Panic attacks - how to get rid yourself

Panic attack( or episodic paroxysmal anxiety) - mental disorder in the form of an inexplicable, painful attack of severe anxiety, which is accompanied by fear and various somatic( bodily) symptoms. Attacks of panic can be both a separate disease, and the manifestation of another disorder, it is impossible to predict their occurrence. Fighting with pathology is successfully helped by medication and psychological treatment, and preventive procedures can be performed independently at home.

• Symptoms
• Types
• Causes
• Mental illness
• Somatic diseases
• Social reasons
• Diagnostics
• more dangerous
• What to do at the moment of attack
• Treatment
• Tablets
• Psychotherapy
• At home
• conditions during pregnancy
• Children
• Prevention

Symptoms

In women, panic attacks occur 3-4 times more often than men. The attack can last from several minutes to several hours, but on average - 10-20 minutes. At this time, there is a release of hormone stress in the blood of adrenaline and other catecholamines - biologically active substances that have a stimulating effect on the body. They have a vasoconstrictive effect and cause the following conditions:

• Hot flushes or colds, increased sweating.
• Frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
• Delayed salivation, dry mouth.
• Increased pressure - on the background of hypertension, derealization is possible, when a person does not understand where he is and what happens to him.
• Increased heart rate( tachycardia) - can cause shortness of breath, a sense of lack of oxygen, pain in the heart, which further increases fear.
• Increased breathing intensity( hyperventilation) - the patient tries to breathe deeper and more often, while the level of carbon dioxide in the blood decreases and the acid balance is disturbed, causing dizziness, weakness, numbness of the extremities. In tissues lactic acid( lactate) accumulates - an anxiety stimulant.

Among the psychological signs of frustration, these sudden fears are called:

• a sense of danger;
• pointless fear, including the fear of death;
• stiffness or restlessness;
• lump in the throat;
• inability to hold a glance at one object;
• sense of unreality of what is happening( distortion of sounds, outlines of objects, remoteness of perception);
• awakening at night, during sleep.

There are also panic attacks without fear - the so-called masked anxiety or alexithymic panic, when emotional stress and physical symptoms are almost absent, and the following temporary disorders occur:

• aphonia( loss of voice);
• mutism( lack of response to the appeal of other people);
• amaurosis( decrease or total absence of vision);
• ataxia( impaired coordination of movements);
• hand twisting.

Types

• Spontaneous - occurs suddenly, without a reason.
• Situational - is manifested in certain conditions that are psychotraumatic for a person or because of the expectation of a similar situation.
• Conditionally-situational - occurs as a result of exposure to a sick chemical or biological activator( alcohol, hormonal changes in the background), and the connection is not always clearly traced.

Reasons for

Most doctors note that a panic attack occurs as a reaction of the body to stress - a kind of reflection of the person's internal struggle with aggressive manifestations of the outside world. Also, the cause of panic disorder are unresolved psychological conflicts that are not realized by a person.

People with a weak system of stress protection, whose nervous system lacks serotonin and norepinephrine, substances that help to withstand physical and emotional stress, are prone to attacks.

The starting lever for panic can be any emotionally significant event and even lack of sleep, and attacks can appear at any time, regardless of the presence of immediate threat.

Factors that provoke disorders are grouped into several groups:

Mental illnesses

In this case, emotional symptoms are strongly pronounced, the main manifestation is causeless, uncontrollable, paralyzing fear - a sense of imminent calamity.

Seizures often occur against the background of the following diseases:

• Phobias( fear of something) - accompanied by panic attacks in 20% of cases.
• Depression - in this case, seizures often provoke suicidal behavior.
• Endogenous mental illnesses( especially schizophrenia, acute paranoid, schizotypic disorders).
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder - obsessive frightening thoughts( for example, fear of infection or fire) that cause obsessive actions( constant hand washing, electrical wiring check).
• Post-traumatic stress disorder - usually due to severe burns, traffic accidents, cataclysms.
• Impaired adaptation.

Somatic diseases

Emotional manifestations are not expressed, body symptoms predominate. The main provoking factors are:

• Cardiovascular diseases( myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease).
• Endocrine diseases - adrenal( pheochromocytoma) and thyroid( thyrotoxicosis) lesions.
• Some physiological conditions that the body perceives as stress( puberty, the onset of sexual activity, menopause, pregnancy, childbirth).
• The reception of anxiogenes - drugs, the side effect of which is anxiety.

Social causes of

Most often panic attacks occur in people with a high standard of living, and affect mainly the citizens, and not the inhabitants of rural areas. Therefore, the causes of the disorder are also technical progress, rapid rhythm of life, a large number of stressful situations.

