A Guide to deal with Panic disorder

Panic is not a new term for us. Anyone can panic in a given situation.   

Most people have witnessed panic attacks previously in their lives. Panic attacks occur when you notice recreating, unanticipated fear or anxiety, frequently without a clear cause.   

A panic attack occurs when you deal with an unanticipated event, inducing panic or anxiousness with no exact cause. A person may experience physical symptoms, like a racing heartbeat, breathing difficulties, and sweating, during an episode of a panic attack.   

Some people witness panic attacks constantly, while others experience them once in a while.    

Indeed, the symptoms of a panic attack can be uninviting. They can be managed and bettered with treatment. Seeking help is essential to reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life.  

What are panic attacks?   

A panic attack is a brief duration of anxiety attack where you regularly have unanticipated episodes of excessive fear or anxiety with no specific cause.   

Everyone gets a passing play of anxiety and panic. It’s a natural response to feel stressed or sense dangerous situations.   

But someone with a panic attack will have trouble with anxiety, stress and panic regularly, and at any time, for no apparent reason.   

Panic attacks are unforeseen. People will be in trouble during these attacks and develop panic disorder.   

A panic attack causes panic and physical symptoms in response to ordinary or non-threatening situations.    

When you have a panic attack    

You may sweat    

Have difficulty in breathing and    

increased heart rate  

One may confuse these symptoms with a heart attack.   

A person may experience panic attacks when he is fearful of having a panic attack or changes his actions to avoid having any kind of attacks.  

How common are panic attacks?   

Mental health is often overlooked in India. Most people ignore the physical symptoms of mental health and relate it to an underlying health condition. Therapy for mental health in India is often given the cold shoulder.    

But in countries like the US or UK, mental health is taken more seriously. They undergo proper diagnosis, and a study revealed that up to 11% of Americans experience panic attacks. Approximately 3% of them go on to develop panic disorder.    

Who might have a panic disorder?   

Anyone can undergo a panic attack. Panic attacks generally first occur during teen or early adult times. But people of all ages have panic attacks.   

Women are twice likely to develop panic disorder.   

What are the symptoms of panic disorder?   

The symptoms of a panic attack are as follows:  

Pulsations   

Shortness of breath   

Feeling like you’re choking   

Dizziness or vertigo   

Flightiness   

Nausea   

Sweating or chills   

Shaking   

Changes in your internal state, like a feeling of derealization or depersonalization   

Impassiveness in your hands, bases, or face   

Chest pain   

What causes panic disorders?   

Experts don’t know why some people witness panic attacks or develop panic disorders. The brain and nervous system are essential in perceiving and handling panic and anxiety. Your threat of having panic attacks increases if you have the following:  

Family history    

Mental health issues like anxiety or panic diseases run in families. Doctors aren’t sure why this runs in genes.  

Mental health issues   

People with anxiety diseases or other mental illnesses are more prone to panic attacks and depression.   

Substance abuse or alcoholism can increase the threat of panic attacks.   

The causes of panic attacks aren’t entirely understood, and exploration is ongoing.   

Life changes   

Panic attacks are associated with significant life changes and stressful events, like arguing with family. And indeed, when life changes are instigative and negative, they can produce new challenges and daily stressors.   

For example, changes and events may include   

• Leaving home for a council   
• Moving   
• Death of a loved one   
• Getting married
• Having your first child   
• Starting a new job   

It’s essential to take care of your mental and physical health during transitional ages in life. You can also gain support when going through a time of extreme stress and managing difficulties or trauma.   

Set boundaries, and communicate when you feel overwhelmed. A friend or family can support you and a therapist can also help you by prescribing medications, treatment, and support you to develop managing tactics.   

Anxiety   

A tendency to be anxious and have an anxiety attack is also connected to panic disorders. Both anxiety and panic disorder are long-term mental health conditions.   

Anxiety generally manifests as being upset or nervous. For instance, social anxiety may occur when you’re worried about performing in social setting or surroundings with many people. You may feel you have physical symptoms like sweating or pulsing.   

It’s natural for human beings to feel anxious occasionally. But being worried always is a cause for concern and could indicate generalized anxiety attacks.   

However, it’s essential to reach out for help if you always witness anxiety. Remedy, life adaptations, or specifics can help control stress.   

Occasionally a panic attack is touched off by a specific event or external encouragement. Because of their changeable nature, panic attacks can significantly affect your everyday life. Some people witness panic attacks at work, in public with people, or at home.   

How are panic attacks diagnosed?   

