Anxiety, Panic & Health » Panic Attacks

Conquering Your Panic: Dave’s Success Story

Mike Nichols — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:50:34 +0000

A reader named Dave left a comment on the post, “I’m Dying: What a Panic Attack Feels Like” that told the story of how he overcame his panic attacks.

It tells how he had panic attacks for many years, but has not had them now for 11 years! He conquered them with therapy — and without medication. I thought that Dave’s story should not remain buried in the comments, so I asked Dave to expand his comment into a post.

Anxiety Disorders cause us to turn inward, to focus on our woes. We tend to believe that no one else has the same problems, and that there is no hope for ever becoming fully functional again.

So it’s doubly reassuring to hear Dave’s story: it lets us hear that we are not alone, and that there are effective treatments that can help us learn to control and manage our symptoms for a lifetime!

Rachael, Louis, Angela, Itsme, Kenny, Sara, Samantha and the rest of you that are suffering. While all of our panic attacks are different, they are also all the same, so with that I say “I know how you feel.” I suffered with panic attacks for 12 years.

So many nights, days, mornings – hit out of the blue with an attack that put me on the edge of sure death. But… my last attack was more than 11 years ago! Yes, there is hope! So with that as my purpose for writing, I thought that I’d share my experiences with panic attacks and my freedom from them.

My first comment, as Mike says, is that this truly can be beat! You do not have to continue to live in fear of yet another horrible, fear-filled episode.

In 1987, I had my first panic attack

I am now 48, hold a senior position in the software industry, have an awesome wife, a marriage of 23 years, and two great kids (and one big 18 pound cat). In 1987, I had my first panic attack. I had no idea what was happening. Like many of us, I ended up in the ER, certain I was having a heart attack, followed by trips to my doctor to see what was wrong. When they ruled out all things cardio, the diagnosis was “panic attacks,” of which I knew nothing. Well, nothing really happened for several months until 2 years later when I had my next attack: More tests, etc.

Yes, the diagnosis is still “panic attacks”. And it was at that point where they began to increase in severity, frequency, and symptoms.

I had all the symptoms on the list

This went on for 12 years. If I look at the list of symptoms for a panic attack Mike has listed on this site now, I’d say “Yep, I had all of these” — many in one attack! For sure, they were some of the most fearful events I have ever had to deal with. I’m not sure how many times I was seconds away from calling 911. But I kept it all to myself and didn’t do anything to try to solve the issue for a very long time — and things got worse.

Didn’t want to try drugs. Didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. Too humiliating, too proud, too scared.

A web of panic attack sites, no place or activity was safe

My wife and two kids didn’t know for several years. I think my wife didn’t know for probably 10 years. As my life began to become the “web” of panic attack “sites,” no place or activity was safe. When I’d say “No” to doing something with my wife, she thought that I just didn’t want to be with her, as there was no other explanation.

I couldn’t do it by myself

Finally after a few of my worst attacks, I decided that I couldn’t do it by myself and I’d have to tell someone. I told my wife. One of the first things that she did was find a book and got it for me (Overcoming Panic, Anxiety & Phobias by Shirley Babior). When it arrived, I opened the cover to find that Shirley had signed it herself — wow, that alone made such a huge difference knowing that I wasn’t alone in this and that some other person actually knew what I was experiencing!

And since you’re reading this blog, you already know that to be true. That’s a good thing.

Well, that was 11 years ago.

Re-training the brain

I went to my doctor, who referred me to a psychiatrist. He wanted to start me on a set of meds, one being Paxil. I tried it for 2 days and it wasn’t for me. My reaction to that medication (which can be different for each individual) was like I was on 12 cups of coffee. So I stopped the meds and just went through the steps of cognitive therapy. This type of therapy basically re-trained my brain to not “react” to the various triggers that set off my attacks, as well as learning how to control my body stress/tension to prevent a panic attack from getting out of control or even starting to begin with. This was done using bio-feedback and other relaxations exercises/techniques.

