Panic Attacks! Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments Explained!

Irrespective of any physical or mental health condition, it should be treated at the earliest as in no time it can become chronic. This is exactly the case with a panic attack if left untreated; it leads to a panic disorder.
A panic attack is defined as an immediate short moment comprising intense fear/anxiety that triggers several physical reactions at a time when no actual signs of the apparent cause or real danger exist.
However, it can be extremely frightening, and one may think that he/she is having a heart attack, losing control, or even dying!

Useful Facts/Stats

As per the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), approximately 2-3% of the U.S. citizens experience a panic attack/disorder in a year.
A panic attack is two times more common in women as compared to men.
A panic attack/disorder is usually seen in people during their 20s but can also be seen in elderly, adolescents, and young kids.
A panic attack can even occur while a person is asleep.
The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) explains that panic disorder is not the only reason for a panic attack to occur as several other lifestyle and health factors also trigger it.

Major Panic Attack Symptoms

Common Panic Attack Causes

The actual causes of a panic attack are unknown, but several factors lead to its occurrence. These include:

Stopping/Preventing a Panic Attack

If you or anyone around you experiences any of the panic attack symptoms, the following practices should be followed to stop/prevent it.

Also, one can prepare for the same in advance as merely doing so will make it less possible to move from symptoms to a panic attack.

1. Recognize the Panic Attack

It is essential that one gets mentally prepared first to prevent the attack. So, recognize the associated symptoms by learning about the same.
This will relax the mind by knowing that it is not a heart attack but a panic attack symptom that will pass by easily.

2. Deep Breathe

This includes taking deep, slow breaths if one is able to. Take a breath inside for 3-4 seconds, hold it, and breathe outside for 3-4 seconds.
There are a lot of affordable and free phone apps that can help you with deep breathing exercises for getting prepared in advance.

3. Try Focusing on a Point

There may be instances where a person starts getting more anxious while focusing on breathing.
In such a scenario, focusing on something else, like any point that one can see clearly, helps in lowering the stress levels.

4. Make Your Brain Work

Just like focusing on an outside point helps, making the brain work on something else helps in reducing anxiety levels.
This can include anything such as counting the alphabet backward or numbers backward by 3s.
This small activity of the brain can interrupt the negative thoughts coming inside it.

5. Have Emergency Contacts

Have some emergency contacts on your speed dial list.
A simple call or text can be more than enough to get you out of the danger zone of a panic attack.

6. Engage in a Light Exercise

Whenever one experiences any panic attack symptoms, the best way to make the blood plump the right way is by engaging in a light exercise.
It can be swimming or even a walk as with this, endorphins are released that lower stress levels and improves the mood.

7. Visualize Happiness

If one wants to get over a panic attack symptom, one needs to work the other way round. Symptoms cause anxiety, so one should do the opposite.
Think of the things that make you feel happy; it can be anything like your favorite life moments, a smell, sound, texture, and more. Again, this puts your brain on another track.

8. Identify Safe Spaces

If one is aware of his/her panic attack, it is recommended to identify safe spaces for the same in home and office.
This can be a dressing room, favorite store area, restroom, etc. where one thinks he/she can peacefully deal with the symptoms.

9. Practice Mindfulness

Using mindfulness, one can come back to reality from the anxiety/fear of imaginary things.
For this, one must focus on the familiar physical sensations like feeling the jean’s texture with hands, digging a foot into the ground, etc.

10. Keep Lavender Handy

Lavender essential oil is highly popular for being stress-relieving and soothing.
It helps in making the body relax when applied on forearms, supported by a deep breath.
So, one should keep it handy always if one knows about his/her panic attacks.

Conclusion

So, these were the symptoms, causes, and preventions of a panic attack. We hope you must know what needs to be done by now if one experiences any of the symptoms mentioned above.
Also, it is essential to educate yourself regarding the panic attacks as this also makes you mentally strong in fighting the symptoms and decreasing the chances of an attack.
If you or someone close to you is experiencing panic attack symptoms and is unable to cope with the same, you must contact a top-rated and trusted primary care provider.
If you are searching for one, consider contacting Central Valley Medical Providers. In order to ensure quality patient service, please get in touch with our Customer Service Department at (877) 216-4215/local: 559.450.6334 for more information.