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Panic Attack

A panic attack is the response of the sympathetic nervous system.  Although panic attacks (also called anxiety attacks) can produce some very disturbing symptoms, they are completely harmless.  Panic attacks are the most extreme manifestation of panic disorder, an anxiety response which usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and are mainly over within 30 minutes. They can be as short as 15 seconds, or can last for an extended period, sometimes hours.

The effects of a panic attack vary and the list of symptoms experienced by panic attack sufferers can be very long, every one of us is physically and psychologically different so symptoms will not be the same for everyone. Symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath/hyperventilation
• Chest pains (first time sufferers may believe they are having a heart attack)
• Palpitations/racing heart
• Dizziness/faintness
• Disorientation (may feel like having a nervous breakdown)
• Inability to think clearly
• Tingling in the extremities
• Muscle pains
• Sweating/fluctuating body temperature
• Abdominal discomfort/stomach cramps or diarrhoea
• Feeling nauseous

After the peak of the panic attack has subsided, the sufferer can be left feeling emotionally and physically drained.  Feeling weak, tired, confused, shaky, achy and emotion is all part and parcel of anxiety attacks and will pass.

Therapies for Anxiety Disorders, Including Panic Attacks

The subconscious mind plays an important part in the activation of the anxiety response.  Anxiety usually builds gradually as a reaction to People. Places and Things, from old repetitive thought and actions, manifesting at a Peak Point of Tension as a Panic Attack.

Behaviour alters to accommodate this Tension Thermometer, with the subconscious mind holding on to the appropriate automatic thoughts, feelings and reactions.

Spontaneous Panic Attacks can appear seemingly without warning if the anxiety response has been ‘set’ at a high level of reaction, with hyper-arousal so the slightest on external (People, Places, Things) or internal (thoughts and feelings) stimuli.

Often, the sufferer will have a ‘fear of fear’ cycle; self-perpetuating cycle of high anxiety.  This psychological trauma seems a hard habit to break.

Breaking the Habit of Being Ourself.

The goal of therapy is to achieve perception change within the individual. What is most important is that the person drain the trauma out of the anxiety reaction/panic attacks and begin living a valued life through appropriate responses to People, Places and Things.

The goal of the individual is to get more fully present with what they think and fell and remember, to gain a successful pattern of behaviour adjustment, changing the negative content of thoughts and feelings. ‘Panic’ need not be viewed as one’s own enemy, or as an indication of failure in one’s life.  Reactions of panicking and feeling depressed can be adjusted even though the external environment does not.  Overcoming anxiety and panic attacks can be very fast, once the individual learns different coping skills to re-set the anxiety reaction to a ‘calm’ status.  All our Therapies are designed to achieve inner equilibrium, including Tools for Change in the present moment.