Panic disorder is characterized by repetitive panic attacks that are not limited to specific situations or incentives. Episodes of intense fear with no objective reason are called panic attacks.
Panic attacks are separate episodes characterized by the fast and concurrent occurrence of several symptoms (increased heart rate, sweatiness, lack of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, chill, heat, and fear of inevitable death).
In addition, panic disorder is characterized by constant anxiety about repetition or negative consequences of these attacks and behavior, and attempts to prevent them lead to distress and significant disturbance in personal, family, social, educational, professional, and other important areas of functioning.
When a panic attack occurs, a person may feel fear, think that they might have a heart attack, or even think they are dying.
Even though panic attacks are accompanied by fear, even fear of death, they are not lethal in any possible way. Panic attacks occur suddenly in different life situations. In severe cases, they may occur several times a day.
Unlike other states, panic attack symptoms are very abrupt and may occur even in a state of complete prosperity.
They are represented by anxiety attacks and unexplainable fear in combination with somatic symptoms. Panic attacks are absolutely safe for one’s body because panic induces self-preservation and not self-destruction, no matter how life-threatening and terrifying the symptoms may seem.
Nowadays panic attacks are quite common — according to statistics, every fifth person on Earth has experienced a panic attack at least once in their life.
They usually last from a few minutes to half an hour. Panic attacks can occur at a different rate for each person, however, the frequency can be catastrophic, and some people experience several panic attacks per day.
Even if a person has experienced an acute panic attack once, it does not mean that it will happen the second time
Frequent phrases:
«If I fall, no one will help me, I can't take it and it's terrible!»
«If my head hurts, it is an oncology, it's awful!»
«If my heart beats fast and hard, then it's a precondition for a heart attack!»
«If I feel the tension in my chest and a lump in my throat, it means I am going to suffocate!»
«If I have a panic attack, I won't be able to bear it and I will die!»
«If I am constantly tormented by panic attacks, I will lose my mind!»
Symptoms:
- intense anxiety, unreasonable fear of death, the unexplainable feeling of great danger
- rapid heartbeat and breathing
- difficulty in breathing, suffocation, dyspnea
- persistent feeling of a lump in the throat
- discomfort, the feeling of compression in the chest (usually on the left side)
- dizziness
- stomachache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in severe cases
- trembling limbs
- the feeling of numbness or tingling in limbs
- sweating, a rush of heat to the face and hands
- blurry vision, flashing of flies
- the strong feeling of unreality of occurring events
- fear of losing control over the behavior or mind
Panic attacks before menstruation
Panic attacks before menstruation occur much more often than in alternative situations. According to statistics, the body is more vulnerable to attacks during ICP. A pessimistic spirit combined with a negative emotional state causes a loss of control over oneself, body’s behavior, and reactions.
Provokers of panic attacks during menstruation:
- Psychological premises like stress, conflicts, or mental traumas.
- Physiogenic substances are consequences of the usage of medication, but also acclimatization, weather changes, and other body response.
- Biological that are caused by hormonal changes, also the beginning of the sexual activity, climax, childbirth, abortion, pregnancy, and usage of contraceptives.
Most often, panic attacks during menstruation occur in women from twenty-five to forty-five years old.
Hormonal fluctuations occur in women that experience regular stress and emotional pressure which causes emotional reactions and impulsiveness. Panic attacks can occur regardless of how healthy a person is. Even if there are no problems or pathologies, there’s still a chance that a similar situation may occur during the next menstruation. Even with no valid reason. Once experiencing a panic attack during menstruation and not processing the situation may cause another panic attack the next time the woman is on her period and expects it to repeat. Usually, attacks of uncontrollable fear are during the first half of the cycle.
Panic attacks during menstruation are far worse and sharper than panic attacks caused by stress. Emotional swings bring a great mental load.
Symptoms of panic attacks during periods are similar to panic attacks in alternative situations.
Panic disorder with agoraphobia
If the symptoms are ignored, the disorder becomes chronic and anxiety of repetition develops into agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia — fear of open scapes, crowds, or repetition of similar situations.
Panic disorder with agoraphobia — is a fear of panic attacks, avoidance of places and situations where the panic attack has occurred, and also fear of experiencing a panic attack in a public space.
Symptoms in the initial stage of the panic disorder with agoraphobia: anxiety, route adjustments, and avoidance of public spaces. With the development of the disorder: self-isolation. the fear of experiencing a panic attack in a public space develops into the fear of leaving the home alone. A person becomes a recluse.
Depression and panic attacks
Depression is usually the primary disorder while panic attacks develop in the background. Less common situation is when panic disorder is primary and depression develops later due disordered social ties. However panic attacks and depression are different disorders and require different treatment.
Depression is characterized by:
- reduction or complete loss of interest or joy
- increased or decreased appetite
- weight loss or gain
- insomnia or sleepiness
- psychomotor inhibition
- the feeling of exhaustion or loss of energy
- feeling of worthlessness
- reduced ability to think or concentrate
- repetitive thoughts about death and suicide
Myths about panic attacks:
Panic attacks lead to death
No panic attack can lead to death. Panic is caused by emotions.
A panic attack is a symptom of a heart attack.
A panic attack is just a sharp feeling of fear.
Panic attacks can lead to schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia as a pathology in psychiatry and panic attacks are two completely different things in different directions. Panic attacks occur with neurotic emotional disorders. They don’t have any permanent effect and don't lead to organic changes. On the other hand, schizophrenia is rather a genetic disorder acquired through cerebral cortex injuries. No panic attacks or neuroses can possibly develop into schizophrenia.
A panic attack is dangerous because one can lose control.
There is no control loss. All senses are extremely sharpened. The person experiencing a panic attack only worries about salvation.
It is necessary to be around people during a panic attack:
You are not sick, you don’t need an ambulance, and you don’t need to be rescued. It is an illusion called “panic”. You have to prove to yourself that all the fear and anxiety are absolutely safe. You have to deal with it yourself. You have to prove to yourself that you just have a “habit to be scared”.
The panic attack should be stopped as soon as possible.
The main principle of dealing with panic attacks is not to run anywhere, not to do anything. Treat yourself with understanding. You have to relax as much as possible, accept your condition, and smile. Repeat these words: “Come on! I am not doing well, but I know I’m not in danger. It is just my emotions.”