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Panic attack help and therapy
contents
definition
symptoms
causes
diagnosis
Therapy for panic attacks
Naturopathy
definition
A panic attack is the short-term occurrence of a massive state of anxiety, which triggers a typical flight-or-fight-reaction. The latter is characterized by the interaction of certain physical and psychological reactions that originally served to survive in particularly dangerous situations. Sporadically occurring attacks are not understood as a clinical picture. However, if the sudden anxiety states repeatedly (for example, several times a month), the affected are affected in their everyday life increasingly and increasingly develop a fear of anxiety, the experts speak of a panic disorder, which is considered to be quite serious mental illness. In contrast to the panic attacks, which occur in the course of various phobias (for example, spider phobia) always under the same conditions, in a panic disorder the attacks are observed in extremely different situations.
symptoms
Although such complaints are usually psychological, they lead to significant physical symptoms, which may be perceived by the affected under certain circumstances as threatening and further increase the state of anxiety. Most people are not aware of the connection between an attack and the physical symptoms. Many of the tangible physical symptoms of a panic attack go back to the organism's evolutionary escape-or-fight response. In this context, more and more adrenaline is released to prepare the body for the upcoming flight or fight. For example, the heartbeat accelerates, which is often perceived by those affected as palpitations or heart stumbling. In addition, there is a tightness in the chest, which is sometimes accompanied by a sting in the chest or even heart pain. Not infrequently, therefore, those affected think, they suffer a heart attack and live through corresponding fears of death.
In a therapy, patients can learn to deal with the panic attack in acute situations in order to overcome them. Picture: L.Klauser - fotolia Increased sweating to regular sweats is also a typical symptom accompanying the panic attacks. Some sufferers also start to shiver and show discomfort such as tingling in the limbs. Often the panic attacks also hit the patient on the stomach. Nausea and vomiting are therefore also among the typical accompanying symptoms of a panic attack. Dizziness is also more common. At times, those affected also have a dry mouth and the sensation of a lump in their throats.
Alongside the physical symptoms, there are also psychological symptoms, such as the feeling of derealisation (environment seems unreal) or depersonalization (shifting of self-perception, loss of personality, alienation). Over time, adrenaline in the body gradually breaks down and the physical symptoms disappear. Those affected begin to calm down and the acute panic attack is usually over after about half an hour.
In simple terms, the symptomatology can be described as follows: The affected persons show physical and psychological reactions to a stressful situation for them. In particular, the physical reactions are perceived by patients and misinterpreted as a (life threatening) threat, causing massive anxiety and panic. This anxiety response results in an increase in perceived bodily responses, initiating a positive feedback process that adds another panic boost. This so-called vicious circle of panic often can hardly be broken without therapeutic support.
Causes of a panic attack
Panic attacks can be triggered by certain situations, environments or things that do not actually pose a threat to those affected but are perceived as such. Although they know that their panic is exaggerated, their own reaction can not be controlled. Often the thought of the fear-inducing circumstances is sufficient to panic those affected. They also develop a fear of the panic attacks in everyday life, which itself can be the trigger of a renewed panic attack.
Because many people with panic disorder are constantly living in fear of a sudden attack, situations they can not quickly escape from are often extremely uncomfortable and they begin to avoid them. Not infrequently this results in a so-called agoraphobia, which can be described as claustrophobia or fear of certain rooms. Narrow spaces, public places or facilities are avoided because there is no quick escape in a panic attack. This can go so far that those affected no longer leave their apartment for fear of fear.
Panic attacks are increasingly associated with various other phobias (for example, social phobias, vertigo, or disease phobias) and mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. In addition, panic attacks can be associated with drug use, such as the ingestion of LSD or THC, and even occur a long time after the actual intoxication repeatedly.
The above factors are associated with panic disorders and may also appear as immediate triggers, but in many cases there is also evidence of an unspecified hereditary predisposition to this form of mental disorder. Under the influence of various, not entirely known environmental factors, those affected develop a panic disorder based on them. For example, triggers can be particularly stressful situations such as the loss of close relatives, the workplace or traumatic events (for example, victims of a violent crime).
