What Are Panic Attacks & What Can I Do About Them?
If you've ever had a panic attack, you know how overwhelming it can be. It can feel as if you’ve lost control and will never be able to think clearly again. The good news is, that's not true– every panic attack will end and you will recover. The bad news is that it won't necessarily stop them from happening.
So why do we have panic attacks? What causes them and what should we do if we have one? Let's explore the science of panic attacks and some strategies you can use if, and when, you encounter them.
What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden onset of intense fear which causes your body to react as if it's in imminent danger, even though there's no real threat to your safety.
Panic attacks are involuntary and the symptoms can be completely overwhelming.
What Causes a Panic Attack?
To put it simply, panic attacks are caused by anxiety. As for what triggers a panic attack, anything that triggers anxiety could also trigger a panic attack.
When experiencing a panic attack, you are often misinterpreting physical sensations of anxiety as being overly dangerous. Often , you might not know why these sensations are occurring. In these instances, you become fearful of anxious sensations and this can cause the cycle of panic to begin. It is easy to get trapped in catastrophic thoughts during a panic attack. If you don’t know that what you are experiencing is a panic attack, you might worry that you are having a heart attack or be in serious physical danger.
The first time you experience a panic attack, it might be untriggered. If these symptoms are very new to you, it is always a good idea to review them with your doctor. This will rule out any medical causes underlying the physical sensations you are experiencing.
What's Happening During a Panic Attack?
During panic attacks,your body is going into survival mode. For this reason you can experience a large range and heightened intensity of physical symptoms.
As mentioned, when you're feeling this sense of profound anxiety, your brain may interpret it to mean that you are in imminent danger. Your brain redirects blood flow from your extremities into your vital organs–the parts that are vital to your survival. You start hyperventilating to supply your muscles with more oxygen in case you need to fight or run away. You get a rush of adrenaline so your senses are more attuned to potential threats.
If you were being chased by an apex predator, these biological features would be helpful. But because there's no immediate threat, your body can effectively use all the techniques it's employing, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and, most likely, frightened.
COMMON PANIC ATTACK SYMPTOMS
- Numb face or extremities
- Shaking
- Fast, shallow breathing
- Feeling unable to breath
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Chills
- Hot flashes
Generally, the peak symptoms of an attack last between 5 and 20 minutes.
A Strategy for Managing Panic Attacks
BREATHING EXERCISES
Breathing deeply can help during a panic attack because it signals your nervous system to relax a little bit. Try this breathing exercise:
- Inhale through your nose for four seconds. Try to feel the breath all the way in your stomach.
- Hold that breath for six seconds.
- Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. You should be able to hear your exhale.
- Repeat these steps.
After a few cycles of this exercise, you should feel your heart rate start to slow and a sense of control return.
It is also important to recognize that your body will regulate itself after the heightened state of anxiety has passed. Therefore, even if you did nothing at all, the physical sensations would settle down and you would return to your baseline. Sometimes therapists will talk about “riding the wave of panic”. This is because anxiety is not dangerous and your body has built in mechanisms to take care of itself. It is important to understand this information about anxiety and the physical symptoms of panic.
Caring for Yourself After an Attack
Some people call the aftermath of a panic attack a "panic attack hangover." Your mind and your body have gone through a lot, which can leave you feeling exhausted, slow, and even sore. That is okay – anxiety can have a big impact on us physically. However, this is to be expected and is in no way dangerous or worrisome. Nobody enjoys experiencing anxiety. But, thankfully, it is not dangerous. We can learn to lean into the experience of anxiety and manage it.
If you have to continue working or re-enter a stressful environment, try to use whatever downtime you have to do things that feel restorative to you. Take a bath, read a book, go for a run–whatever you need to do to prioritize your well-being.
A Licensed Professional Can Help you Develop Skills to Manage Anxiety
Panic attacks are difficult to experience–but you don't have to face them alone and you do not need to fear them. A registered psychologist can help you develop tools and resources to manage your anxiety symptoms more effectively.