Ways To Deal With Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a brief period of extreme anxiety that results in fearful physical symptoms. These symptoms can include a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, faintness, shaking, and muscle tension. Moreover, frequent and protracted panic attacks can be very incapacitating if left untreated.

Therefore, an individual may decide to stay away from various circumstances (such as going outside or being alone) to avoid panic attacks. So, if you want to know how to deal with panic attacks, continue reading!

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Although there are no full-proof ways of handling panic attacks, but the following might help:

Way 1: To prevent panic attacks from getting worse or becoming more common, seek treatment as soon as you can.

Way 2: Stick to your treatment plan to prevent relapses or worsening panic attack symptoms.

Way 3: Participate in regular physical activity, which may help to ward off anxiety.

But before knowing the ways to handle panic attacks, one must learn about the causes, symptoms and risks involved with panic attacks.

What Are the Causes of Panic Attacks?

Before understanding more about it, you should know that panic attacks are not a rare phenomenon. Also, the scientific community is still trying to understand the underlying causes of this illness. Nevertheless, a few of the factors that play a significant role are –

Stress
Genetics
Several modifications to the way specific brain regions work
Having a temperament that is more prone to feeling stressed out or depressed

Besides this, panic attacks may be a result of your body's normal fight-or-flight reaction to danger. For instance, your body would respond automatically if you are under attack. Also, your breathing and pulse rate would quicken as your body braced for a potentially fatal circumstance.

In a panic attack, many similar responses take place. However, it is uncertain why a panic attack happens, and there is also no immediate fatality risk.

What Are the Symptoms of a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks have a variety of symptoms. A few of them are –

Increased awareness of potential threats and physical signs
An intense sense of danger, foreboding, or dread
Irrational and anxious thoughts
Feeling faint and dizzy.
Chills and tingling, especially in the hands and arms
Warm flushes
Stiff muscles
Sweating, trembling or shaking
Unrealistic and detached from surroundings feelings
A tightening sensation in the chest
Increasing heart rate
Vomiting or stomach pain
Difficulty breathing, including shortness of breath
Fear of losing control, going crazy, or passing away

What Are the Risk Factors of Panic Attacks?

In general, more women than men experience the symptoms of panic disorder, which primarily appear in teen ages or early adulthood.

The likelihood of having panic episodes or panic disorder may be increased by a number of factors, which include:

History of panic disorder or panic attacks in the family
Significant life events like a loved one's death or critical sickness
Smoking or consuming too much coffee
A traumatic occasion, such as a sexual attack or a serious accident
Maltreatment inflicted physically or sexually throughout infancy
Significant life changes, like being divorced or having a baby.

What Are the Complications of Panic Attacks?

Panic disorders and panic attacks can have a negative impact on every aspect of your life if not treated. Also, your quality of life may be negatively impacted if you live in constant worry of experiencing more panic attacks.

Nevertheless, the following are complications that panic attacks may lead to or be connected to:

The emergence of certain phobias, such as fear of leaving home or driving
Avoiding social interactions
Regular medical attention for medical disorders and health issues
Issues in the office or school
Suicidal behaviour or ideas are more likely to occur
Other psychiatric problems include depression, anxiety, and others
Financial difficulties
Abuse of other drugs or alcohol

What Are the Ways to Prevent Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks can worsen with time, so you must try to manage them as quickly as possible. Also, if self-assessment is not helpful, you can seek treatment. Nevertheless, a few ways to deal with panic disorder are:

Use Deep Breathing

While panic attack symptoms like hyperventilation can make people more fearful, deep breathing can lessen these symptoms.

In a study, 40 participants were randomly assigned to either a therapy group using deep or diaphragmatic breathing or a control group. After that, deep breathing practitioners saw an increase in their attention spans and emotional stability after 20 rigorous training sessions.

Additionally, blood tests revealed lower amounts of cortisol in this group, indicating lower levels of stress. Although none of the individuals had panic disorder, the techniques could still be useful for others who experience panic attacks.

Furthermore, another research suggests that slow breathing may have comparable consequences. But, most importantly, they found that it might also lessen symptoms and enhance feelings of comfort, relaxation, and attentiveness.

Take Proper Medications

When panic attacks happen, benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax) can help relieve the symptoms. They can, however, easily cause dependence and won't help address an underlying anxiety issue. So, doctors only advise using them temporarily during a crisis because of this.

As a prescription drug, benzodiazepines require a proper diagnosis of panic disorder and should only be consumed when a doctor or medical specialist recommends it.

A doctor may occasionally recommend antidepressants for long-term use. Examples comprise:

SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine and escitalopram.
SNRIs, such as duloxetine.
Anti-anxiety medications like azapirone (Buspirone).

Opt for Counselling

People who experience panic attacks and who have panic disorders can frequently benefit from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and other forms of treatment. CBT aims to help you alter how you perceive difficult or frightening circumstances and develop new methods for dealing with these issues as they emerge.

