Panic attack: causes, symptoms, treatment and consequences

A panic attack is a sudden sensation of fear and anxiety that completely encompasses a person’s consciousness. It can last from a few minutes to half an hour, however, as a rule, it takes about 10 minutes. This anxiety syndrome is accompanied by such manifestations as rapid breathing, headache, tension. Having survived this condition once, a person begins to fear him in the future.

Causes

There are many factors that can trigger a panic attack. As a rule, these are events that cause a strong emotional impression. A person is literally shocked. In rare cases, a panic attack may even occur due to the loss of a large amount of money. But as a rule, user agents have the following reasons:

• Accident, life-threatening situation.
• Psychological trauma of childhood. The child was lost or got lost, and in adulthood he again found himself in a similar situation, which provoked the onset of symptoms of PA.
• Unfavorable family atmosphere.
• Parting with a loved one (death, divorce, sometimes even moving from parents).
• Sometimes the cause of the PA can be an event that has not yet occurred, but the mere thought of it is terrifying.
• Neurotic situation - for example, a person understands that it is time to change jobs, but for some reason he has to stay in the same place. The psyche has accumulated enough energy to transform the situation, but it does not find a way out and manifests itself in the form of PA.

Process of occurrence

Symptoms and treatment of panic attacks became a subject of research at the end of the XIX century. Then Freud described the state of a sudden alarm, called the "anxiety attack." For a long time, the term “vegetative crisis” has been used in domestic literature. Today it is a fairly studied state. What is the mechanism of panic attack? It includes several stages.

A zone of high excitation appears in the brain, which was called the domestic scientist Ukhtomsky dominant. Its causes may be different - for example, traumatic fixation, unmet children's needs. Often, the activation of such a dominant occurs quite suddenly when a person finds himself in environmental conditions that are most similar to the traumatic situation in the past. Moreover, the similarity in the vast majority of cases is not recognized by them.

1. Activation of the brain increases oxygen uptake and stress hypoxia occurs.
2. To saturate the brain again with the oxygen it needs, an increase in blood pressure occurs, and the heart rate increases.
3. The sympathetic division of the nervous system is activated. Possible malfunctions of the cardiovascular system, trembling, convulsions.
4. When such sensations arise for the first time - and, it seems, for no reason - a very strong experience of fear may appear, sometimes turning into real horror. With the development and consolidation of the attack, such thoughts and experiences come to the fore, begin to fuel terror even more.
5. The dominant is fixed by the reaction of fear. There is a mechanism of conditioned reflex.
6. The circle closes, and the next time a panic attack occurs, its symptoms become even stronger.

Effects

PAs primarily affect the human psyche. The consequences, first of all, are connected with the anxious expectation of the next attack. Often, this violation provokes the onset of depression - it is believed that it occurs in 70% of patients. Severe forms of the disease can contribute to disability. In half the cases, PA is accompanied by fear of open spaces. This disorder does not cause changes in the functioning of internal organs.

The main symptoms

The main symptoms of a panic attack are nausea, excessive sweating, chills, flushing of heat and cold. The pulse becomes faster. Head may be spinning, breathing is difficult. Thoughts of death, loss of control over their behavior and mind begin to prevail. The symptoms of a panic attack scare so much that many people prefer to call an ambulance. After all, it seems that they had a heart attack. Real PA has at least four of the described features. After a panic attack, a person can feel confused, anxious.

Scientists emphasize: most people have 1-2 episodes of PA. However, in some cases, an “anxiety of expectation” develops - a fear of the onset of the next PA. If such thoughts have been pursuing for more than a month, then this is enough to make an appropriate diagnosis. If you do not deal with the treatment of panic attacks, agoraphobia develops - the fear of a situation from which there is no way out. A third of these patients prefer not to leave home.

Forecast

It is believed that in general, with this disorder, the prognosis is favorable. Attacks respond well to therapy. Therefore, after treatment, patients for the most part leave positive feedback. Panic attacks are a way in which the nervous system protects itself from excessive agitation. Attacks are not life threatening. However, the progression of the disease is a danger to the mental state. After all, a person can stop using transport, feel fear of going out. Depression may develop. Drug therapy, as a rule, lasts about 6 months. In 99% of cases, it guarantees a successful cure.