I had no idea what “normal” was

I learned where I held the tension/stress in my body, how to recognize when it was building up, and how to release it. In addition, a key thing was to getting back to knowing what my body was supposed to feel like when it was in a “normal” state (i.e. healthy). With all of the chemicals that are pumped into our body during an attack (basically a fight-or-flight reaction when there’s nothing to react to), I always felt like my body felt totally “out of balance”. For me, these feelings could last hours to a couple of days. I really got to the point where I had no idea what “normal” was. So, getting off of all caffeine, alcohol, etc. (stimulants, depressants) as well as eating healthy and exercising helped in returning my body to normal.

I also learned that we are also most at risk of attacks when we are depressed. This seems counter-intuitive since anxiety appears to be akin to a “hyper” state, but when our body is depressed, its unable to suppress the physiological reactions which initiate an attack (similar to how our immune system is unable to suppress disease when it is compromised and weak).

The “recovery” process took probably 2 years to get through, but I did make it! And I can truly say that I have not had any panic attacks since.

The mind strikes out at the body

I’ve spoken with several people about it since then who have suffered from them, normally at a very early stage luckily. The way I picture the underlying cause for myself is like this: all of us have an “emotional bucket” that we fill up with “stuff” over time – good stuff, bad stuff, various things that we don’t want to deal with at the time. Everyone’s bucket is a different size, but at some point it can’t contain any more. What happens when it is full and begins to overflow? That depends on the person. Some begin to strike out at other people angrily. Some people act out in other “dysfunctional” ways. Others like us have physiological reactions; our mind strikes out at our body — we have panic attacks.

So obviously, emptying out the bucket and keeping it from filling back up is key to living free from panic.

Mike – thank you for having this site and helping to educate those in need about it. It is truly a blessing.

This thing is not going to kill you

And remember – all of you who are currently struggling with panic disorder – when you’re having an attack, this thing is not going to kill you. I understand how this is so, so very hard to believe at the time. At times, I had to count to 10 or 20 or 30 or walk 10 feet at a time, and then prove to myself that nothing really happened!

And See – we are all still here :-).

Seek help, understanding, and guidance

So, I encourage all of you who are struggling through this to seek help, understanding, and guidance. Talk with people that are trained to deal with this as well as others that understand what you are going through. Don’t be ashamed or humiliated; take action before it does more damage to your life and to those around you. Rid your life of this beast and return to living as it should be. There is a path forward!

Take care,
Dave

What do you think?

Dave’s story is truly heartening. After suffering in silence and isolation, he reached out for help and found it. He found that he was not alone, and that there is effective help available. I wish that every person suffering from panic attacks could read it and take its message to heart!

Do you find Dave’s story as inspiring as I do?
What have been your experiences with panic attack treatment?
Do you have any words of encouragement to add for those suffering from panic attacks?

As always, your comments are welcome!

If you have enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email at the top of your screen. It’s free! You can also follow me on Twitter from the same place. I would also appreciate your sharing this post using your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of this post.

%RELATEDPOSTS%

Related Posts:

Panic Attacks And the Inability to Express Emotions: Are They Related?

Mike Nichols — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:26:15 +0000

The search for the causes of panic attacks and Panic Disorder continues to turn up new and surprising clues to the origins and contributors to the disorders.

A new vein of research has been trying to find out if panic attacks are related to personality traits that are not mental illnesses. Researchers in Italy and Denmark have published studies in the last few months that show a distinct relationship between alexithymia, the inability to talk about feelings, and Panic Disorder.

Alexithymia is a relatively new field of study. The personality trait was only named in 1972, and has received increasing attention in the past few years as a cause or contributor to a number of medical and psychological maladies.

This post discusses alexithymia and its relationship to panic attacks and Panic Disorder under these headings:

What is alexithymia?
How do I tell if I’m alexithymic?
What relationship do panic attacks and Panic Disorder have with alexithymia?

What is alexithymia?

Inability to talk about feelings due to a lack of emotional awareness

Alexithymia is the inability to talk about feelings due to a lack of emotional awareness. Alexithymics are typically unable to identify, understand or describe their own emotions.[1] It is a personality trait that places people at risk for other medical and psychiatric disorders while reducing the likelihood that these people will respond to conventional treatments for other conditions.

Alexithymia is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as a mental disorder, since it is considered to be a personality trait at this time.[2] This Manual is the source used by most US psychiatrists and psychologists to make diagnoses. The new DSM-V, due to be released in 2012, may change this.

