Panic attacks are part of panic disorders also known as PD. Unfortunately, panic attacks occur quite frequently all around the world. Psychiatrists view panic attacks as an extreme anxiety that also includes an array of physical symptoms.
Most symptoms that can be identified during a panic attack are similar to those of a myocardial infarction. If panic attacks aren’t treated and kept in control with the guidance of a therapist, people can also experience other psychological reactions such agoraphobia (fear of crowded places). This can result in the desire to isolate yourself from the rest of the world.
What Exactly Are You Feeling when Experiencing a Panic Attack?
Most people that have experienced panic attacks often feel a wide range of physical symptoms. These symptoms may include pounding heartbeats, sweating (be it normal or cold sweat), agitation, the feeling as if you’re going to choke, lack of air. Some feel stomach pain, nausea, chills or numbness in the body. Other people feel as if they’re watching the world from outside their body and they think they are going crazy. In some cases, people start thinking about death out of the blue and have a panic attack because they fear death. Chest pain and tremulousness have also been reported. These symptoms can last from a few minutes up to a few hours, depending on the severity of the panic attack.
Recurring Panic Attacks
While it is natural to experience panic attacks at least once in your lifetime, if the panic attacks get increasingly violent and if they recur on a regular basis this can lead to the diagnosis of a panic disorder. If you see a pattern and if you see that panic attacks happen more and more often, it’s time to see a specialist and solve your problem, because these attacks can cripple your life, feelings and physical and psychological health.
It Is Manageable and Easily Treatable
When you don’t have other psychological issues, panic attacks alone can be managed and easily treated. Your therapist will teach you different breathing techniques that are meant to calm you down each time you have a panic attack and you will also find out more information about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and its useful techniques. Sometimes you can be prescribed medication to get rid of this issue.
Unexpected
Most panic attacks are unexpected and they are rarely triggered by environmental factors. When these attacks usually occur in the presence of an object, certain situation or person, these attacks are dubbed as phobias. For example, if a person comes across a spider and when he or she always has a panic attack when seeing a spider, this is called a phobia. Arachnophobia (fear of spiders), to be more precise. There are many unusual phobias that people deal with, but with the help of cognitive behavioral therapy these phobias can be manageable, too.
Genetically Influenced
Studies show that many people that suffer from panic attacks and panic disorders have a family member that goes through the same thing. This led many scientists to believe that this disorder can be genetically influenced.
