What is a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks can happen to anyone. They are a type of fear response that becomes exaggerated beyond a normal reaction to the situation. Your mind registers the situation as danger and, as a response, triggers emotional and physical responses that are strong and debilitating if severe. Those experiencing panic attacks for the first time often fear that they are having a heart attack, however panic attacks themselves aren’t dangerous. Panic attacks are often distressing experiences but with the right support and understanding, they can be managed.

What’s the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?

You may have heard of panic attacks and anxiety attacks being talked about as if they are the same thing. They, in fact, aren’t. Anxiety attacks occur as a build up of stress and are triggered by known stressors. Panic attacks happen suddenly. While many of the emotional and physical symptoms are the same, they aren’t the same type of attack. You can have a panic attack as a result of an anxiety attack if you aren’t able to calm yourself down. While anyone can experience either, if you have them often, it’s likely that there is an underlying mental health condition causing the attacks to happen.

What does a panic attack feel like?

Everyone’s experience is different. The symptoms of a panic attack occur very quickly. They include:

• Heart palpitations – racing or pounding heartbeat
• Difficulty to breathe and draw in breath
• Tightness around the chest and ribs
• Pain in your chest/li>
• Muscle tension
• Dry moutn
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Feeling very hot and sweaty or cold and shivery
• Nausea
• Fear of death or feelings of doom
• Shaking in your hands and arms
• Feel unbalanced – shaky legs
• Numbness or tingling

Panic attacks can often leave an impact as people who suffer them start to fear having another attack. They will avoid situations and places that they associate with having the attack. This is why knowing how to combat panic attacks is essential so they don’t affect your way of life.

What causes a panic attack to happen?

The exact cause of a panic attack isn’t known as they can happen unexpectedly with seemingly no cause. Research suggests that a panic attack happens when the natural ‘fight-or-flight’ response is triggered, a response that is meant to prepare us for immediate danger. This autonomic response floods the body with different chemicals including adrenaline which cause the heart rate to increase along with breathing rate. Blood directs to the muscles that we need to get out of danger – our legs to help us run away or our arms to fight our way out – hence ‘fight-or-flight’.

Panic attacks are said to be instances where the response is activated because the mind interprets the situation as high stress level with imminent danger. Even in a harmless and seemingly normal situation, a panic attack can occur.

These factors in particular can be triggers for panic attacks:

• Genetics – a family history of panic attacks
• Stress – chronic and acute
• Phobias
• Increase caffeine intake
• A recent traumatic event – PTSD

What can help when having a panic attack?

Understanding what is happening during a panic attack will help reduce the feelings of fear. For most people who have a panic attack for the first time, they don’t know what is happening and it increases the feelings of panic and terror. If you can recognise that you’re having a panic attack, that it’s not dangerous and will be over, you’ll be able to start to come out of the attack and focus on calming yourself down.

Breathing techniques

Hyperventilation is one of the main symptoms of a panic attack. It’s also one that you can control if you focus on your breathing. Taking long deep breaths will start to break the cycle of panic. You breath in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for one, and then out through your mouth for four. If you can keep up this controlled breathing, the symptoms of the attack will start to calm down.

Find a quiet place

Overwhelming your senses and feeling overcrowded could make you feel more fearful and so worsen the attack. If you can, take yourself somewhere quiet with fewer people so you can calm yourself down in peace.

Ground yourself

Sometimes during a panic attack, you can feel disconnected and struggle to understand what is happening. If you can have a way to ground yourself to the situation, you’ll be able to work on your techniques. Focusing on specific senses will help you to compartmentalise everything around you. List five things you can see, five thing you can touch and five things you can hear. Grounding yourself also distracts you from the panic and the thoughts that it came with.

Hydrate and move around

As you come down from the panic attack, you’ll start to feel shaky, thirsty and restless. Drink small sips of water and move around. Get some fresh air if you can.

How can you stop panic attacks from happening?

We can’t completely stop panic attacks because they aren’t always caused by something we can prevent. However, if panic attacks are being caused through anxiety or panic disorder, we can treat the disorder to reduce the frequency of the panic attacks. Through therapy, we can learn techniques to manage the attacks when they happen so they aren’t as frightening. We can also take steps to reduce the stress in our lives that could be contributing to the likelihood of the panic attacks from occurring.

There are medications called beta-blockers that can help prevent panic attacks from impacting our daily lives. These are prescribed by a GP for people who suffer from chronic panic attacks.

Speak to a therapist

Panic attacks can really leave a lasting impact on our lives and cause us to change our behaviours to avoid them from happening again. If you’re experiencing panic attacks, you can speak to a therapist which may help to uncover the cause and to prepare for future attacks and live a perfectly functional, healthy life without them taking control.