The term “alexithymia” was coined in 1972 by Peter Sifneos from the Greek a (prefix meaning “lack”), lexis (“word”), and thymos (“feelings”), and can be read literally as “a lack of words for feelings.”[3]The name actually is inaccurate, since the syndrome involves much more than a simple inability to express feelings.

Alexithymia is a relatively new diagnosis, so there have been no large-scale studies of the prevalence of the syndrome in the general population. Smaller-scale studies point to the prevalence as being from 5 to 9 percent.

The key features of alexithymia are:[4]

Difficulty identifying different types of feelings
Difficulty distinguishing between emotional feelings and bodily feelings
Limited understanding of what caused the feelings
Difficulty verbalising feelings
Limited emotional content in the imagination
Functional style of thinking
Lack of enjoyment and pleasure-seeking
Stiff, wooden posture

Genetics play a large role in alexithymia

A study by Michael Jørgensen and colleagues in Denmark shows that genetics play a large factor in all aspects of alexithymia, much greater than environmental influences. [5] They studied 8,785 twin pairs in Denmark and found that, while environmental factors do play a role in alexithymia, the genetic makeup of a person plays a greater part.[6] This points up that alexithymia is more of an inherited personality trait, rather than something that is learned, and therefore fully treatable.

Note that alexithymia should not be confused with:

Sociopathy – a lack of concern for others
Stoicism – a deliberate resistance of emotional impulses
Apathy – a lack of emotional reactivity or motivation
Emotional repression – subconscious but motivated denial of emotion

How do I tell if I’m alexithymic?

Deficiency in emotional understanding

If you have a marked deficiency in emotional understanding, there will be various clues evident in everyday life. For example, you might:[7]

Find it difficult to talk about your own emotions
Be perceived by others as excessively logical, or unsentimental without being unfriendly
Be perplexed by other people’s emotional reactions
Give pedantic and long-winded answers to practical questions
Rarely daydream or fantasize about personal prospects
Have a subdued reaction to art, literature or music
Make personal decisions according to principles rather than feelings
Suffer occasional inexplicable physiological disturbances such as palpitations, stomach ache, or hot flushes

What relationship do panic attacks and Panic Disorder have with alexithymia?

Same brain dysfunction in panic and alexithymia

A definite relationship has been found by Silvana Galderisi and her colleagues in Italy between dysfunction in certain parts of the brain (the fronto-temporo-limbic circuits) in both alexithymia and panic disorder.[8] These parts of the brain process emotional stimuli, among other things.[9]

Galderisi found that alexithymia was more frequent in patients with Panic Disorder than in those without it. Those with Panic Disorder had lower verbal cognitive abilities and more difficulty in inhibiting interference from nonverbal stimuli and panic-related words. She notes that this reduction in verbal skills might suggest reduced abstraction and symbolization.[10]

Another study by Carlo Marchesi and colleagues showed that patients with Panic Disorder were more alexithymic than normal patients, even when their Panic Disorder was in complete remission.[11] Though the levels of alexithymia dropped after the remission of panic attacks, phobic avoidance and anticipatory anxiety, those with Panic Disorder were still more alexithymic and anxious than normal people.

What do you think?

I spent most of this post describing alexithymia, but it’s a syndrome that most people are unfamiliar with. We all know people that are not forthcoming with their emotions, particularly men, and particularly men in the southern and upper midwest US. But much of this is a learned cultural behavior.

The unanswered question

The question unanswered by these studies is what kind of environment might foster alexithymic tendencies? There are many different kind of environmental influences that might come into play: cultural, religious, and family, to name but a few.

On reflection, I think that I have known several people who could be alexithymic. They were cold, unsentimental, and had no reaction to the arts. My wife even worked for one!

Do you know someone who might be alexithymic? Why do you think so?
What part do you think cultural learning might have in alexithymia?
What do you think are some of the environmental influences that might bolster alexithymia?

As always, your comments are welcome!