Simple algorithm for working with user agents

Many psychologists recommend that during the occurrence of PA follow the following algorithm of actions. Of course, this does not remove the main cause of the attack, but allows you to survive the attack. How to deal with a panic attack yourself? Consider the algorithm of actions:

• Pay close attention to your breathing, start monitoring it. Consciousness should be directed only at the alternation of inhalation and exhalation. This focus allows you to switch from the development of an attack to physical sensations. And the most important point is that time goes on, and the attack itself does not receive its development. Life goes on. 3-4 minutes should be given only to the regulation of respiration.
• Pay attention to physical sensations. After you have the opportunity to control breathing, you should switch the focus of attention to the whole body. You can overcome a panic attack yourself if you learn to control the focus of attention. Continuing to consciously breathe, it is necessary to begin to "scan" with attention the whole body from head to toe. Pay attention to how your hands "feel" themselves, warm or cold fingers. Try to squeeze and relax various parts of the body.
• Concentrate on the look. Often people during the appearance of symptoms of a panic attack look at only one point, and their consciousness is concentrated only on experiencing their own anxiety. Thus, one trait PA generates another. Surely there is something nearby that the gaze can catch on to, which may be of interest. It also confirms that life goes on.

How to overcome

Those who survived a panic attack at least once in their lives are unlikely to forget it. And most likely, for a long time they will be afraid of a recurrence of the situation when PA first occurred.

But what can be done if the attack is not a one-time occurrence, but has become a reality that haunts every day? What can be done if the symptoms of a panic attack can be caused by a trip on the subway or when using the elevator, or a large crowd of people?

The easiest way to get rid is a consultation of a psychotherapist who has both information in the field of psychology and medical knowledge. Often the situation can be so deplorable that a person is afraid to leave the house. In severe cases, you can not do without medical support, so that a person can have an internal resource to overcome this unpleasant ailment.

PA action algorithm

It happens that an attack has begun, and you are somewhere on the road. Psychologists recommend using the following tips:

• Remember that PA is a very strong bodily reaction, during which there are: fear, palpitations, lack of oxygen. However, no one dies from her. PA is a mental reaction that is reflected in the body.
• It is also recommended that you take the most comfortable position for the first symptoms of a panic attack. If you are taking the subway, it is better to get out of the car at the nearest station and sit on the bench. If this is not possible, find any support - a handrail, the wall of the car, in the end, the floor. If the attack is caught while driving, you need to park, relax. It is extremely important to find the most “calm place”.
• Then you should start breathing and relaxation techniques.
• Also, with the onset of PA, a breath of fresh air helps well. Some people include air conditioning in the car, which brings reassurance.
• It is also good to have mint sweets or something very sour on hand. Taste sensations will help a little distraction.
• No need to focus on your feelings. It is better to come up with a special ritual in advance that will be distracting. It can be music, cinema, any game.
• In addition, it is useful to carry a bottle of cool water with you. She will be needed to take a couple of sips, rinse her hands, the back of her head. In the cold season, a lump of snow helps to cope with the symptoms of a panic attack. You can hold it in your hands, rub your temples, nape, neck with cold hands.

The first episode of PA

Since the symptoms of the disorder in many ways really look like a heart attack, it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible. Having removed suspicions of problems with the cardiovascular system, the doctor may ask you what medications you are currently taking. After all, some drugs, for example, prescribed for ADHD or thyroid diseases, can trigger the occurrence of PA. Often, the cause may also be excessive consumption of caffeine or alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

If a specialist decides that you really had a panic attack, you will need to undergo therapy. There is evidence that people with anxiety expectations have a 30% higher risk of suicide than others. Therapy is carried out with the help of antidepressants. Therapy sessions are also prescribed. It is necessary to maintain the proper level of physical activity. In some cases, an intentional provocation of an attack is performed in the presence of a doctor. This allows you to get rid of the fear of a panic attack, to feel control over it.

Treatment

It is necessary to begin treatment as early as possible - the disease has the property of progressing. The frequency of seizures can increase, while the fear of real life will also increase. The treatment of panic attacks involves several steps:

• Consultation with doctors. You will need to visit a therapist, psychiatrist, cardiologist, as well as a neurologist. Each of the experts makes its own verdict, confirm the presence of the disease. In addition, each doctor will have his own research method. For example, a psychiatrist uses psychological tests, each of which helps to outline a picture. A diagnostic test for Beck's depression, an anxiety scale, and a test for Shihan's panic attacks are used.
• The next step is to stop the attacks.
• Further, therapy is needed to develop secondary symptoms (depression, hypochondria, etc.).
• The relief of attacks of PA, as a rule, is carried out in two ways - standard and folk.

Standard treatment

It implies the simultaneous use of drugs and psychotherapy. Of the drugs, antidepressants are usually used, which mitigate the manifestation of physical symptoms. Working with a psychotherapist is aimed at alleviating disorders of consciousness. Often used areas such as phototherapy, as well as color therapy.

Drug therapy

With the right selection of drugs, individual dosage and scheme, the patient's condition can be significantly facilitated, and his quality of life can be improved. Therapy should be started immediately. Basically, the following drugs are prescribed:

• Soothing - "Validol", "Corvalol", as well as "Glycid". They have a sedative effect on the central nervous system, reduce a panic attack.
• Antidepressants. It can be, for example, Zoloft or Anafranil. They help eliminate emotional depression, improve mood. Their main effect is to reduce depressive symptoms. It is important to take tablets strictly according to the schedule prescribed by your doctor. Reception stops gradually, the dose can not be reduced immediately or to stop taking the drugs suddenly. Medicines in this category can be addictive. They are prescribed in the case when the result exceeds the risk of addiction.
• Tranquilizers - "Phenazepam", "Clonazepam". They allow you to stop the attack in a short time, get rid of PA. These drugs have a number of side effects. Dependence is developing rapidly.

