Panic Disorder as a mental condition when you experience overwhelming fright or fear that has no realistic base. Gut certain physical symptoms make it worse and people experience recurring panic attacks along with difficulty in breathing, excessive sweating, and racing heartbeat. Although the cause of these physical symptoms of panic attacks are not obvious, when you experience such symptoms you may undergo panic disorder. Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder are unexpected, sudden feelings of dread that can last for 30 to 40 days, in general. But their effects affect your mind and body for a longer duration. Although it’s a matter of concern that the Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder have life-threatening symptoms but good news is that they are manageable and treatable. If you’re one of those people who are a victim of panic disorder, seek help from a professional healthcare provider to improve your quality of life and reduce the overwhelming symptoms of panic attacks.
What are Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks are denied as a sensation of fright and fear caused by unexpected situations or events. Their intensity is often immobilizing and debilitating. It is characterized by the overwhelming feelings of heart pounding, going crazy, experiencing shortness of breath and feeling like you’re dying. Such feelings make you crazy because there are no warning signs that can warn you about panic attacks. Your mind and body do not accept such sudden frightening sensations and panic. These symptoms often appear when you’re in relaxed situation.
Studies show that most people experience one time panic attack but some cases are also found where people had experienced repeated episodes. Some situations or events often trigger panic attacks and make your symptoms worse. For example, if you are afraid of altitude or water, you may feel fear while crossing a bridge or you may get nervous while speaking in public. Such situations indulge you in situations where you feel insecure and endangered. These feelings trigger your body’s fight-or-flight mode and you become a victim of panic attacks.
Although research supports the idea that people usually experience one or more panic attacks in their lives, sometimes the episodes make the situation drastic. Studies also show that panic attacks are not only the result of panic disorder but they are also caused by depression, anxiety or social phobia. However, whatever the cause, you can treat these attacks. There are many ways and methods through which you can regain your confidence to reduce the symptoms of panic attacks.
If you’re a victim of depression or anxiety, this article may prove disturbing for you because panic attacks are closely linked with trauma, anxiety and depression. Read the article carefully and keep your well-being first. This is only for knowledge and benefit. Through this article you may learn the triggers of panic attacks and panic disorders along with the easy ways to control or overcome the condition.
Symptoms of Panic Attacks
According to expats of the mental health association, panic attacks are the wave of intense fright, discomfort and restlessness that can make you crazy and overwhelming within minutes. Enduring a panic attack, you experience intense fear in a moment and had no early signs of the fear before. It is a short-term condition and lasts for five to ten minutes usually but in severe cases, the condition lasts for 60 to 70 minutes. However, panic attacks are different for different persons. Its symptoms vary person to person but here is a list of some common symptoms of panic attacks that can help to protect yourself from panic disorder.
- Nausea.
- Chills with sweating.
- Fear of dying.
- Trembling and shaking of body.
- Palpitations with increased heart rate.
- Tightness in chest with pain.
- Tingling and numbness in your feet and hands.
- Shortness of breath.
- Dizziness.
- Feeling unreal things and situations as real.
- Lightheadedness.
Certain stimuli affect the recurrence of panic attacks. Sometimes specific situations also trigger them. In most cases the symptoms of panic attacks do not come but have no clear reason. Sometimes, the fearing symptoms are not relevant to the environment and look unrealistic. This means, panic attacks affects your daily life activities because they are unpredictable. When these attacks appear in public, at work or at home, cause severe impacts on the eleventh social bands and relationships.
If you have had five or more panic attacks or you are in danger of repeated episodes of panic attacks, you are more likely to have Panic Disorder. Unexpected panic attacks ,help your healthcare providers diagnose the cause of attacks.
Causes of Panic Attacks
Researchers and mental health experts are still trying to find out the actual causes of panic attacks and panic disorder. But they are not understood. However, some key possibilities for occurring panic attacks are jotted below:
Anxiety or Depression
The most authentic and relevant cause of panic attacks are anxiety and depression. People having anxiety attacks or anxiety disorder are more likely to develop panic disorder. If you have a tendency to be anxious and experience depressional episodes repeatedly you will be the victim of panic disorder in the near future. Thus anxiety and panic disorder are closely related conditions.
Studies show that anxiety is a state of mind when your mind gets nervous, worried or overwhelmed. For example, if you have fear of making a speech before a huge audience, you may lose control of your nerves, feel excess sweating and a racing heartbeat. These symptoms will show that you’re suffering from panic attacks. Even though these responses are natural for human beings and they become nervous at such events, being nervous, overwhelmed and anxious all the time is not normal. This indicates the signs of anxiety disorders that is a real matter of concern because anxiety disorder usually ends with panic disorder.
According to studies, panic attacks for short-term are not a matter of concern but if the anxiety attacks prolonged for eight to ten months, there will be dangers for your mental health. Such conditions usually occur in people who live in a stressed environment. Therefore, it is suggested that one shouldn’t live in constant worry. Living in the state of constant stress can lead to panic attacks and panic disorder. If you experience any of said symptoms, reach out for medical assistance as soon as possible.
