DEFINITION
Have you ever felt like the walls were closing in, and it was getting harder to breathe? In the United States and Europe, approximately one-half of individuals with panic disorder have expected panic attacks, as well as, unexpected panic attacks. But what is a panic attack? To someone on the outside, panic attacks might look like a minor or major freakout. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a panic attack is characterized by an unanticipated rush of great fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes. No matter what definition you look at, at the end of the day, a panic attack is the way your body reacts in the moment.
CAUSES
What leads your body to react like that in the first place? You're probably thinking how can I avoid situations like this? When faced with your dreaded circumstance or item, people who have certain phobias may have panic attacks. If the panic attacks only happened in reaction to a particular thing or circumstance, a specific phobia diagnosis would be made; however, if you also had unforeseen panic attacks, a diagnosis of panic disorder would be made. For example, a student taking a test may experience panic attacks due to their worry about not meeting their expectations or standards. Panic attacks can occur from a calm state or an anxious state. So overall, everyone can go through one, and they happen more times than people realize. The problem is you cannot avoid them, but if you can find a way to figure out a panic attack is going to occur, there are ways to deter it.
SYMPTOMS
How can you recognize signs of an oncoming or present panic attack? Many people exhibit a variety of symptoms when experiencing such attacks; however, if you can keep these indicators in mind, you will be able to identify and help yourself more quickly. Noticing these signals and taking action quickly is the best way to assist someone in times of panic.
Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate.
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
Feelings of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint
Chills or heat sensations
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control
Fear of dying
OVERALL
Panic attacks happen to everyone randomly. The majority of the stigma around panic attacks is that their consequences usually pertain to physical concerns, such as worry that panic attacks reflect the presence of life-threatening illnesses; social concerns, such as embarrassment or fear of being judged negatively by others because of visible panic symptoms. What you need to realize yourself, as cliche as it sounds, as humans we are all imperfect.
RESOURCES
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association, 2013, cdn.website-editor.net/30f11123991548a0af708722d458e476/
files/uploaded/DSM%2520V.pdf.
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