%RELATEDPOSTS%

FOOTNOTES
1. Hal. (2003, July 28). The Alexithymia FAQ. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://www.alexithymia.supanet.com/faq.html “What is alexithymia? ¶1↑
2. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association. 1994.↑
3. Hein, Steven. (2007, July 27). Alexithymia. Retrieved January 3, 2009 from http://eqi.org/alexi.htm “The History of the Term” ¶1↑
4. Hal. (2003, July 28). “What are the key features of the alexithymia syndrome?”↑
5. Jørgensen, Michael; Zachariae, Robert; Skytthe, Axel; Kyvik, Kirsten. (2007, October). Genetic and Environmental Factors in Alexithymia: A Population-Based Study of 8,785 Danish Twin Pairs. Retrieved January 3, 2009 from Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics: http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowAbstract&ArtikelNr=107565&Ausgabe=233736&ProduktNr=223864 ↑
6. Science Daily. (2007, November 19). Is the Inability to Express Emotions Hereditary?. Retrieved January 3, 2009 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071117114401.htm ¶3 ¶6 ↑
7. Hal. (2003, July 28). “How do I tell if I’m alexithymic?”↑
8. Galderisi, Silvana; Mancuso, Francesco; Mucci, Armida; Garramone, Stefania; Zamboli, Rosita; Maj, Mario. (2008). Alexithymia and Cognitive Dysfunctions in Patients with Panic Disorder. Retrieved December 12, 2008 from Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics: http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?doi=10.1159/000119738 ↑
9. Science Daily. (2008, June 5). Are Panic and Inability to Express Emotions Related?. Retrieved July 1, 2008 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602155657.htm ¶2↑
10. Galderisi. (2008).↑
11. Marchesi, Carlo; Fontó, Stefania; Balista, Chiara; Cimmino, Carmen; Maggini, Carlo. (2005). Relationship between Alexithymia and Panic Disorder: A Longitudinal Study to Answer an Open Question. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics: http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?typ=pdf&doi=82028 ↑

Related Posts:

I’m Dying: What a Panic Attack Feels Like

Mike Nichols — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 02:23:29 +0000

The term “panic attack” is part of our common language. We hear it all the time.

“When I saw the electricity bill I just had a panic attack!” Or, “I had a panic attack when I woke up and saw I was two hours late for work!” Or, “When I realized I’d just eaten a raw oyster I about had a panic attack!” All these statements are inaccurate uses of the term “panic attack,” and are what are called clinomorphisms, or exaggerated use of a medical term.

Panic attacks are no laughing matter, and people who have the real ones cringe when they hear the term bandied about in everyday speech like it was nothing. They know the feeling that you are about to die, the intense fear, and the sudden onset are far more than what most people think of as a “panic attack.”

So how does it really feel to have a panic attack? Few people, aside from panic attack sufferers themselves, really know. It’s the purpose of this post to give you an insider’s view of what it actually feels like to have a panic attack.

What exactly is a panic or anxiety attack?

Sudden surge of overwhelming fear

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling of being “stressed out” that most people experience. A panic attack is marked by:

Occurring suddenly, without any warning and without any way to stop it.
The level of fear is way out of proportion to the actual situation, and is often completely unrelated.
It passes in a few minutes, however, repeated attacks can continue to recur for hours.

For detailed information on panic attacks, please see the “Panic Attacks” reference article, For help making it through a panic attack, see the post, “Are You Having a Panic Attack? What Can You Do?“

What do psychiatrists say are the symptoms of a panic attack?

The “official” criteria for panic attacks

First, let’s get the “official” criteria for determining whether what you are feeling is a panic attack or not. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association is the standard for diagnosis of mental disorders all over the world.

It requires that at least four of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within 10 minutes for a diagnosis of panic attack:

1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

2. Sweating

3. Trembling or shaking

4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

5. Feeling of choking

6. Chest pain or discomfort

7. Nausea or abdominal distress

8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint

9. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)

10. Fear of losing control or going crazy

11. Fear of dying

12. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)

13. Chills or hot flushes

My panic attacks

Muscle constrictions, pounding heart, weakness and tingling, and fear of losing control

I hesitate to insert a personal side to this post, but since I have first-hand knowledge of how it feels to have a panic attack, I believe it is appropriate to describe mine. Each of my panic attacks is a little different, but all follow the same general outline: muscle constrictions, pounding heart, weakness and tingling, and fear of losing control and fainting.

