Anxiety and panic attacks go hand-in-hand. According to the National Institute of Health, every year 2.4 million Americans deal with the effects of panic disorder, which can prevent them from doing the things in life that they enjoy most.
The first panic attack is often the scariest because it can come out of no where and make the sufferer feel as if he or she is having a heart attack or some other more serious physical problem. They often last just a few minutes, but can leave a person feeling shaken and alone.
Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are most aptly described as the sudden onset of intense fear. They are often accompanied by a racing heart, dizziness, nausea, sweating and trembling. Fears can be compounded when people become afraid of having more attacks or that they are going to die or go crazy.
Sometimes panic attacks come on for no apparent reason, while other times certain situations, such as a crowded subway or the location of a previous attack, can trigger their onset.
Without treatment, fears can rule a person's life and confine him or her to indoor locations, or cause the person to avoid certain locations or scenarios.
Treating Panic Attacks with Positive Self Talk and the Senses
In many situations, having a dialogue with the mind and focusing on outside sensations can help sufferers cope with panic attacks.
- Stay calm and acknowledge the feelings. This can be difficult when fear seems to be enveloping the mind, but one of the most effective ways to deal with panic attacks is to let the feelings be there with the understanding that the attack is an episode that will go away. The more a person fights feelings, the stronger they can become. Memorize a few sentences to repeat when an attack strikes.
- Do not intentionally avoid anxiety-inducing situations. The fear of having a panic attack can often be worse than the attack itself. The more often a person is exposed to a situation his or her brain is saying will cause panic, the more comfortable the person will become in similar settings. The number of panic attacks can be decreased because a person becomes more confident as he or she gets through situations and nothing harmful happens.
- Tune in to the surroundings. Activating the five senses can take the mind off of its fear and refocus it onto something else. For example, feel the wind coming in through the window, listen to the sounds of traffic driving by or put on some lip balm and concentrate on how it feels and its smell.
Therapy and Medication for Panic Attacks and Anxiety
In addition to self talk, therapy and medication can alleviate panic attack symptoms and prevent them from occurring.
When selecting a therapist, choose one that specializes in panic disorders, which include obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia, or depression.
These professionals make it possible for sufferers to hash out their fears in a neutral environment and will provide coaching and personalized coping methods to diminish a panic attack's symptoms. They can also suggest medication if the severity of the symptoms warrants it and refer their patients to qualified psychiatrists.
Medications commonly prescribed for panic attacks include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil) and benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin, Valium).
Coping with Panic Attacks to Live a Full Life
Panic attacks don't have to limit the quality of life. Assembling a toolkit of strategies and acknowledging an attack's presence go a long way in learning to talk back to fear and ultimately diminish the symptoms and severity of panic attacks.
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