Panic attacks can be thought of as sudden bouts of anxiety. These seizures may recur, cause distress and fear for the individual, and make the individual feel vulnerable because they come unexpectedly. Panic attacks, a disease seen in four out of every 100 people in society, have started to increase, especially recently with the existence of a virus that threatens the whole world. Coronavirus is talked about every day, whether on television, social media or in personal communication. Accordingly, information about the coronavirus is processed in our minds and therefore the anxiety we feel increases.
This process, which is called crisis, seizure or attack, usually lasts about 10 minutes, in some cases it can take up to 30 minutes, but then it passes on its own. People experience some symptoms for no reason. These symptoms are:
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Chest tightness
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Chest pain
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Palpitation
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Coldness
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Chills
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Difficulty in breathing
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Dizziness
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Fainting
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Nausea
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Stomach ache
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Tingling
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Fear of losing control
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Belief that one is going crazy
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Belief that one is dying
The symptoms affect the person both by their own existence and by their sudden occurrence. They create a feeling of dread. Panic attacks can occur spontaneously and are the most common type. Sometimes, a specific situation (such as eating with a specific social group) can trigger a panic attack. For some individuals, there is a triggering situation or place, but the person does not experience a panic attack every time he is in that situation or place. For example, all of his panic attacks may occur in his car, but he does not have a panic attack every time he gets in his car.
Differences Between Other Disorders and Panic Attacks
Fear and anxiety are two emotions that are sometimes confused. However, fear is a basic emotion that can be felt by everyone. For example, encountering a stranger whom you find dangerous on a deserted street may cause us to feel fear. lyre. When the body feels fear, certain symptoms occur. These are symptoms such as heart palpitations, breathlessness, and sweating that will prepare the body for the flight or fight response. Anxiety is generally a future-oriented emotion and occurs regarding a possible danger in the future, such as exam anxiety. Although it occurs more slowly, it is a longer lasting feeling.
Panic attack is not a psychiatric disorder on its own. Panic disorder can be mentioned when individuals experience recurrent attacks at unexpected times and begin to worry about the consequences of these attacks and change their behavior accordingly. A panic attack is an intense seizure experienced in panic disorder or anxiety disorder.
Panic Attack and What It Causes
The intensity of emotions such as panic and fear experienced during this attack first escalates. , then begins to descend and eventually disappears. While these are happening, individuals may think that they are losing control, that they will die, have a stroke, or go crazy. So much so that sometimes this belief penetrates deeply and individuals begin to worry about it from time to time in their daily lives and therefore experience sadness and fear. In order to cope with these negative emotions, individuals begin to make changes in their behavior and daily lives. One of these changes is to start staying at home, where they can feel more in control. New behaviors such as not leaving the house, not going to work or school, taking breaks from daily activities, and carrying sedatives such as alcohol begin to take place in the individual's life.
Treatment Process
As you can see, this process, which actually takes 10 minutes, has consequences such as the individual becoming unemployed, starting to use alcohol and substances, and falling into depression. So what is this situation like? If we ask whether it is possible to get rid of it, fortunately our answer will be yes. It is an undeniable fact that drug treatment has positive contributions to individuals suffering from panic attacks. However, drug treatment must be taken under medical supervision and the dose must be adjusted under the supervision of a doctor. Another treatment method would be psychotherapy. In therapy, beliefs about this disease and seizures are discussed with the client. We all have some beliefs and experiences It may cause us to misinterpret information. It is known that when we can change the misinformation about panic attacks, the process will be less scary. As fearfulness decreases, coping ability will increase. However, there may be events, situations, places and people that are thought to trigger these attacks. Gradually confronting these triggers within the safe framework of therapy will also relieve the individual and reduce fear and enable coping. In the meantime, the client is taught how to relax himself and relaxation exercises. Having these skills will prepare clients for a possible seizure. Afterwards, in the psychotherapy room, which is a safe and controlled area, the panic situation is confronted and healthier coping mechanisms are learned.
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