Panic Disorder:
What You Fear the Most Cannot Happen
A panic attack is a horrible and terrifying experience, but it is not in any
sense dangerous. Panic disorder is actually an entirely natural bodily reaction
that is occurring OUT OF CONTEXT.
For example, when we feel our survival is somehow threatened, all mammals have
an instinctual response to either fight or flee. This response produces a sudden
surge of adrenaline, accompanied by strong feelings of anxiety and panic,
and a very intense urge to flee or escape the situation or circumstance.
It is interesting that the intensity of the reaction and the strong urge to flee
are things that would ensure your survival if you were truly in danger.....
The flow of adrenaline and the resulting extra blood flow increases your
strength and awareness of the danger. This extra "awareness" of the perceived
danger may cause all sorts of feelings, such as dizziness, nausea,
hyperventilation, heart palpitations, confusion, lack of control, unreality,
being dazed, shaking, trembling, and sweaty palms, among others.
During a panic attack, your body goes through the same physical processes as it
would if you were in real danger. The DIFFERENCE, of course, is that although
you feel you are in danger, you really ARE NOT. That you undergo panic
attacks -- without knowing why -- only makes the situation much more
frightening.
Because of these feelings of panic, it's very common to "invent" or attribute
danger to the accompanying bodily symptoms. Remember, though, that
NO ONE has ever had these things happen to them as a result of a panic attack:
"I'M GOING CRAZY": No one with panic attacks and anxiety has
ever gone "crazy". In fact, because you realize that you have panic attacks,
this is just another indication that you are not
going crazy. People that "go crazy" lose contact with reality. Anxiety people
are
too much in contact with reality. Thus, people with panic and anxiety
problems NEVER "go crazy". It simply cannot happen.
"I'M GOING TO PASS OUT": Temporary dizziness leads people
with panic to feel that they may pass out. This is not possible because, during
panic, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure rises. As the
blood pressure rises, it becomes impossible for you to "pass out". When people
faint or "pass out", it's because of a sudden DROP or lowering in blood
pressure.
"I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK": when the heart begins to beat
quickly and people experience "palpitations", they sometimes feel a heart attack
is occurring. In the first place, the heart can beat quickly and continuously
for a long period of time without causing any damage. Although heart
palpitations seem to occur in the left side of the chest, there are many
DIFFERENCES between panic attack and a real heart attack. During a
real heart attack, the primary symptom is a crushing sensation inside
the chest and a pain that is continuous. During a panic attack, the
attention is focused on the quick and rapid beating of the heart itself.
("I can hear my heart beating even in my ears!") People having panic attacks are
NOT experiencing heart problems. A real heart attacks produces crushing internal
pain that doubles people up and drops them to the floor. They DO NOT hear their
heart beating nor do they care. The intense, crushing pain is the only thing
they can pay attention to.
"I WILL STOP BREATHING AND SUFFOCATE": Sometimes panic
sufferers feel that because they can't catch their breath (and are
hyperventilating), they will suffocate. This is impossible because you
cannot pass out and suffocate. It feels like you can because the mixture
of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your bloodstream is out of proportion. That is
why people feel weak, dizzy, lightheaded, and faint. Suffocation is not a
possibility during a panic attack. In a few moments, as the body gradually
calms down, breathing returns to normal, and the other symptoms gradually go
away.
"I'M LOSING CONTROL": Experiencing many anxiety symptoms all
at once can cause a person to feel that they are "losing control" of themselves.
Sometimes the fear is of acting nervous and foolish in public where others will
be able to notice. Sometimes the fear is of being rushed to the hospital in an
emergency vehicle. For other people, it is the fear that losing all control
proves they are crazy and may have to be institutionalized. Actually, the fact
that you think you could "lose control" guarantees that this is not really
possible. The only people who really "lose control" are people who are
not
aware of this and are not ever concerned or bothered by "losing control".
Although the thoughts and feelings of anxiety and panic are all too real,
the brain is being tricked into thinking that you are somehow in
danger -- when actually you are not. Part of effective therapy includes
realizing this and slowly changing ingrained thought patterns. Another part of
therapy is in actually tapping the emotional side itself -- to quiet and relax
the mind so that anxiety and panic will have no choice but to eventually
disappear.
Active, cognitive/behavioral therapy has been shown by research to be the
most effective therapy in dealing with the anxiety problems.
Usually, there is no reason to rehash the past and analyze it to death. In fact,
the more you think and analyze your problems, the worse you can make your
condition. (Analysis = paralysis). Instead, a focus on making the present better
so that the future is (almost) anxiety-free is the best and most permanent
course of action to take.
Today, panic is being successfully treated in the vast majority of cases.
Active cognitive-behavioral therapy plus a strong motivation and persistence on
the part of the client are the essential ingredients in overcoming this major
anxiety disorder.
-- Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D.,
Psychologist/Clinic Director
We are grateful to Dr. J.S. for his correspondence concerning this page
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