The factors that trigger seizures are:

• lack of physical activity;
• bad habits;
• many unresolved conflicts;
• lack of sleep and proper rest.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is made on the basis of repeated attacks, which are manifested suddenly and unpredictably with frequency from several times a week to 1 time in half a year. The criterion is the spontaneity of a panic attack in the absence of an objective threat, as well as the absence of a pronounced anxiety state between seizures.

Also in the diagnostic use:

• scales to determine the level of anxiety and depression;
• tests to identify fears;
• clinical observation;
• study of medical history( identification of diseases, stresses, changes in life that triggered the development of the disorder).

For the exclusion of other diseases are undergoing examination from a cardiologist, endocrinologist, oncologist, psychiatrist, take into account the possible effects of drugs.

Than

is dangerous. Panic disorders can have negative consequences:

• The emergence of unpleasant symptoms encourages people to resort to traditional medicine, to take medication, to inject various medications without understanding the causes of the attack and the compatibility of drugs. Often, patients call for an ambulance and are asked to take an injection from a heart attack, high blood pressure, or prescribe cardiopreparations.
• Panic attacks increase hidden phobias and provoke new ones - the victims fear a re-attack and avoid going out or, on the contrary, staying alone. Such fears significantly complicate a person's life and lead to other mental disorders.
• Symptoms of a disorder disorganize a person, he loses control over himself, and can not perform certain actions( for example, driving a car).
• Against the backdrop of panic attacks, chronic diseases worsen.
• A state of anxiety combined with other mental disorders can lead a person to suicide.

What to do at the time of an attack

There are several simple actions that help to ease the condition and quickly get rid of a panic attack:

• If you feel the lack of oxygen, it is very important to calm your breathing, make it smooth and measured. You can count up to 8 during inspiration and exhalation or take a bag and breathe into it, making the deepest exhalation.
• It is advisable to try to relax the facial muscles( for example, to smile, even through strength) and body( rubbing, massage, tingling).
• It should be remembered that there is no real danger, you can repeat to yourself encouraging words or carry a leaf with a soothing text( for example, "Panic is only the fruit of my imagination, it will now go away, I will manage it!").
• It is necessary to switch from internal experiences to what is happening around at the current time - to count passers-by or birds, read the inscriptions from right to left or try to return to work performed before the attack.
• You can imagine in your own mind the scale of your anxiety and how the level of panic on it gradually decreases.
• When prescribing certain medications, you should carry them with you - it is already soothing. If all of the above methods do not help, you need to take the medicine.

Treatment of

tablets For , the seizure of the attack is carried by anti-panic agents with a quick mechanism of action - tranquilizers from the benzodiazepine group, available as tablets, injection solutions, rectal suppositories: Diazepam( Apaureen, Valium, Relium, Seduxen), Midazolam( Dormikum, Fulsed), Temazepam( Signopam).

For , the doctor can prescribe different groups of drugs for for panic attacks:

• antianxiety agents( anxiolytics) - appointed both in the acute phase, panic attacks with severe motor excitation and long-term treatment to prevent further attacks: Adaptol, alprazolam( Alzolam, Zolomaks, Xanax, Heleks) Afobazol, bromazepam( Leksotan), Hydroxysine( Atarax), Clonazepam( Rivotril), Lorazepam( Laurafen), Selanc, Tofizopam( Grandaxin), Phenazepam( Tranquesepam, Fezanef, Fenorelaxane).
• The tricyclic antidepressants are especially effective in panic attacks with the risk of suicide. Treatment is recommended for 6-10 months, the effect occurs after 2-3 weeks: Desipramine( Petilil), Imipramine( Melipramine), Clomipramine( Anafranil, Clofranil).
• MAD inhibitors are indicated in case of predominance of vegetative symptoms and in the absence of the effect of tricyclic antidepressants: Moclobemide( Aurorix), Pyrlindole( Normazidol, Pyrazidol).
• serotonin reuptake inhibitors( SSRIs) - contemporary group of antidepressants with high efficiency and few side effects: Paroxetine( Adepress, Paxil, Pliz H Reksetin), sertraline( Asentra, Zoloft, Serenata, Serlift, Stimuloton), fluvoxamine( Fevarin), Fluoxetine( Prozac, Profluzak), Citalopram( Pram, Siozam, Umorap, Cipramil), Escitalopram( Selectra, Cipralex).
• Beta-blockers - eliminate frequent heartbeats, reduce blood pressure, remove the effects of catecholamines: Bisoprolol( Concor), Metoprolol( Betaloc, Methocard, Egilok), Propranolol( Anaprilin, Obsidan).
• Antidepressants combined action( atypical) - often prescribed for panic attacks on a background of depression: Bupropion( Wellbutrin, Zyban), Venlaksor, Mirtazapine( Mirazep), trazodone( Trittiko).
• neuroleptics( antipsychotic) - used for mental disorders involving anxiety states: chlorpromazine, haloperidol, quetiapine( Seroquel), Clozapine, Olanzapine, Rispolept, Sonapaks, sulpiride( Eglonil) Teralidzhen, Truksal.
• Nootropy - improve brain function, stimulate circulation and metabolic processes in nervous tissue, increase the stress resistance of the organism, are assigned in combination with antidepressants or anxiolytics: Glycine, Cortexin, Meksidol, Pikamilon, Piracetam, Pyritinol( Encephabol) tenoten, Phenibutum, Phenotropil, Eltatsin.
• Aspidative( sedative) , including on a plant basis: Valocordin, Corvalol, Novopassit, tincture of valerian, tincture of motherwort.
• Vitamins, macro and microelements - support the body, help to cope with stress: magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamins of group B( Magne B6, Milgamma, Panangin).