My panic attacks start with muscle constrictions and tingling around the eyes, then the feeling spreads to my mouth and lower face. I develop a headache and feel a choking muscle constriction in my neck and tightening of my chest. There is a funny feeling in my chest, like shooting electricity. My heart starts pounding, my breathing is constricted and I feel very weak, especially in my arms and hands. A tingly feeling spreads over my whole body. I have a sense of unreality, of watching myself from a distance, and a growing fear of being unable to control myself. As things escalate, I desperately look for someplace — any place — to escape to. At its peak, I feel like I am going to faint and if things continue, I will surely die.

What do others say are their symptoms during a panic attack?

An informal compiled list of symptoms

Panic attacks are by their nature subjective experiences, and like all subjective experiences, are open to the interpretation and description of the sufferer. Following is an informal compiled list of symptoms from Wikipedia. They are grouped under “physical,” “mental,” “emotional,” and “perceptual” headings:

Physical

A sensation of adrenaline going through your entire body
Sweating
Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
Stomach Problems (spastic colon)
Racing or pounding heartbeat or palpitations
Chest pain
Dizziness or vertigo
Headache
Lightheadedness
Nausea or stomach pains
Hyperventilation
Choking or smothering sensations
Hot flashes
Cold flashes
Tingling or numbness in the hands, face, feet or mouth (paresthesia)
Feelings of “crawly,” “itchy,” or “cringy” skin sensations.
Burning sensations
Trembling or shaking
Feeling of claustrophobia
Feeling like the body is shutting down and/or dying
Tremors in the legs and thighs
Tingling spine
Feeling like one is experiencing a heart attack
Exhaustion
Muscle spasms
Feeling of physical weakness or limpness of the body
Grinding teeth or tensing other muscles repeatedly or for prolonged periods of time
Temporary blindness
Sizzling or ringing in ears

Mental

Intense and/or frightening realizations of reality
Loss of the ability to react logically to stimuli
Loss of cognitive ability in general
Racing thoughts (often based on fear)
Irrational thoughts
Loud internal dialogue
Feeling like nothing is real
Feeling of impending doom
Feeling of “going crazy”
Feeling out of control
Feeling like no one understands what is happening
Vision is somewhat impaired (eyes may feel like they are shaking.)
Feeling like you are going to die any second
Avoidance behavior
Agoraphobia

Emotional

Terror, or a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it
Fear that the panic is a symptom of a serious illness
Fear that the panic will not subside
Fear of losing control
Fear of death
Fear of living
Fear of going crazy
Flashbacks to earlier panic trigger
Intense “scared” feeling
Fear of failure

Perceptual

Tunnel vision
Heightened senses
The apparent slowing down or speeding up of time
Dream-like sensation or perceptual distortion (derealization)
Dissociation, or the perception that one is not connected to the body or is disconnected from space and time (depersonalization)
Feeling of loss of free will, as if acting entirely automatically without control

If you think that you are having panic attacks…

Panic attacks are not dangerous in themselves

If you are experiencing four or more of the symptoms listed by the DSM-IV for panic attacks within 10 minutes, you need to contact your doctor as soon as possible. Panic attacks are not dangerous in and of themselves, though you often feel like you’re dying. But the avoidance of the situations that trigger panic attacks can very rapidly lead to a severe constriction of your life, to Panic Disorder, and to Agoraphobia. The danger is not in the panic attacks, but in what they can lead to.

Panic attacks are one of the most treatable of the Anxiety Disorders, and many times a mental health professional can help you manage them without the use of drugs. The course of treatments is often not very long, and you will have the ability to control your condition for the rest of your life.

What do you think?

Do you have panic attack symptoms that are not listed here?
Can you describe your own panic attacks?
What do you think of people who misuse the term “panic attack?”

What can you do now?

Your comments are always welcome, and are important to this blog’s community! Leave a comment now.

You can find several related articles in the “Related Posts” list below. Click on the Categories tab at the top of the page for a complete list of all articles. And don’t forget the Google Custom Search field in the right sidebar, too!

Get free updates by RSS or email!

If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to article updates, using an RSS reader, or by email. It’s free and is a great way to make sure you don’t miss a single article! I also invite you to follow me on Twitter!

Why not share this article with others!

Share this article with your friends using your favorite social media service, such as StumbleUpon, Digg, or del.icio.us. Check out the icons below under “Share This Article With Others” for other social media, including Technorati, Sphinn, Friendfeed, FaceBook and MySpace! You can also email or print the article, and even tweet it using Twitter!

