Panic Attacks And All You Need To Know About Them

One of the more chilling aspects of a panic attack is that it can strike totally without warning, in a person who has never experienced any prior feelings of extreme anxiety. It can come on without there seeming to be any real trigger. A person can be in a relaxed family atmosphere, seemingly having a pleasant time and then the panic strikes out of the blue, without warning.

The panic attack manifests itself as a very deep feeling of fear, an indiscriminate fear. This temporary occurrence is a feeling of extreme isolation and possibly of intense fear and discomfort, it is often accompanied by other physical and psychological symptoms.

Some symptoms of a panic attack can be summarized as follows:

* Palpitations or tachycardiadefine.
* Sweating.
* A feeling sufferers describe as ‘Earthquakes’.
* Feeling of suffocation.
* Feeling of choking.
* Oppression or chest discomfort.
* Nausea or abdominal discomfort.
* Instability, dizziness or fainting sensation.
* Derealisation or depersonalization.
* Fear of going crazy or wanting to ‘get out’.
* Fear of dying.
* Paresthesia (tingling or numbness).
* Chills or suffocation.

The disorder was first described in 1964 and recently in 1992, by the WHO (World Health Organization)and is included in its international classification of diseases. Back in 1896, the famous Dr. Sigmund Freud made the first panic attack diagnosis in a patient.

What makes a person go into a panic attack? The conscience mind does not seem to have a definite problem, the suffer is afraid of ‘everything’, so is driven into a sudden and irrational panic. The emergence of the disorder may be related to organic processes and situations. The pressures of modern life, economic instability and social insecurity can be triggers. These are moments of anxiety or fear filled, uncontrollable avalanches of terror for no discernable reason.

Dealing with panic is best done through a qualified medical practitioner, who will recommend various solutions including, the classic psychotherapy through psychiatric medication, mental relaxation exercises, stress reduction and aid groups, which are accepted ways of dealing with this ailment. Other helpful ideas include some sort of alternate threrapies like yoga and reiki(yoga, Reiki, etc.) as they help to reduce stress.

There are also institutions dedicated to provide guidance to patients who suffer from anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, depressiondefine and obsession. There is a lot of material here that one can read in books and on the internet.

One common thread that all sufferers seem to note, is a strong belief that if they had not suffered the first attack they would not have gone on to suffer further panic situations. Although this seems like a strange observation, of course there has to be a ‘first’ attack.

What they are saying is that they believe that if they had managed to avoid their first attack they would not have slipped into a cycle of attacks. Thus, if someone feels that they are becoming inclined towards being very ‘panicky’. They should do everything to avoid the first attack, even with drastic action such as changing a job, or ending a relationship, basically getting rid of any situation that they believe is causing this feeling of extreme anxiety.