What Does Panic Attack Mean?
A panic attack is an intense condition that results from either sudden anxiety, panic, or fear. It has negative impacts on both mental and physical health. This is because mental health is connected to physical health, and when one is affected, the other follows suit. Thus, a panic attack could lead to difficulty in breathing, exacting excessive pressure on your heart to pump blood. You might also experience excessive sweating and trembling. Studies have shown that chest pain and poor socialization are also results of a panic attack. All of these symptoms are major pointers to severe health conditions like stroke. This, however, justifies the above statement that states that poor mental health can negatively affect physical health.
Varieties of factors have been identified to be the causes of a panic attack. However, according to some reliable sources, the causes of panic attacks might not even be known in some cases, as there might be no visible reason for why a person is experiencing a panic attack. However, the major cause might include all but not restricted to just the following;
Causes of Panic Attack
- Substance use
- Underlying health conditions like overactive thyroid gland
- The use of some kinds of medications
- If you have panic disorder and probably an anxiety disorder
- A condition that is diagnosed to be psychosis or related.
These are the common known causes of a panic attack. It mostly occurs when you get exposed to a risk factor or a trigger. The risk factors and triggers of panic attacks vary from person to person, and just like the causes, some triggers might not be clear enough for detection.
However, the following, according to research, are thought to be the most common triggers of a panic attack;
- Conflict
- Social events
- Public speaking
- Events that remind you of ugly events in the past
Symptoms of a Panic attack
The symptoms of a panic attack rush in without any form of warning signs, and these symptoms can become severe in a period of 3 to 5 minutes. Some of the symptoms of a panic attack include, but are not limited to the following;
- Trembling hands and legs
- Nausea
- Headache
- Profuse sweating
- Rapid heart rate
- Difficulty with breathing
- Chills and sometimes fever
- Stomach pain
- Numbness of the limbs
- Fear of death
- Poor socialization
- Dizziness
How to Manage Panic Attack
A panic attack is sudden, intense and can hit you with severe symptoms that come without warning signs. The following are carefully researched methods through which you can manage to overcome a panic attack. Some of these mechanisms can help you deal with this condition at the moment, while so can help you deal with it for a long time until you get better.
Counseling like Seeking therapy sessions and therapy with the right people (professionals) can help alleviate the effects and occurrence of a panic attack. This method helps you approach your challenges differently and makes you see things from a different perspective. It begins with you getting exposed to triggers of panic attacks intentionally by your therapist in order to know the extent of the effect of this condition on you. From here, the process begins. The therapist would walk you through a process that would lead to the elimination of panic attacks.
In addition, the therapy session can also help restructure your brain in order to eliminate those structures that cause the panic attack to always occur and re-occur.
Counseling sessions might not be cost-effective for many. However, try to avoid detaching yourself from the public. Speak to trusted friends or family members as this can also help manage the effects of a panic attack. That is, if you cannot afford a professional mental health therapist.
Medications
Some medications that can help improve the symptoms of a panic attack are now produced and are widely available in pharmacies and stores. However, this might be a shorter route to a short-term relief from a panic attack. The majority of these medications sight not even treat underlying mental health conditions like anxiety disorder. They only relieve the symptoms of a panic attack in the heat of the moment.
The medications are not for you to buy and take on your own. They require a proper prescription from professionals after a proper diagnosis of a panic attack has been carried out.
Sometimes, in order to also tackle panic attacks, Doctors prescribe antidepressants and drugs that can manage seizures. According to research, these medications can also go a long way in managing panic attacks.
Breathing Exercises
One of the most routine causes of a panic attack is fear and anxiety, and one of the most effective ways to manage the symptoms from escalating is by taking breathing exercises. Breathe deeply to reduce the pressure in your heart and brain and also control the flow and pump of blood throughout your body.
Research has shown that people who practice breathing exercises tend to experience more relief and relaxation during panic attacks than those who do not. This process can help prevent a condition known as hyperventilation that can lead to other symptoms of a panic attack. Breathe in, hold on for a second and breathe out. With this, you would feel a lot of relief than you have felt at that moment.
Accept the Fact that You Have a Panic Attack
Some people mistake panic attacks for heart attacks. This, recognizing that you have a panic attack and not a heart attack is a good way to tell yourself that “this is just a phase, and it would pass .”Also, let this embrace of reality be followed by the conviction that you are not going to die from it. This is because the fear of death in most panic attack cases has led to worse conditions than the panic attack itself. Although, avoiding those factors that trigger panic attacks can be quite difficult. However, understanding that you are not dying from it and it is a panic attack and not anything else would help speed up your relief process.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is like an all-around mental health “balancer.” It is known to be one of the most effective ways of managing different mental health conditions. Since detachment from people and social activities is a sign of panic attacks, mindfulness can come in and kick this off. Mindfulness involves the following;
- Meditation in order to relieve your body of any stress the event might have caused.
- Focus your mind on the present, and do not think about what has happened
- Recognize your present emotional state and try to help yourself stick with reality.
Mindfulness is quite effective for various mental health conditions and can be used while you are on medication. Both would work simultaneously to ensure a speedy recovery. Also, people who do not find medications helpful can also practice mindfulness. It is a slow but steady process that stops at nothing until your mental health becomes stable.
Close Your Eyes
This is a process or technique that should go alongside breathing. When you feel your present condition is intense and fast-paced, try to call your nerves and close your eyes while taking the breathing exercises. This would help you slow things down and make you feel relieved in the process.
Relax Your Muscles
One of the major symptoms of anxiety, which is also a risk factor for a panic attack, is tensioned muscles. When this transpires, one thing that can help you feel better almost immediately is by practicing muscle relaxation techniques. When you combine this with your breathing exercises, the feel of relief will rush through your brain, thereby promoting relaxation of the muscles and also every other part of the body.
Engage in Physical Exercise
For long-term relief from anxiety and the effects of a panic attack, try engaging yourself in physical activities that can improve both your general physical health, as well as your mental health. Physical exercises for such conditions as anxiety and effects of panic attack should be light exercises like walking or relaxation techniques like yoga. While exercising your body, think of only positive things, listen to happy music, and try to free your mind. When you begin to experience hyperventilation or tiredness, no matter how light the exercise is, try to take a break and rest for a while, then continue later. This would help you manage anxiety and the lingering effects of a panic attack.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when mental health is down, physical health follows suit. Your mental health is you, and you are your mental health, and by mental health, I do not mean street madness. A panic attack is the effect of poor mental health that can lead to both long-term and short-term negative effects. Knowing how to manage it is one good step to proving the quality of your life.
