How will I know if I'm having a panic attack?
Everyone may feel panic from time to time and have experienced panic. This is a normal situation: For example, you notice that your bag has been stolen, or you are in the exam and you may not know the answer to any of the exam questions. Panic attacks are different from this situation, similar to “normal” panic, but differ in many ways. So what are these differences?
The main feature of panic disorder is that it is recurrent, and it is possible to see "unexpected" panic attacks that cannot be predicted when to start. This feeling may come “suddenly” when you are about to go to bed at night, when you watch television in the evening or have a meal in a restaurant, you may face this feeling. It is not usually associated with a spooky event or any trigger, as exemplified above.
• In this case, feelings are much stronger.
• These feelings can be very frightening because they are ANY and STRONG.
In a panic attack, a frightening feeling prevails, which suggests that a really bad event is about to happen, which begins suddenly and reaches a high level in a short time. In some people, only one panic attack occurs, while in others, it can take years. While some people have panic attacks every day, some people may occasionally occur.
Panic affects your body, thoughts and behavior. The most common symptoms experienced by people suffering from panic attacks are as follows.
Your body (find out what symptoms you have)
o Heart palpitations, rapid beating, irregular heartbeat
o Stopping heart, beating and chest pain
o Changes in your breathing, swallowing air, breathing fast, breathing
o Numbness or tingling in the hands, toes, or lips
o Having the feeling that you cannot swallow, feeling sick
o Feeling like fainting, shaky legs.
Some people experience some of these symptoms, while others may experience only a few.
Scary thoughts (Which of these thoughts apply to you?)
o I'm over having a heart attack
o He will fall or faint
o It's not coming
o I'm going crazy, going crazy
o He is drowning
o I'm losing control
o I'll be sick
o I will feel like a fool
o We have to get out of here.
Are you trying to deal with your panic attack?
People do things that are good for them or are said to be good for them to cope with panic attacks. For example, you can avoid having to linger with other things, try to relax, drink water, sit down, go to the hospital immediately (usually you have no answer), or avoid situations that you thought might have caused panic or panic, such as shopping.
Some of the individuals with panic disorder prefer to avoid situations where it is difficult to escape or get help if they have panic attacks. This situation is called "agoraphobia" which the person avoids from being out of the house alone, in the crowd (shopping center in the market), waiting in the queue, traveling by bus, plane, train, car, on the bridge, for fear of having a new attack. Another feature of agoraphobicists is that they experience more fear when they are alone, especially when they are out of the areas where they feel safe, they often need someone with them.
Who is in the risk group?
Panic disorder often begins in the period between late adolescence and thirties. In the clinical sample, the average age of onset is around 25. Although panic disorder is at lower rates, it can also start in childhood or over the age of 40.
What triggers Panic Disorder?
Stressful life events can be seen before the development of panic disorder. In a study on this subject, it was determined that approximately 2/3 of the cases had stressful life events within 6 months before the onset of the disease. For example, threatening to leave or leave a loved one, change jobs, pregnancy, migration, marriage, graduation from school, death of a close person, physical illness.
How is the treatment of Panic Disorder?
It has been scientifically proven that one of the most effective therapy methods that treat panic disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). DBT helps to correct the errors of misinterpretation of the body sensations of the individual with panic disorder, and copes adaptively with the anxiety of the person. It corrects the disastrous thoughts of the individual and the wrong comments related to panic, thus breaking the anxiety cycle from any point. It helps the person to become their own therapist. In order to reduce anxiety or anxiety felt intensely, the individual is given the ability to effectively cope with stress. With the help of therapy, the person is focused on the moment, spending quality time on his own and with loved ones.
Exp. Psychologist. Nurdan GÜNDOĞDU
Medilife Beylikdüzü Hospital Clinical Psychologist
Everyone may feel panic from time to time and have experienced panic. This is a normal situation: For example, you notice that your bag has been stolen, or you are in the exam and you may not know the answer to any of the exam questions. Panic attacks are different from this situation, similar to “normal” panic, but differ in many ways. So what are these differences?
The main feature of panic disorder is that it is recurrent, and it is possible to see "unexpected" panic attacks that cannot be predicted when to start. This feeling may come “suddenly” when you are about to go to bed at night, when you watch television in the evening or have a meal in a restaurant, you may face this feeling. It is not usually associated with a spooky event or any trigger, as exemplified above.
• In this case, feelings are much stronger.
• These feelings can be very frightening because they are ANY and STRONG.
In a panic attack, a frightening feeling prevails, which suggests that a really bad event is about to happen, which begins suddenly and reaches a high level in a short time. In some people, only one panic attack occurs, while in others, it can take years. While some people have panic attacks every day, some people may occasionally occur.
Panic affects your body, thoughts and behavior. The most common symptoms experienced by people suffering from panic attacks are as follows.
Your body (find out what symptoms you have)
o Heart palpitations, rapid beating, irregular heartbeat
o Stopping heart, beating and chest pain
o Changes in your breathing, swallowing air, breathing fast, breathing
o Numbness or tingling in the hands, toes, or lips
o Having the feeling that you cannot swallow, feeling sick
o Feeling like fainting, shaky legs.
Some people experience some of these symptoms, while others may experience only a few.
Scary thoughts (Which of these thoughts apply to you?)
o I'm over having a heart attack
o He will fall or faint
o It's not coming
o I'm going crazy, going crazy
o He is drowning
o I'm losing control
o I'll be sick
o I will feel like a fool
o We have to get out of here.
Are you trying to deal with your panic attack?
People do things that are good for them or are said to be good for them to cope with panic attacks. For example, you can avoid having to linger with other things, try to relax, drink water, sit down, go to the hospital immediately (usually you have no answer), or avoid situations that you thought might have caused panic or panic, such as shopping.
Some of the individuals with panic disorder prefer to avoid situations where it is difficult to escape or get help if they have panic attacks. This situation is called "agoraphobia" which the person avoids from being out of the house alone, in the crowd (shopping center in the market), waiting in the queue, traveling by bus, plane, train, car, on the bridge, for fear of having a new attack. Another feature of agoraphobicists is that they experience more fear when they are alone, especially when they are out of the areas where they feel safe, they often need someone with them.
Who is in the risk group?
Panic disorder often begins in the period between late adolescence and thirties. In the clinical sample, the average age of onset is around 25. Although panic disorder is at lower rates, it can also start in childhood or over the age of 40.
What triggers Panic Disorder?
Stressful life events can be seen before the development of panic disorder. In a study on this subject, it was determined that approximately 2/3 of the cases had stressful life events within 6 months before the onset of the disease. For example, threatening to leave or leave a loved one, change jobs, pregnancy, migration, marriage, graduation from school, death of a close person, physical illness.
How is the treatment of Panic Disorder?
It has been scientifically proven that one of the most effective therapy methods that treat panic disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). DBT helps to correct the errors of misinterpretation of the body sensations of the individual with panic disorder, and copes adaptively with the anxiety of the person. It corrects the disastrous thoughts of the individual and the wrong comments related to panic, thus breaking the anxiety cycle from any point. It helps the person to become their own therapist. In order to reduce anxiety or anxiety felt intensely, the individual is given the ability to effectively cope with stress. With the help of therapy, the person is focused on the moment, spending quality time on his own and with loved ones.
Exp. Psychologist. Nurdan GÜNDOĞDU
Medilife Beylikdüzü Hospital Clinical Psychologist