Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be extremely terrifying, so it is important to understand what they are and how to cope.
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Much of the population experiences panic attacks; up to 11% of people in the United States experience a panic attack at least once a year. According to a 2023 National Library of Medicine article, a panic attack is a sudden intense fear or discomfort and can occur anywhere from a few attacks a year to several times a day. Panic attacks are constantly used synonymously for anxiety attacks, but there is a difference. Panic attacks come with no warning and have no specific trigger. These attacks are symptoms of a panic disorder, a disorder of recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, but panic attacks are not limited to only this disorder. They are common symptoms of anxiety, mood, psychotic, substance abuse, and medical disorders as well.
When understanding panic attacks, it is important to know the symptoms. A Cleveland Clinic article on panic attacks and panic disorder details the main physical symptoms common within a panic attack. These include chest pains, a racing heart, difficulty breathing, trembling and/or shaking, chills, sweating, nausea, and possibly tingling or numbness in fingers or toes. Some other symptoms are feelings of intense fear, a choking sensation, fear of losing control, and derealization or depersonalization which are feelings of unreality or feeling detached from your person. Most of the time, these attacks last 5-20 minutes, but in some cases can last up to an hour.
As stated earlier, panic attacks tend to come with no reason or trigger, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint exact causes. The Cleveland Clinic explains that experts do not have exact reasons as to why some people have panic attacks or panic disorders. However, it is known that the brain and your amygdala, a brain part that is in control of processing emotions, play a significant role in how one handles and understands fear and worry. It is theorized that a dysfunction of the amygdala could be the main cause of these anxiety conditions. However, it is possible to identify some factors to be tracked in order to understand if an individual has an increased risk of obtaining a panic or anxiety disorder. These risks include a family/genetic history, having other mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression, and adverse childhood experiences (ACE), which are negative experiences encountered between the ages of 1 and 17.
Panic attacks are extremely terrifying experiences, but there are some treatments and ways to cope when they occur. Healthline has many great coping mechanisms for panic attacks. The most important treatment is seeking professional counseling, as cognitive-behavioral therapy has been significant in helping those with panic attacks and/or disorders. Outside of professional therapy, there are many self-guided techniques to help manage panic attacks. This includes deep breathing which decreases the fear brought on by hyperventilating and such, closing your eyes to reduce the stimuli that may be feeding into the panic attack, practicing mindfulness to combat the feelings of derealization and depersonalization, finding a focus object, using techniques of muscle relaxation to reduce tension, repeating a mantra to yourself, and making sure you have someone to talk to. Panic attacks can be terrifying and feel life-threatening. It is very important to understand the symptoms and signs as well as ways to assist others and oneself in coping with panic attacks.