Racing heart. Tight chest. Sweating. Lightheaded. Can’t breathe. You might even start to wonder if this is a heart attack. You may begin to think there is no way stress or anxiety could be causing such intense physical symptoms. In this blog you will learn what exactly is a panic attack, what to do to prevent this from happening and how to get through one.
What is a Panic Attack?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness (DSM-5) is where diagnostic criteria for all mental illnesses can be found. The most updated version (5) describes a panic attack as the following:
An abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and during which time four or more of the following symptoms occur:
Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feeling of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control or “going crazy”
Fear of dying
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensation)
Chills or heat sensations.
It is easy to see why a panic attack can be confused for a heart attack.
How to Prevent a Panic Attack
Most panic attacks occur due to a build-up of toxic stress that is being ignored instead of addressed and managed. I provide further information on toxic stress and stress management strategies in this article, which I highly recommend. I continue to emphasize the importance of noticing what you are thinking about as you begin to manage stress and thus prevent panic attacks. Our thoughts, feelings and behaviors are closely intertwined and this will give you valuable information as to what you are ruminating on but not dealing with.
Think of feelings of anxiety like an alarm, trying to get your attention. If the alarm is ignored, it may result in a panic attack so that you are forced to pay attention to the issue.
For example, if you were wearing a coat, and you began to sweat, you would take the perspiration as a cue that your body wanted you to remove your coat. Our signs of anxiety are also trying to get our attention to make a change.
Take a second to think about how your body tells you you are stressed or anxious. Do you start to have an upset stomach? Do your palms sweat? Do you hold your breath or clench your jaw?
If you cannot identify this, it indicates you are not paying attention to your body signals, which have been trying to alert you that a panic attack is coming. There is no shame. Most of us have not been taught to pay attention to our emotional cues. But you can change this. Practice cueing into your body and listening when it is trying to tell you something. Once you notice your body cues for stress/anxiety, you can use this guide to manage your stress and prevent panic attacks.
Many people have panic attacks at night or struggle with anxiety-induced insomnia because it is the only time in the day when they cannot ignore the anxiety. It comes on full force because our brain is finally trying to be still to sleep. If this is you, this is a perfect indication that you have unmanaged stress that has been trying to get your attention.
Give yourself time before bed to put away your devices (this includes the TV) and write down what is on your mind, what is bothering you and what you don’t want to forget about tomorrow. Your brain will be glad it doesn’t have to ruminate because you have written it down and won’t forget. Remember, our brains are trying to help us.
What to do if You are Having a Panic Attack?
Do your best to slow your breathing. The more you practice diaphragmatic breathing, the better it will work during a panic attack. Diaphragmatic breathing is breathing slowly in your nose while you push out your stomach like inflating a balloon, hold it for a moment, and breathe out slowly through your nose or mouth while your stomach deflates.
Tell yourself you are safe and you are okay. Our bodies are wired for survival. If we can at least minimize the fear of death and remind ourselves this is a panic attack that will pass, our brains will regulate faster.
Use your 5 senses to ground yourself in the present. Smell is our strongest sense so if you can focus on a smell do that. Keep an essential oil or candle nearby, this will help tremendously. You can Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice cube to initiate the sense of touch. Notice and focus on a detail in your environment; a leaf, flower, kitchen tile, letters on your keyboard to initiate the sense of sight, etc.
Next Steps
While panic attacks are common, regular occurrence is an indicator that you need additional support.
Panic attacks put a tremendous amount of stress on your entire nervous system. This will in turn impact your digestive system, your sleep among many other aspects of your life. I would highly recommend that if you have had a panic attack, you should consider getting professional support. While you can work to prevent and decrease the length of panic attacks, you may need additional support managing the level of stress you are under. I’ve been saying this a lot lately, therapy doesn’t have to last forever. It may only take 5 sessions for you to understand the root of your symptoms, practice tools to regulate your nervous system and prevent panic attacks.
As always, I am here to support you in either finding a therapist in your area, or working with you if you are in the state of Arizona.
Maggie McCane, LCSW
www.rehobothtucson.com
hello@rehobothtucson.com
520-222-9735
