Why Does One Have Panic Attacks And How To Cope With Them?

At some point in our lives, most people experience stress, fear, anxiety or all of these. Although those are normal reactions in the face of life threatening situations, some people experience them more frequently than others do. Most people will experience terror in the event of an assault, violent situation, motor vehicle collision or another similar situation, but others experience it when dealing with their normal day-to-day activities. This condition is known as panic disorder and manifests in panic attacks. These episodes are not life threatening, though they may be experienced as such by the sufferer.

It is a natural process to experience anxiety. This is the way your mind and body will defend themselves against dangerous circumstances. It is an instinctive response to anything threatening. Your body can overreact and this can result in panic attacks when there is no immediate danger or threat. In the western world, it is known that two out of three people are currently suffering from these affects. Treatment is not a requirement.

Children and adults are similar. This may interfere with their lives in ways of their daily activities and social life. It is very important to support people who do suffer an episode and these can be very frightening. These episodes can strike at any time and without warning.

An episode usually occurs unexpectedly, without any warning. The first sign is a racing or pounding heart (palpitations), or a feeling that the heart is missing beats or even stopping. Tremors or shaking and a numb feeling in the extremities, fingers and toes usually accompany this.

The feeling of nausea, dizziness and sweating could result in even more anxiety when the sufferer is in the company of strangers. In severe cases, he or she may experience temporary incontinence, where they lose control of the bowels and or the bladder.

Sufferers of this condition will report that they feel they are dying during an attack. There is a sensation of feeling unreal at this point. Escape could be the only thing on the persons mind and aggression could be witnessed if it is evident that someone is trying to block the escape route. This emotion may seem illogical to witnesses of this attack, but is a vivid reality to the person experiencing this agitation. It is best to not stand in his or her way, while still being vigilant for his or her safety.

There will not be many places they can hide during a panic attract. Places like this would be like airports and large shopping malls, where there are many strangers. Unknown places may have the same effect.

If panic attacks occur alongside other psychological or behavioral problems such as underachievement at school, sleep disturbances, depression or self-harm, it is time to call a mental health professional. Several behavioral therapies are helpful in treating the disorder and medications such as beta-blockers have been found to be helpful without causing harmful side effects. It is important not to take any medication unless prescribed by your healthcare provider, as it may contraindicate other conditions. 

Locate the best techniques about panic attacks by looking online for help. There you will find many articles that will give you methods to use. Head online to learn more now.