CBT is available online or in person for individuals or groups, and the length of treatment might vary. As part of exposure-based CBT, your counsellor will introduce you to situations that could set off a panic attack and assist you in overcoming it.

There is some proof that CBT may alter brain regions linked to panic symptoms and modify behaviour.

Practice Mindfulness

You can become more grounded in the reality of your surroundings with the aid of mindfulness. This can eventually prevent your panic attack as its approaches or as it's occurring because panic attacks can make you feel detached or separated from reality.

Being mindful involves:

Concentrating on the here and now
Identifying your current mental state
Utilising meditation to unwind and reduce stress

Consider concentrating on the familiar physical sensations you are experiencing, such as pressing your toes into the ground or examining the feel of your pants against your hands. These particular feelings provide you with a solid sense of reality and give you something concrete to concentrate on.

Although it's unclear whether mindfulness techniques like meditation can address an underlying anxiety issue, experts say they can assist control anxiety symptoms.

Try Calming Activities

Overwhelming triggers bring on some panic attacks. Hence, your panic attack may intensify if you're in a busy setting with lots of distractions.

When experiencing a panic attack, you can close your eyes to block out the stimulus. This can help you block unnecessary distractions and focus more readily on breathing.

Know That You Are Having a Panic Attack

During a panic attack, some people find it beneficial to find something on which to concentrate their entire attention. So, select one thing you can see clearly, and take careful note of all you can.

For instance, describe yourself the object's patterns, colours, shapes, and dimensions. Your panic sensations might lessen if you concentrate all of your concentration on this thing.

You can reassure yourself that you're fine by realising that you're not experiencing a heart attack but rather a panic attack.

So, you can get rid of some panic attack symptoms by avoiding thoughts like you might die or that the end is near. Also, you can then concentrate on alternative methods to lessen your problems.

Although it is not always feasible to prevent panic attack triggers, being aware of them might help you recognise that the attack is, in fact, a panic attack and not something else.

Perform Light Exercises

Performing daily exercise not only keeps the body healthy but also improves mental well-being. It is often recommended to indulge in 20 minutes of exercise three times a week to lessen anxiety.

Also, consult your doctor before beginning an exercise programme if you are not accustomed to it. This is because beginning exercising can make you feel even more anxious. Hence, after consultation, choose a gentle exercise, such as walking, swimming, or yoga, and then you can proceed with other options only after medical suggestions.

Use Muscle Relaxation Techniques

Muscle tension is a sign of anxiety, and muscle relaxation exercises can help ease tension and encourage relaxation during an attack. The goal of progressive muscle relaxation is to rest the entire body by releasing tension in one group of muscles at a time.

Similar to deep breathing, using muscular relaxation techniques can help you prevent a panic attack in its tracks by attempting to regulate your body's reaction.

You might go through the following phases with your therapist if you undertake muscle relaxation therapy:

You will learn to tense the muscles first, then release the tension.
After that, you will understand how to relax your muscles after tensing them.
Additionally, you can learn how to relax particular muscle groups, like the shoulders.
Finally, you will know how to relax quickly so that you can detect any stress points and relieve them as necessary.

However, to begin intentionally relaxing your muscles at home, start with a small, straightforward muscle, like the fingers, and work your way up through your body.

Find a Focus Object

During a panic attack, some people find it beneficial to find something on which to concentrate their entire attention. So, select one thing you can see clearly, and take careful note of all you can.

For instance, try to describe an object's patterns, colours, shapes, and dimensions. Your panic sensations might lessen if you concentrate all of your concentration on this thing.

Repeat a Mantra

You can calm yourself down, feel more secure, and have something to hold onto during a panic attack by mentally repeating a mantra. Use a mantra that speaks to you personally or just the phrase "This too shall pass" to repeat in your brain constantly until the panic attack begins to pass.

When Should I Consult a Doctor?

Consider consulting a doctor if you're worried about panic attacks, especially if:

You experience multiple panic attacks and worry about having more for a month or more.
After an attack, you see that your behaviour has changed.
Your worries, fears, or emotions of anxiety are interfering with your employment, studies, or quotidian activities.

If you are looking for answers to how to deal with panic attacks, you must know that there is no quick treatment. But if your attacks are recurring, get professional assistance as soon as possible and use the tips provided above to abate the worsening of the situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What food causes panic attacks?

High levels of salt in processed foods, including processed cheeses, cured meats, and canned soups, are most likely to cause panic attacks. Also, excessive salt consumption elevates blood pressure and puts more strain on the heart, which results in anxiety by prompting the body to produce adrenaline in the bloodstream.

Can a panic attack cause a heart attack?

Although a panic attack won't result in a heart attack, anxiety and stress may contribute to the onset of coronary artery disease.

Can I die from a panic attack?

No. You will not die of a panic attack.