In the article “Panic Attacks” from Sciencedaily. com, a panic attack is described as a sudden feeling of extreme fear or distress. There are a number of reasons why panic attacks occur. Panic attacks are usually triggered by exposure to a phobia. For example, someone with arachnophobia could have a panic attack upon sight of a spider. They can also be triggered by nicotine or caffeine. The symptoms of panic attacks include increased heart rate, dizziness, feeling of choking, and chills or hot flashes.
Symptoms usually only last 10 minutes, although they may last longer. They are typically hereditary, but some people who have no amily history still develop panic disorder. Panic disorder is a disorder associated with frequent panic attacks. Panic attacks are extremely terrifying for the person suffering, some people would even describe it as the most frightening moment of their life. Sufferers often tell of feeling like they couldn’t breathe, like someone was smothering them. Others say it is a feeling that cannot be described unless one actually has an attack.
Panic attacks are usually triggered by exposure to a phobia that the person has, and will last typically ten minutes, unless the sufferer feels they cannot escape, in hich case a panic attack could last hours and could get violent to people trying to help. There are several ways to treat panic disorder, including cognitive therapy; changing the way you think, behavioral therapy; gradually increasing your exposure to scary situations, and body therapy; controlling breathing and muscle relaxation, and finally, medication.
A panic attack is a period of intense, often temporarily disabling sense of extreme fear or psychological distress, typically of abrupt onset. Though it is often a purely terrifying feeling to the sufferer, panic attacks are actually an evolutionary body esponse often known as the fght-or-flight response. Symptoms may include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), vomiting, and sensations of choking or smothering.
During a panic attack, the body typically releases large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream. Many first time sufferers of a panic attack believe they are dying or going insane. It is a feeling that cannot be described until one has had an attack. Many often say panic ttacks are one of the most frightening experiences in their lives. Repeated and apparently unprovoked panic attacks may be a sign of panic disorder, but panic attacks are associated with other anxiety disorders as well.
For example, people who suffer from phobias may experience panic attacks upon exposure to certain triggers. People with panic disorder often can be treated with therapy and/or anti-anxiety/ depression medication. A panic attack typically lasts ten minutes. References Panic Attacks, Sciencedaily. com 2013 Retrieved from http://www. sciencedaily. com/articles/p/panic_attack. htm
