Panic attacks can happen suddenly and without warning. A person can seem to be doing fine, and out of the blue, there is shortness of breath, increased heart rate, sweating, and a host of other symptoms that can stop you right in your tracks. Shaking, loss of bladder control, dizziness, and fear of dying can be embarrassing as well as debilitating. Finding out the causes and trying to stop these episodes are important to good mental health.
If you can figure out what causes the symptoms, there is a chance you can stop the attack before it happens. Sometimes, stressful situations can bring on panic. Phobias, like fear of heights or fear of closed-in spaces, can set a person into a whirlwind of symptoms. If these episodes happen while you are working, you could end up losing your job.
Sometimes you can avoid the situation. For example, if you get in a panic over heavy stop-and-go traffic, you might have to find a job where work hours allow you to avoid driving in rush hour traffic. Try to go a different route to work each day. It may take a little longer, but avoiding the terrible feelings of a panic attack will be better for you in the long run.
People who have claustrophobia should not ride the subway to work. Something as simple as carpooling or taking the bus could be a way to avoid the cause of the panic. Riding in an elevator can make people feel closed in, so take the stairs instead. People packed in like sardines at a rock concert, even if it is outdoors, can cause claustrophobic situations. It might be better to enjoy the music on a CD with no stress of crowds. Simply removing the cause of the attack will eliminate it before it happens.
Drug abuse and alcohol can set off these feelings of panic. Paranoia is common with certain drugs, including amphetamines. These paranoid feelings, combined with stressful situations, commonly induce panic.
Some medical conditions can cause people to feel anxious. Stress, a family history, and certain brain abnormalities may create anxiety in people. Insomnia, withdrawal, and restlessness can be signs that a panic attack will be coming soon. If you can remove those factors, the panic can also leave.
The attack can last as little as a few minutes or as long as 30 minutes. During that time, the person can be extremely uncomfortable. Taking slow, deep breaths can help assuage the symptoms, although sidestepping the attack entirely is better. Certain people will worry so much about having another episode that they can induce an attack. It helps these individuals to avoid the situations that set off attacks.
Therapy can help patients deal with situations before having these issues. However, therapy alone may not eliminate the attacks. Some antidepressants, beta-blockers, or antihistamines can be prescribed for people suffering from panic attacks. Combining cognitive and drug therapies often makes the best treatment.