Resources used in this post:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association. 1994.
Wikipedia. (2008). Panic attack. Retrieved June 28, 2008 from Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attack

Related Posts:

Are You Having a Panic Attack? What Can You Do?

Mike Nichols — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:22:49 +0000

Your heart is pounding, you are trembling, and you feel that you’re going to die!

Are you having a panic attack? How do you know?

And what can you do to reduce the symptoms like choking or nausea?

There’s a lot of confusion over what the symptoms a panic attack actually are. Much of this confusion can be attributed to the media’s misrepresentations of panic attacks and the lack of real knowledge by the general public. This leads to clinomorphisms in which a person will exaggerate their symptoms and call it a panic attack, when all it is is a moment of great surprise or unpleasantness.

The “real” symptoms of a panic attack are detailed in this post, along with a list of suggestions for ways to deal with it while it’s happening. They are excerpted from my full article on panic attacks found under the resources in the right sidebar.

The real, “official,” definition of a panic attack

The DSM-IV is used worldwide

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association is the “official” manual for diagnosing mental illnesses. It is used all over the world. This is the same resource your psychiatrist uses. It details the following criteria for a panic attack as:

A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which 4 (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:

1. Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

2. Sweating

3. Trembling or shaking

4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

5. Feeling of choking

6. Chest pain or discomfort

7. Nausea or abdominal distress

8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint

9. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)

10. Fear of losing control or going crazy

11. Fear of dying

12. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)

13. Chills or hot flushes

Panic attacks reach a peak within 10 minutes and typically last 15 minutes. However, they may recur rapidly. Once the symptoms are reduced, a severely anxious state may not go away for several hours.

Or maybe you’re having a Limited-Symptom Attack

A Limited-Symptom Attack has 3 or fewer symptoms

A Limited-Symptom Attack is a panic attack that meets all criteria for a “full-blown” panic attack, but has fewer than 4 of the listed symptoms. These are very common in people with Panic Disorder, though they can happen to a person without any diagnosed Anxiety Disorder. People with other Anxiety Disorders may be prone to Limited-Symptom Attacks, particularly those with Social Phobia.

What can I do if I’m having a panic attack?

Relax. Reassure. Breathe.

There are many sources for advice out there that can help you deal with a panic attack as you are having it. Some are genuinely strange. But the better ones mostly boil down to three words: Relax, Reassure, Breathe.

Here is a short summary of many sources of suggestions for taking care of yourself when you’re having a panic attack. They have worked for me; I hope they work for you:

Gently reassure yourself that you are not dying or going crazy. Take deep breaths and repeat this to yourself mantra-like.
Learn and recall the symptoms of panic attacks and one-by-one identify each one you are having, all the while reassuring yourself that the attack will only last a short while.
If you are concerned about not being able to breathe or you are choking, tell yourself that if you can talk, you can breathe. Relax your muscles and slow down your breathing. Take deep breaths, hold them and let them out slowly as if blowing out a candle.
For trembling and shaking, or numbness and tingling sensations, try shaking the arms and/or legs to help relax the muscles. Tell yourself that the tingling and numbness are caused by the body’s “fight or flight” reaction, which redirects blood to the lungs, brain and large muscles.
If you are nauseated or feeling dizzy and faint, try to find a quiet place to sit down and put your head between your knees. Lacking that, seek something that you can steady yourself on, breathe deeply and relax your muscles.
Relax your muscles, particularly in the shoulders and neck. Become conscious of any tension that you may be feeling in your muscles. Then progressively tense and relax all the large muscle groups. For example, tighten the muscles in your left leg with a deep breath in, hold it, then release the muscles. Proceed with the right leg, then move up the body, one muscle group at a time.
If you are hyperventilating or over-breathing, hold your breath for as long as you comfortably can to prevent the dissipation of carbon dioxide. If you hold your breath for a period of between 10 and 15 seconds and repeat this a few times, it will be sufficient to calm hyperventilation quickly. Alternatively, breathe in and out of a paper bag, which causes you to inhale the carbon dioxide you exhaled. This may not be possible under some situations.
Slow down your breathing. This may be done by blowing out each breath through pursed lips as if blowing out a candle. Also, place your hands on your stomach to feel the rapidity of your breathing.

