Panic Attacks: Symptoms Are Unpleasant, But Not Dangerous

Do you know the feeling of sudden alarm? When suddenly, without apparent reasons, the state of health deteriorates, the head begins to spin, the heartbeat accelerates, and all this state is accompanied by an insurmountable fear, sometimes panicking. It can be fear to faint, lose balance, die. If yes, then you, like 5% of the world's population, know firsthand what panic attacks are. Symptoms of this disease have been established for a long time. In addition to the above, they include the appearance of internal tremors, tremors, asphyxiation. Sometimes the temperature rises sharply, the waves of cold and heat are alternately rolled along the body, nausea arises, and pains in the heart appear.

All these signs are more or less common, they are common to most people suffering from a condition called "panic attacks". Symptoms, however, can be supplemented by individual manifestations. Someone has frequent urination, diarrhea. Others have arm-legs numb, others suffer from seizures. Sometimes especially weak people can fall out with a brief fainting condition. The most unpleasant thing in this state is that it is impossible to get rid of it by effort of will.

Symptoms of panic attacks, manifested for the first time, are very frightening to the sick. People start visiting doctors of different specialties, depending on which symptom was predominant during the attack. It can be cardiologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons ...

But few people can immediately diagnose a "panic attack". Treatment is late, and the condition is getting worse. The condition of almost all suffering PA is complicated not only by vegetative manifestations, but also by the expectation of a repeated attack. It turns out a vicious circle: anxiety awaiting an attack increases and intensifies these very seizures, and they are fixed in memory and intensify the tension of waiting for an exacerbation.

Panic attacks, the symptoms of which are described above, are not fatal by themselves. However, their repetition in similar situations contributes to the development of a special style of behavior: restrictive. Man, trying to avoid traumatic situations, ceases, for example, to travel in transport, leave the house, get out of bed. Gradually anxiety develops into agoraphobia, complicated by reactive depression, turning a person almost into an invalid.

Where is the way out?

The condition called "sympathoadrenal crisis", "NDC - neurocirculatory dystonia", "vegetative crisis" - all these are different names of one disease - "panic attacks". Symptoms of this disease have been described for a long time. The disease is classified as a class of mental and behavioral disorders. It is impossible to get rid of it completely, the overwhelming majority of specialists believe.

However, there is a comprehensive treatment that permanently weakens panic attacks, their symptoms are reduced to zero.

The best results are given by a competent psychotherapist (not to be confused with a psychiatrist!) In combination with taking medications.

The doctor will understand the reasons for the attacks, help to adjust behavioral, personal and psychological characteristics. The medicine will help to normalize the physical condition.

In addition to compulsory treatment to the therapist, it is recommended to master the techniques of emergency self-help. One of them is necessary when rapid breathing and palpitation begin. You need to take a paper bag, put your head in it and slowly, regularly breathe. If there is no package, you can lay down your hands with a "boat" and breathe in them.

One of the manifestations of PA is a sharp release of adrenaline. It is the hormone of fear that provokes panic. So you need to get rid of it as quickly as possible. You can loudly shout, sing, turn on the music, start a conversation with someone.

But most importantly - do not despair, keep yourself in hand, know that soon in any case the PA will end, there will come a relief.

Watch yourself and good health to you.