A panic attack is an overwhelming physical sensation that makes you feel out of control. It is an amplified version of adrenaline – the ‘fight or flight’ response, which kicks in when you are in danger. However, the difference between panic attacks and real danger is that panic attacks can happen any time of day or night. They come on suddenly and can be very frightening.
What Happens During a Panic Attack?
Your body responds as if your life was in danger. Your breathing quickens, your heart rate speeds up, and digestion slows down. When an attack is over you feel physically and mentally exhausted.
Causes and Triggers of Panic Attacks
Health experts are not sure why panic attacks happen but various physical and psychological risk factors have been identified. You are more susceptible if you have an anxious personality or suffer from depression, particularly if you are already taking anti-depressants or tranquillisers. Anxiety can run in families and panic attacks have been linked to trauma and stressful events such as job loss, work, pregnancy, illness, and the death of family or friends.
Physically, they have been linked to an imbalance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain. Brain chemistry is also be affected by dieting and irregular eating habits, so it is important to eat well and regularly to maintain blood sugar levels. Overindulgence or withdrawal from caffeine, cigarettes, drugs and alcohol can bring on an attack.
Symptoms of a Panic Attack
A panic attack can trigger any of the following physical responses, says online support group Phobics Awareness.
- Racing heartbeat, as if you are having a heart attack
- Difficulty breathing
- Terror or paralysis
- Dizziness and fainting
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Ringing in your ears
- Hot flushes
Mentally, it can bring on feelings of doom and unreality, as if you are distanced from everything.
How Long Does a Panic Attack Last?
They occur quickly and generally last between five to 20 minutes. Your body cannot run on adrenaline for longer than this.
What is Panic Disorder?
Panic attacks are occasional attacks; panic disorder* is frequent attacks that cause distress, phobias and/or ‘situational avoidance’ – avoiding activities such as driving, which can trigger an attack.
Treatment for Panic Attacks
In the moment, MIND suggests the following breathing technique:
Cover your mouth and nose with your hands or a paper bag and breathe slowly for three to four minutes. This increases the level of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream, and helps to reduce initial symptoms.
Treatment is generally a combination of physical and psychological techniques. Your doctor will do general health checks to rule out any medical conditions, and may ask questions about your lifestyle, diet and existing medication. The psychological approach helps you to identify any triggers and gives you strategies to help you ‘unlearn’ negative thought patterns. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommends a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) treatments for panic disorder.
Medication options include Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s), Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI’s), and Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA’s). However, these are not risk-free.
Self-help Techniques for Panic Attacks
The Mayo Foundation for Education and Clinical Research suggests the following self-help techniques:
- Keep up your treatment plan, and find support groups.
- Monitor your diet and eliminate any trigger foods such as caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, processed foods and sugar.
- Check the effects of existing medication – nasal decongestants and asthma medication have been linked to panic attacks.
- Maintain a regular exercise and relaxation routine to help you de-stress and sleep. Exercise releases endorphins, which elevate your mood.
- Review your job, personal life and commitments. Cut out things you find stressful.
- Consider assertiveness training – if you aren’t being vocal about your needs they can come out in other ways – via skin conditions such as eczema, or a panic attack.
MIND suggests going with an attack rather than fighting against it. Accept that it is happening and know that it will pass and you will get through it. This puts you back in control.
Resources
No Panic - 0808 808 0545.
*The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research lists a definition of panic disorder on its website, as defined by new criteria set out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association.
This article is for general information purposes only. Contact your health practitioner for specific guidance on a health issue.
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