The cause may also be physical illnesses that have an impact on the metabolism and hormone balance. For example, patients with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or liver disease are more likely to suffer from sudden onset of panic attacks. In diabetes, hypoglycaemia in the patient can lead to physical symptoms that are perceived as threatening by those affected and may thus trigger a panic attack. Other potential physical causes that may be associated with panic attacks include low blood pressure and impaired calcium levels. Menopausal women also tend to panic attacks more often due to shifts in hormone levels. The same applies to women in pregnancy and in a milder form for teenage adolescents.
diagnosis
On the basis of the symptoms is usually relatively clearly determinable, but the question arises, whether they occurred in the context of a phobia or are to be evaluated as an independent mental illness in the form of a panic disorder. The latter, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) "International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems", are characterized by multiple onset of sudden onset of intense anxiety, resulting in at least four typical anxiety symptoms from the WHO list, with at least one autonomic symptom (palpitations, Sweating, shaking, etc.) must be under it. Also, the situation in which an attack occurred, not coincide with a known phobia of those affected and must be objectively harmless.
Since the panic attacks may be related to physical ailments, such as a thyroid dysfunction or diabetes, it is also advisable, if suspected, to have a blood test for clarity. As part of the investigation by a psychotherapist or psychologist should also be checked whether there may be more general mental illnesses, such as depression.
Therapy for panic attacks
In most cases, the treatment is based on psychotherapeutic measures, which are supported by medication in severe cases. In particular, the so-called cognitive behavioral therapy has shown a convincing effect here in the past in the treatment of panic attacks or panic disorders. At the beginning of the treatment, the first step is to educate the patients about the development and momentum of the panic disorder. The therapists also try to make them aware that objectively there is no cause for concern and they are not really at risk during the seizures. Neither the loss of the mind nor a heart attack or even sudden death, the victims must fear. Patients should remember these soothing statements during panic attacks. Learning more relaxation techniques that can be used in panic situations is usually part of the therapy as well.
If patients suffer concomitantly from an agoraphobia, they can also undergo a so-called confrontation therapy as part of the psychotherapeutic treatment. This is usually embedded in the cognitive behavioral therapy and has the goal that the affected people, assisted by their therapist to face the panic-causing situations and fully accept the emerging fears in order to then determine that panic was unfounded and with the Time disappears by itself. Therapist and patient remain in the situation until the panic has subsided completely. Accompanying the patients learn here by relaxation exercises and individually different coping strategies to better deal with their fears.
In order to avoid the panic attacks in the long term, the patients should also learn in the context of behavioral therapy to regain confidence in their own body. They must abandon the constant self-observation and, at the end of the treatment, should no longer misinterpret the perceptible bodily responses of emerging anxiety as alarm signals of serious illnesses. If you feel your own heartbeat, you do not have to suffer a heart attack for a long time. Until the patients are ready to recognize and control or interrupt the process of panic engorgement, many therapy sessions are usually required, but the overall treatment outlook is relatively good.
Especially at the beginning of therapy, patients are often not able to recognize the momentum of the process in the context of an emerging panic attack because they are mentally caught in their fears. Not infrequently concomitant with the behavioral therapy certain drugs (usually antidepressants from the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are used, which suppress the development of excessive anxiety and thus give the patient a more objective view of the momentum of the To enable panic attacks. Because only when the affected recognize this, the behavioral therapy can be effective. Occasionally the anxiety states of the patients are so pronounced that the remedies mentioned are not sufficient and therefore recourse is made to so-called anxiolytics. These anxiolytic drugs such as benzodiazepines, while highly effective, are associated with a high risk of dependence, so long-term use is out of the question.
If an association of the panic attacks with physical illnesses such as for example a dysfunction of the thyroid glands or a liver illness is suspected, then a general medical treatment of these illnesses should take place accompanying the psychotherapeutic measures.
Naturopathy in case of panic attacks
In addition to behavioral therapy, naturopathy focuses on various homeopathic remedies that are supposed to counteract the attacks. For example, the homeopathic remedies Aconitum, Argentum nitricum, Coffea, Ignatia and Opium are mentioned here. However, as well as determining the correct potency, the choice should always be left to experienced therapists. In the naturopathic practice, various medicinal plants are used against the panic attacks, of which at this point in particular the passion flowers and the valerian are mentioned. But also other plants such as the St. John's Wort and hops is said to have a positive effect in relieving the panic attacks.
Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation are also often part of the naturopathic therapy for panic attacks, as they help to reduce the stress in everyday life and thus counteract the emergence of panic attacks. Also, the methods can sometimes be used in panic emergence to break the vicious circle of panic. Here is also recommended movement. Squats or jogging in panic attacks, are in the opinion of psychologists quite recommended. The physical activities can help to overcome the anxiety attacks. This is basically a simple psychological trick. The symptoms of the panic reaction are the same as under physical stress, so that those affected perceive them as normal in the course of sports activities and no longer misinterpret them as life-threatening. In order to counteract the emergence of panic attacks in the long term, however, there is no way around cognitive behavioral therapy in the rules. (Fp)
Picture credits: Anne Garti