Serious health problems, like heart attacks, thyroid attacks and respiratory difficulties, bring forth symptoms of panic attacks. Your doctor may run tests to rule out a physical problem. However, your healthcare provider may make an opinion grounded on your symptoms and threat factors if there’s no physical cause.   

You may want to seek medical care if you witness symptoms of a panic attack for the first time. For the first time, numerous people with a panic attack believe they have a heart attack. It can be hard to separate the symptoms without the help of a medical professional.   

While at a hospital, a doctor or a healthcare professional will perform several diagnostic tests to see if a heart attack is the cause of your symptoms.   

Some of them include blood tests or urine tests and electrocardiogram to check heart function   

Your primary care provider will ask about your medical history, review lab results, ask about your symptoms and perform an internal health examination.

Your doctor or a health care specialist can diagnose panic attacks and the disorder.   

Doctors can diagnose panic disorder if you     

• Persistently worry about having further panic attacks
• Obsess about losing control during a panic attack.   
• Change your actions to avoid situations that may spark a panic attack.   

How to treat panic disorders?   

Remedy and anti-anxiety pills can stop panic attacks.   

Treatment for panic attacks focuses on reducing or barring your symptoms. Similar to other approaches, this can be achieved through therapies, life changes, in some cases drugs.   

Therapy options   

Therapy can help you work through the symptoms and feel more in control. It can also be a safe environment to talk about anything that requires support and guidance.   

Specific medications are used to treat panic attacks. They include picky serotonin reuptake impediments (SSRIs) and a range of antidepressants. SSRIs specified for panic attacks may include   

• fluoxetine   
• Paroxetine    
• Sertraline    

Other specifics occasionally used to treat panic attacks include serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake impediments (SNRIs), which are also antidepressants Monoamine oxidase impediments (MAOIs) are antidepressants that are rarely used because of rare but severe side effects.  

Benzodiazepines are generally used as painkillers, including alprazolam or clonazepam.     

In addition to these treatments, there are several ways you can take home remedies to reduce your symptoms. Some of the techniques include,    

• Maintaining a fixed routine   
• Exercising on a regular base   
• Getting enough sleep   
• Avoiding intake of caffeine   

Psychotherapy   

Psychotherapy, specifics or a combination are veritably effective at stopping panic attacks. How long you’ll require treatment depends on the severity of your problem.  

Options include   

Psychotherapy Cognitive behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy or talk remedy that identifies panic attack triggers so you can change your thinking, actions and responses.   

Antidepressants    

Certain antidepressant specifics can make panic attacks less frequent or less severe. SSRIs include fluoxetine and paroxetine. SNRIs include duloxetine and venlafaxine. TCAs include amitriptyline and doxepin.   

Anti-anxiety drug like Benzodiazepines is the most specific anti-anxiety drug helps to treat and help panic attacks. They help with anxiety but have pitfalls of dependence. These medicines include alprazolam and lorazepam.   

Treatment will reduce the number of panic attacks you have and ease your symptoms. Talking treatment and drugs are the main treatments for panic attacks. Your treatment will depend on your symptoms.   

Referral to a specialist   

Connecting with a support group, one may relate you to a mental health specialist similar to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist if your symptoms don’t lessen after CBT.   

The specialist will suggest a treatment plan to help you manage your symptoms.   

Complications of panic disorders   

A panic attack can significantly affect your daily life and overall well-being if left unaddressed.   

Adverse health effects of an unaddressed panic attack include   

• Agoraphobia (panic about going places and seeing people)   
• Developing substance use    
• Depression   
• Suicidal thoughts  

Panic attacks impact the social development of children and teens. Panic of having a Panic attack can make it difficult to attend an academy, leave home, or maintain connections.   

Panic attacks vs panic disorder   

Panic attacks always include anxiety attacks. But having a panic attack doesn’t mean you have a panic disorder.   

Doctors will look at the quantity and frequency of any panic attacks. They’ll also take into consideration your passions girding them.   

Numerous people witness panic attacks at some point in their lives. But when you have multiple panic attacks and live in a panic about their reoccurrence, this can indicate a panic disorder.   

To sum up    

Panic attacks occur when you notice recreating, unanticipated fear or anxiety, frequently without a clear cause. You may have a panic attack when you deal with an unforeseen event, inducing panic or anxiousness with no exact cause.    

Doctors will look at the intensity and frequency of any panic attacks and provide treatment accordingly.   

Always try to distract yourself from anxiety or stress by changing your thoughts, talking to a friend etc.

FAQs