoms of a panic attack:  It may consist of a smothering sensation, a feeling of unreality, a fear of dying, and a fear of “going crazy” or losing control. The intensity of panic attacks is variable, ranging from severe to relatively mild, and most attacks last about 10–15 minutes.

It's unlikely you'll be able to go straight back to sleep after a panic attack, you might be thinking about what caused the panic attack, and be worried that it'll happen again if you go back to sleep. That's why it's important to do something to take your mind off your panic.

If you feel like you're having a panic attack, see you doctor right away. While they are not dangerous, they can get worse without treatment. Symptoms of a panic attack are similar to those for more serious conditions. If you're not sure if what you're having is a panic attack, call your doctor, just to be safe.

Panic attacks can happen at any time and while they are sometimes triggered by a stressful life event, they can often appear to be triggered by nothing at all. It's important to know that having a panic attack doesn't mean you have panic disorder.

Panic is also classified as one of psychiatric emergencies as it might present with a lot of physical symptoms that could lead to lost of life