Genetics
Research is going on to find strong evidence to prove the relation between genetics and panic attacks. But still there are no solid proofs. However, a small study done in 2022 suggested that genetic components are somehow related with panic attacks. The research showed that certain neurotransmitters in your central nervous system which are involved in communicating between nerve cells and body cells play a role in rating fight and flight mode in your body and mind.
Another study suggested that genetics and panic disorders have logical linkage. More authentic studies and research are needed to prove if there is a ;linkage between genetic mutations and panic attacks. However, some mental health conditions like trauma, anxiety and stress can cause dysfunctioning of neurotransmitters that may lead to panic attacks. Social phobia is another cause of these attacks.
The combined conclusion of both studies can help you to understand that there are some genes in your body that have a tendency to create panic situations and are connected to panic disorders . For Example, “COMT” gene is an important enzyme that contributes to panic attacks by affecting your behavior control and cognitive abilities.
Sudden Changes in Lifestyle
Some abrupt or sudden changes in your life can make you crazy and overwhelmed. Some events are linked with your mental state. The unexpected life changes sometimes are positive and sometimes are negative. If they are negative, they can create panic in your life and you may experience new challenges and stressors in everyday life.
Some common life changing events include:
- Migration from one area to another.
- Breakup with your partner.
You have to be cautious about your physical and mental health during such events. Having some emotional and social support during such situations can help you manage your mental health and effects of trauma. Therefore, it is suggested that whenever you feel helpless or distressed due to a specific grieved event of life, look for a loved one who can provide you emotional support. Communicate with your family and friends when you feel overwhelmed and set some boundaries to protect your peace of mind. In such cases, the professional therapist can contribute a lot by presenting their services. They can help you to learn coping strategies and listen to you carefully.
Panic Attack vs. Panic Disorder
Experiencing panic attacks constantly for a longer duration increases the chances of developing panic disorder. However,if you have panic attacks less than three times in your life, it may not be l;inked with panic disorder. The amount and frequency of panic attack decides whether you have developed panic disorder or not.
In addition,the symptoms and their severity are the major signs that help a therapist to diagnose if you’re a victim of panic attacks. Everyone experiences panic attacks at some point in their life but living in circumstances where the triggers of panic attacks are frequently attacking you, can cause panic disorder.
Treatment Options for Panic Attacks
Elimination or treatment of panic attacks is similar to treating anxiety attacks. However, medications are also effective treatment options in some cases.
Common therapies considered effective for panic attacks include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This technique helps you understand the triggers that cause panic attacks along with teaching the methods to change your thinking scenario. In addition, talking therapy is another effective source to treat your panic disorder.
Moreover, medications can also contribute release your stress that causes panic attacks. You can rely on the medications prescribed by your therapist which may include antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Other effective medications are:
- Sertralin.
- Fluoxetine.
- Paroxetine.
Risk Factors associated with Panic Disorder
Although you would not find clear information about the cause of panic attacks or panic disorder, the most accepted research has claimed that several risk factors are linked with panic attacks. According to the research, the people having increased risk of developing panic disorder are usually both men and women but the percentage of women triggered by panic attacks is higher than men.
In addition, young adults are the easy victims of panic attacks. That’s why the symptoms of panic disorder appear between the people of ages between 21 to 25 years.
Diagnosis of Panic Disorder
Emergency medical care is essential for the treatment of panic attacks. When you first experience the symptoms of panic attacks,visit your mental healthcare professional. Sometimes you cannot understand the signs and symptoms and think that it is a heart attack but it’s not. Initially its symptoms ate like heart attack, therefore, often medical help reaches late.
Getting clear signs and having confirmed that you’re suffering from panic attacks, seek emergency medical assistance. The professional healthcare providers will perform several tests to diagnose the cause of attack whether it is heart attack or panic attack. Professionals perform blood tests and ECG or EKG to check heart function. If the results show healthy heart functioning, they conclude that it was a panic attack. Then they again refer you to a primary care physician., where your health history is observed and some tests are performed to check your mental health condition. But the primary care physician should be a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Conclusion
When you experience panic attack episodes for a longer duration, it becomes panic disorder. Its treatment is not easy. It’s a state of mind when you consistently experience anxiety, fear and depression with the fear of their re-occurrence. You can treat it completely but treatment options are available that can help you lessen the severity and frequency of panic attacks. Some therapies like talking therapy or CBT, also contribute to managing the symptoms. But you have to work on the triggers and stressors that initiate and catalyze the intensity of attacks. Some medications can also help you in this regard.
So it is suggested that experiencing any symptoms of anxiety or depression is the alarming state that informs you about upcoming panic disorder. Focus on your anxiety symptoms, and try to find the stressors. Try to remove or vanquish the stressors from your life and work on yourself by taking regular exercise and mindful breathing practice. In case of no improvement, you should talk to your healthcare professional.
