I can't breathe!, Oh no, I'm drowning!, Am I having a heart attack?, My soul is leaving my body, I'm going crazy! I hear expressions like this and many more very often in sessions. In today's conditions, we have many responsibilities that we need to fulfill in our lives, such as working, finding a job, studying, raising children. However, sometimes when these responsibilities create more anxiety than they should or when many factors such as emotional burdens from the past, biological factors, and traumatic experiences come together, we may experience Panic Disorder.
Panic attack or Panic Disorder?
Panic Disorder is a disorder in which a person experiences recurrent panic attacks and changes his/her behavior non-adaptively due to the anxiety of having a panic attack. Here I would like to talk about a situation that is generally misunderstood in society. Panic attacks are not a disease in themselves, but a determinant of a disease. Panic attacks can be seen in many diseases such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Specific Phobia, and Agoraphobia.
A panic attack is a bout of intense fear or distress with a clear beginning and end that begins suddenly and intensifies rapidly, often accompanied by an acute sense of danger or the thought of impending doom.
In Panic Disorder, the person experiences recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. Intense fear or discomfort that reaches its peak within minutes, with 4 or more of the following symptoms occurring in the person:
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Palpitation, heart rate, increased heart rate
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Fear of death
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Fear of losing control or "going crazy"
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Fear of losing control of one's self or alienation from the environment,
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Tingling, burning, numbness sensation on the skin
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Sweating,
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Trembling or shaking,
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Shortness of breath or feeling of suffocation,
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Feeling of blockage in the throat,
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Chest pain or discomfort,
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Nausea and abdominal discomfort,
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Headache dizziness, unsteadiness, feeling faint,
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Hot or cold flashes i
In addition to these symptoms, the person may feel persistent anxiety or worry about panic attacks or the consequences of panic attacks (such as "I'm going to have a heart attack", "I'm going to go crazy") or may make significant behavioral changes related to panic attacks (such as avoiding places where attacks may occur)
In Panic Disorder, as a result of the panic attack, the physical symptoms related to these attacks become catastrophic (such as accelerated heartbeat - I am having a heart attack) and new symptoms occur. As a result of anxiety about an attack, a vicious circle is entered. Many methods are used in Panic Disorder, such as realizing and accepting that anxiety actually causes normal physical reactions, using breathing exercises and muscle exercises when a panic attack occurs, meditating, and doing regular weekly exercises. However, working with a specialist in this process is the most effective method to both understand the causes of this disorder and cope with this disorder. In some cases, drug treatments are also recommended along with psychotherapy.
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