Afraid of your own mind? Panic attacks ??

“Around  3:00 a.m. on a red eye.

Still half asleep, I suddenly felt suffocated. I noticed my hands were trembling. I was fighting with myself to inhale more oxygen. Actually trying to breathe deeply. It didn’t help. I looked down to find my legs shaking terribly as well. Not wanting to disturb my husband sleeping next to me, I got up and locked myself in the other room.

I thought I was having a seizure. I puked . Felt numb. Those few minutes were like days. Anyhow they passed while praying to god to grant me with a long life. 
Well I don’t want this to happen again . Ever! “


One of the core features of panic disorder is recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. A panic attack is an abrupt surge of physical symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, sensations of shortness of breath, feelings of choking, and dizziness/unsteadiness, which can be accompanied by intense discomfort and/or fear of dying/fear of losing control.

People with panic attack may have/feel:


• Sudden and repeated panic attacks of overwhelming anxiety and fear.
• A feeling of being out of control, or a fear of death or impending doom during a panic attack.
• Physical symptoms during a panic attack, such as a pounding or racing heart, sweating, chills, trembling, breathing problems, weakness or dizziness, tingly or numb hands, chest pain, stomach pain, and nausea
• An intense worry about when the next panic attack will happen.
• A fear or avoidance of places where panic attacks have occurred in the past.


Panic attacks typically last 5–20 minutes, but the symptoms can linger for up to 1 hour.


Causes :

Although the exact causes of panic attacks are not clearly understood, many mental health experts believe that a combination of environmental, biological, and psychological factors play a role:

• Age: Panic disorder typically develops between the ages of 18 and 35.
• Gender: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women have more than twice the risk of panic attacks than men.
• Genetics: If you have a close biological family member with panic disorder, you are much more likely to develop the condition. Although up to half or more of people with panic disorder do not have close relatives with the condition.
• Trauma: Experiencing a traumatic event, such as being the victim of physical or sexual abuse, can increase risk of panic attacks as well.
• Life transitions: Going through a life transition or difficult life event, including the death of a loved one, divorce, marriage, having a child, or losing a job may increase also risk.
• Emotional Abuse or any sort of stress  : It can and does easily trigger anxiety symptoms in those that experience it in the short and long term, and in severe cases may lead to a combination of anxiety and depression or panic attacks.


What to do during a panic attack


The next time you feel a panic attack coming on:
  • Stay where you are, if possible
  •         Breathe slowly and deeply
  • Remind yourself that the attack will pass
  • Focus on positive, peaceful and relaxing images
  •         Remember it’s not life threatening


Preventing a further attack

  •    Read a self-help book for anxiety based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy. 
  •    Try complementary therapies such as massage and aromatherapy, or activities like yoga and pilates, to help you relax.
  •     Learn breathing techniques to help ease symptoms.
  •     Do regular physical exercise to reduce stress and tension.
  •    Avoid sugary food. 

Treatment 

Counselling 
The treatment may begin with “talk therapy.” You’ll sit down with a counsellor who can help you understand what panic attack is and how you can manage it.
As your treatment continues, therapy should help you figure out the situations, thoughts, or feelings that cause your attacks. Once you understand what’s happening, those triggers have less power to cause trouble.
Counseling should also show you that the attacks’ physical effects don’t actually hurt you. With your therapist, you’ll work through your symptoms in a safe, gradual way until they seem less scary. That also can help make the attacks go away.

Meditation:
Your doctor may decide that medication should be part of your therapy, to lessen your attacks’ physical symptoms. It might be part of the first steps, for instance. They might prescribe:

An antidepressant, which is generally the first choice to prevent future panic attacks.
An anti-anxiety prescription drug such as a benzodiazepine. For people with substance use disorders, doctors may prescribe other medications.
Medicine to even out an irregular heartbeat, if you have one.

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