All drugs are used strictly as prescribed by the doctor, before using them, you must consult a specialist.

Folk remedies

Often used as an addition to the main course. Melissa is a recognized and effective treatment for panic attacks in the home. To prepare the broth, 10 g of herbs and 0.5 l of boiling water are needed. Tea must be infused for at least 2 hours. Take two-thirds of a glass 3 times a day.

Mint is also used to treat panic attacks at home. The broth is made of 2 tbsp. l herbs, which is poured with one glass of boiling water. Tea should also stand for 2-3 hours. After this, the broth is taken three times a day.

Psychoanalytic approach

To improve the quality of life, as a rule, two types of therapy are proposed - psychoanalysis and the cognitive-behavioral approach. Psychoanalysis allows you to remove or mitigate the effects of irritating factors. The doctor helps to find the cause of the attack and work through it. Then the patient learns to independently find the cause of his stress, to work it out.

Psychoanalysis examines the underlying causes of PA in conflicts of the unconscious. As a rule, this is a feeling of guilt, difficulties in relations with parents, suppressed aggressiveness. The psychoanalyst has been working on these conflicts for several years. The duration of therapy is the main disadvantage of this method.

Behavioral therapy

It is considered a more highly specialized method. For many, cognitive-behavioral therapy has become the answer to the question: “How to get rid of panic attacks?”. During the sessions, the main emphasis is on those disorders in the psyche that provoke the onset of an attack. The main reason for PA, as a rule, is the peculiarities of thinking. It is in him that unpleasant thoughts are born that provoke the onset of an attack. That is why, in the process of psychotherapy, the patient learns a positive attitude, controlling his thoughts and emotions.

The main advantage of the psychological treatment of panic attack neurosis is the lack of addiction, as well as the side effects that accompany medication. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is often referred to as the “gold standard” in the treatment of PA. With its help, the patient goes through several stages:

• Changes negative attitudes to more positive ones.
• Learning to deal with anxiety.
• Gradually masters the techniques of overcoming agoraphobia.

This type of therapy allows you to form a new type of thinking. For example, a patient loses the following situation: while he is driving, PA occurs. If he pulls over to the side of the road, what terrible can happen? Will he crash a car or die? Very unlikely. This kind of belief is developed in the patient. Over time, he ceases to be afraid of an attack - and this, in turn, reduces the incidence of PA.

Other methods of psychotherapy

In addition to the methods described, hypnosis is used to eliminate the symptoms of a panic attack - classic or Erickson. The first type involves the introduction of the patient into a trance state. He is convinced that he is getting rid of this violation. This approach often shows good results, but it is not suitable for everyone - there are people who are not amenable to suggestion.

With the help of Erickson hypnosis, the resolution of internal conflicts occurs. It is considered softer, since the person himself enters into a trance state with the help of a therapist. Proponents of this approach believe that there are no people who are not subject to suggestion. In addition, the patient is trained in self-hypnosis. This helps him to prevent exacerbation of symptoms of PA, reduces anxiety.

Sometimes such an approach as body-oriented therapy is also used. This method involves working directly with the body and physical sensations. The body-oriented approach uses breathing techniques as well as the Jacobson relaxation method.

Some specialists successfully apply methods of systemic family therapy. The causes of panic attacks in this case are seen in the structure of the family, existing relationships and disharmony. In other words, a person’s condition is always directly dependent on the home environment. Therefore, work should be carried out with all members of the family.

Physiotherapeutic Activities

In addition to the above, the following physiotherapeutic procedures are indicated for patients suffering from PA:

• Various types of physiotherapy exercises.
• Massage (useful to take the whole course).
• Aromatherapy You can use candles with various aromatic oils or purchase a special burner. It is also good to do a massage with the addition of your favorite aromatic substances.
• Active lifestyle. Experts advise to consume as little caffeinated drinks as possible, sit less in front of a computer. It is necessary to walk, move, engage in physical activity. It is good to take vitamins.

Other helpful rules for people with PA

In order for life without panic attacks to become a reality as soon as possible, psychologists recommend adhering to some recommendations in everyday life. First of all, you should not be left alone, locked in your problems. Communication with family and friends also helps to cope with the violation. It is also useful to keep a diary, share your ideas with it, and tune in to positive.

Psychologists also advise relaxing as often as possible - reading, spending time in nature. It’s useful to watch a funny movie, listen to good music or take a bath. Some bring the effect of calming meditation.