Psychotherapy is an integral( often - basic) direction in the treatment of panic disorder. Can include the following methods:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy - is aimed at changing the thinking and attitude of the patient to anxiety. The doctor-psychotherapist explains the mechanism of occurrence of seizures, teaches the patient to control panic and accompanying symptoms. The course lasts 8-20 sessions.
• Psychoanalysis - helps to identify the cause of panic attacks( for example, child psychological trauma, change of place of residence, sense of guilt).Treatment can last for several months or years.
• Classical hypnosis - the doctor introduces the patient into a hypnotic state and gives him an installation to get rid of panic attacks. The method is fast enough, but it is only suitable for suggesting people.
• Erickson's hypnosis - a patient in a state of trance remains conscious, can communicate with a doctor and concentrate on their experiences, find and solve internal conflicts.
• Body-oriented psychotherapy is a set of techniques for working with bodily sensations to reduce anxiety. This includes relaxation, breathing exercises.
• Systemic family psychotherapy - with this approach, panic attacks inherent in one person are considered as a consequence of a lack of understanding among family members. The doctor explains the feelings of the patient to relatives, teaches him to support him and help fight fear, and also determines the causes of disharmony in the family.
• Neurolinguistic programming( NLP) - according to this method, it is considered that fear arises under certain circumstances and is fixed in the patient as a conditioned reflex, but the person's reaction to these circumstances can be changed.
• Desensitization( decrease of sensitivity) and eye movement processing( DPDG) - under the supervision of a doctor, the patient performs certain exercises, repeating movements of eyeballs during the fast sleep phase. Thus, the patient experiences blocked information about a situation that causes panic, and triggers restorative mental processes. The doctor at the same time controls the emotional state of the patient, pronounces with him experiences and negative feelings.
• Gestalt therapy - the idea of ​​this modern technique is that in the process of life a certain number of needs arise in a person, when people are satisfied with psychological comfort, while blocking desires leads to a disturbance of the mental balance.

At home

There are several methods that help you cope with panic attacks yourself:

• Meditation is one of the techniques of relaxation and concentration. It is necessary to take a certain posture( with a straight back) and concentrate on your feelings, feelings or any objects. Perform exercises preferably 2 times a day for 15-20 minutes. Regular exercises increase mood, strengthen will and character, improve memory and intelligence, reduce the impact of stress and sensitivity to it, help to calm down and not succumb to fears, develop the ability to soberly look at themselves and surrounding events.
• Respiratory gymnastics - effectively combined with meditation. Having learned to correctly perform the exercises, it is easier to suffer a panic attack. Among the techniques of gymnastics breathing belly( rather than chest), holding your breath, alternating inspiration through your nose and exhalation with your mouth.
• Physical exercises - help relieve tension and improve mood, are an excellent method for preventing attacks.
• Contrast shower - effective at the initial stage of a panic attack. The alternation of hot and cool water causes a reaction of the hormonal system, which can stop an attack of anxiety.

During pregnancy

Changing the hormonal background can trigger panic attacks in pregnant women. If a woman suffered seizures earlier, now they can manifest more often or, conversely, stop.

In children

The emergence of panic attacks in children and adolescents is largely due to the peculiarities of the child's adaptation in the modern world. A panic attack can be triggered by the following factors:

• sexual abuse( in the first place);
• competition among peers, when a child tries to be popular and attractive physically;
• fear of punishment;
• fear of possible failure( for example, in competitions, before the exam);
• family conflicts.

Prevention

Preventing attacks of panic attacks will help:

• treatment of somatic diseases;
• minimization of stresses, conflicts, neuroses;
• development of stress resistance;
• increased self-esteem;
• a healthy lifestyle, meaning the rejection of bad habits, proper nutrition, exercise, observance of sleep and rest;
• increase in the number of positive emotions;
• controlled intake of medications( in particular, sedatives, antidepressants).