A pounding heart, labored breathing, and an overwhelming feeling of fear. If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you know this feeling all too well. And if you’ve ever experienced it, you know one thing for sure: once and never again. But how do you prevent a panic attack and what is the role of stress in it? Women’s health I talked to a psychiatrist to find out.
What is a panic attack?
“A panic attack is the most intense and severe experience of fear,” says AMC psychiatrist Nienke Vulink. ‘You can experience a whole range of physical symptoms as an expression of that fear. Think palpitations, sweating, shaking, tingling, or chest pain. These are very serious physical ailments and people often have the idea of dying or going completely crazy. It’s a horrible thing to experience.’
Want to know more about complaints? These are all symptoms that can result from a panic attack.
Hyperventilation in panic attack
“During a panic attack, breathing may also speed up,” Vulink says. ‘Hyperventilation can therefore be part of a panic attack. But not all forms of hyperventilation are a symptom of a panic attack.’ For example, stress alone can cause hyperventilation, without this resulting in a full-blown panic attack. According to Vulink, good diagnostics is therefore essential.
What causes a panic attack?
“A panic attack is often, but not always, the expression of an underlying psychiatric disorder,” explains Vulink. «The best known underlying diseases are anxiety disorders. Any anxiety disorder, if severe enough, can be accompanied by panic attacks. Physical illnesses or the use of certain substances can also trigger a panic attack. If your panic attacks seem to come out of nowhere, then you have a panic disorder. But before we can determine whether this is the case, good diagnostics are needed.”
Can you have a panic attack due to stress?
Everyone experiences stressful times, but not everyone experiences a panic attack at some point in their life. So not everyone can trigger one if they exceed a certain stress threshold. If you are already prone to panic attacks, stress can play a provoking role. “We see from practice that anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders worsen when people experience stress,” Vulink says. “This can also be positive stress you feel because of pleasant things.”
Do you need help relaxing? Try these 5 tips to reduce stress.
Prevent panic attacks due to stress
Stress is part of everyday life. Of course, you can try to avoid all forms of stress, but avoidance isn’t a sustainable solution either. It is therefore better to tackle the problem at its root. The first step is to seek professional help that can help you with your mental disorders.
In the meantime, would you like some advice to help you on your journey? These are 5 helpful relaxation exercises to try.
How do you treat panic attacks
“To prevent panic attacks, treatment of the underlying disease is important,” explains Vulink. ‘Cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure is important in this regard. You also need to expose yourself to the physical symptoms of a panic attack. You will actively induce disturbances, for example, by consciously hyperventilating. This way you teach your body that it doesn’t have to be afraid of dying from these symptoms. This way, hopefully, anxiety-related disorders will slowly fade away.
Are you curious to know how you can reduce your complaints in the acute moment? These are 7 ways to stop a panic attack.
If you recognize yourself in the story above, Vulink says it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor. Regardless of whether your stress disorder is an expression of a panic attack, it can be very disabling. The family doctor can provide a lot of support in this regard and also knows when it is time to refer someone to a specialist.
Already follow your Women’s Health Facebook, Instagram In Tick tock?
2024-01-01 17:08:03
#role #stress #panic #attacks
