A panic attack It is a sudden, brief episode (less than 10 minutes), characterized by feelings of deep discomfort or fear. It arises when the person feels in danger, when they perceive that something seriously attacks their physical or psychological integrity.
It is frequently associated with catastrophic ideas (feeling of dying or going crazy, fear of losing control, etc.) and a pressing need to escape from that situation. People often suffer from it in situations where there is no threatening stimulus and they cannot find the cause that causes it.
Why does a panic attack occur?
A panic attack can be completely unexpected, without a clear trigger, or be linked to certain situations. Although the causes can be very variable, there are two main factors that can cause it:
- psychological stress: This is the case of a person subjected to a life situation that causes a lot of tension (work, family, medical problems…).
- Set of unpleasant physiological reactions unknown to the person. From poisoning due to drug consumption to blood pressure drops, post-operative periods, etc.
There are also predisposing factors, such as a character that is more sensitive to stress, hypervigilance, the influence of the family environment, a tendency to irrational or catastrophic cognitive evaluations, anxiety problems such as phobias, etc., drug use, hypochondria, among others.
Steps to control a panic attack
To resolve a panic attack it is necessary to control anxiety and prevent it from overwhelming us.
- Be conscious. If you understand what is happening and the extent of your reaction in relation to the stimulus, you can reduce the level of anxiety.
- Observe your sensations Without letting them overwhelm you, try to distance yourself from them. Remember that they are not dangerous, just very unpleasant for you.
- Connect with your breath. Observe your breathing and focus on it. Don’t breathe quickly, take it in through your nose and exhale it slowly through your mouth. Breathing calmly sends the message to our brain that we are safe. However, breathing quickly represents an alarm signal and will increase your anxiety.
- Become aware of irrational thoughts that anticipate catastrophic situations.
- Dare to challenge those irrational thoughts and replace them with more realistic ones. For this, cognitive-behavioral therapy is very useful.
- When symptoms begin to subside, Focus your thoughts on relaxing things. It will help you stay calm.
What treatment can be effective?
As we have mentioned, it has been shown to be very effective in controlling the symptoms associated with panic attacks. This therapy includes cognitive restructuring (to avoid fatal or catastrophic interpretations), exposure to aversive stimuli and anxiety management techniques (relaxation techniques…).
However, apart from working on the cognitive and behavioral level, it may be useful to resort to other types of psychotherapy such as synchronization of the cerebral hemispheres (), which can help modulate learning and the manifestations of anxiety at any of its levels ( physical, cognitive and behavioral).
Another effective technique for managing anxiety associated with panic attacks is exercise training.
Three out of four people who suffer from panic attack will experience it again. If you have been suffering from this type of problem for a while, we can help you.
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