Don’t just suffer! Get help!

There’s no need to suffer

It cannot be emphasized enough that if you are having panic attacks, you need to seek the help of a mental health care professional as soon as possible. Panic attack treatment has one of the highest success rates of all mental health treatments. However, if left untreated, panic attacks can rapidly escalate into Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, and a quickly deteriorating quality of life.

What do you think?

I have not had a “full-blown” panic attack in quite some time. More often I have 2 or 3 symptoms that I am able to control by using the suggestions listed above. But it’s taken years to get to this place. Do not do as I did — go it alone — with your panic attacks; get help now! (Note that this article is excerpted from the full article on panic attacks found under Resources in the right column of this blog. )

Have you had panic attacks in the past or are you having them now?
Were you able to control them, and if so, how?
What advice could you give to others who are having panic attacks?

As always, your comments are welcome!

If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email at the top of your screen. It’s free! I would also appreciate your sharing it using your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of this post.

Resources used in this post:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association. 1994.

%RELATEDPOSTS%

Related Posts:

Simple Blood Test for Panic Disorder Developed

Mike Nichols — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:33:22 +0000

A simple blood test for Panic Disorder is being commercially developed by the University of Iowa. The test is based on research by Robert Philibert and others at the University’s Carver College of Medicine. The study was funded in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Philibert states that:

The ability to test for panic disorder is a quantum leap in psychiatry… Panic disorder will no longer be a purely descriptive diagnosis, but, as with cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome and other conditions, a diagnosis based on genetic information… In addition, the finding could help us better understand the pathways that initiate, promote and maintain panic disorder.

The study, published in the online version of the American Journal of Medical Genetics, were based on the analysis of genetic information in immature white blood cells. Although Panic Disorder is a disease of the brain cells, they are not accessible or easily tested. The study used lymphoblasts (immature cells) as “stand-ins” for brain cells.

Philibert and his associates are hopeful that this Panic Disorder blood test will lead to simple tests for other mental conditions.

Mental disorder blood tests raise larger questions

While a blood test for Panic Disorder might seem to be all good news, it does raise larger questions about how information revealed by such tests will be used. How patient medical records can be used by employers, insurers and others are a concern, Philibert said. He adds:

Science is like a hammer. You can use it to build a house or break a window. We certainly intend for this finding to help people manage their disease, and when possible, to prevent it from affecting their lives. [I]t could help us identify systems that interact with the environment and possibly lead the way to new, even non-drug, therapies to prevent illness.

How will this information be used, especially if it is online?

With the bringing of medical records online, the privacy of people’s medical information is an issue that is just now being addressed. Google’s Health online database and MicroSoft’s HealthVault are now in beta (preliminary public) testing. They combine patient-entered information with other sources such as doctors and drugstores.

The promise of portable online medical information that can be accessed by doctors, hospitals and its owners is a bright dream surrounded by dark clouds. How will these records be kept from prying eyes? How long will it be before potential employers, insurance companies, and the government find a way to access them, too?

What is your opinion of this new Panic Disorder test and the implications of widespread availability of what are now private medical records? As always, your comments count!

If you have enjoyed this article, please consider subscribing to this blog, either via RSS or email on the top of the left sidebar. I would also appreciate it if you shared this article with your favorite social media, such as StumbleUpon or Digg. Just click the little green “ShareThis” button at the bottom of the post.

SOURCES

Cheng, Jacqui (2007, October 6). Microsoft wants your health care records, trust. Retrieved June 25, 2008, from ars technica. Web site: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071006-microsoft-wants-your-health-care-records-trust.html

Cheng, Jacqui (2008, May 19). Google Health beta launches with security issues looming. Retrieved June 25, 2008, from ars technica. Web site: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080519-google-health-beta-launches-with-security-issues-looming.html

Nauert, Rick (2007, March 6). Blood Test for Panic Disorder. Retrieved June 25, 2008, from PsychCentral News. Web site: http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/03/06/blood-test-for-panic-disorder/666.html

University of Iowa (2007, March 6). Blood Tests May Be Possible For Mental Health Conditions. Retrieved June 25, 2008, from The University of Iowa News Services. Web site: http://www.news-releases.uiowa.edu/2007/march/030607panic-disorder.html

%RELATEDPOSTS%

Related Posts: