Understanding a panic attack is a very difficult thing to do. Even people who have experienced them sometimes do not fully understand them. Panic attacks occur when built up anxiety levels come to a head. Panic attacks have often been described with similar symptoms to someone having a heart attack. Because of this, the fear that they cause can be uncontrollable.

Some of the common symptoms of Panic Attacks include: cold sweats, feeling hot and then feeling cold, nausea, trembling, numbness in the extremities (arms, hands, legs, etc.), chest pain, breathing issues (unable to catch breath) and fear of going crazy or dying. These symptoms often are not warranted but can cause the sufferer to resort to extreme measures. Many people suffering from panic attacks visit the emergency room frequently. The overwhelming feeling that they are either dying or having a heart attack overcomes them and causes absolute fear in many cases. It often takes others to help calm the sufferer down.

Panic attacks are very intense but don’t typically last that long. Normally most of the symptoms become most severe for 10-20 minutes and typically reside gradually from there. During the attack, it is very difficult to convince the sufferer that it is a panic attack and not something possibly more serious. Sometimes it takes several trips to the emergency room or doctor to realize what is going on. Usually after tests are run, everything shows to be normal. This can leave the sufferer feeling relieved and frustrated at the same time. Relieved because there is not something more serious but frustrated because finding something wrong in the tests would at least show a reason for the episodes. Emergency room visits can be very frustrating. Emergency rooms are designed to treat the most immediate and serious concerns. In the case of panic attacks this is checking for heart problems and getting breathing/heart rate under control. Once this is accomplished often the sufferer is sent home and told to come back if the symptoms return. This does not really give them any information regarding the cause. An ER doctor or nurse might suggest anxiety being the cause but often the degree of the symptoms seem like it should be something more.

Panic attacks can start regardless of the sufferer’s current mood or situation. Many people that suffer from panic attacks feel the symptoms completely out of the blue. They may be having a relaxing day and then suddenly feel overwhelmed with fear. However, panic attacks can also occur when the sufferer has been having a lot of anxiety towards a certain topic or situation. Once someone has a panic attack, this often causes a fear of having another. Since panic attacks can occur anywhere or at any time there is an added fear that one may strike while the sufferer at work or a social function. Most sufferers of panic attack deal with anxiety disorders. The fear of standing out in public because of an attack is a scary thought. Some people may avoid social situations because of this fear.

Dealing with a panic attack will vary from person to person. I personally need to get away from the noise and lights of everyday life. I need to go to a dark room and try to concentrate on something else such as music, an audio book or even soothing nature sounds. My Amazon Echo Dot has become a life saver many times. My wife knows that during an attack it doesn’t do much good to talk me down. Now that I have experienced a number of attacks I know in the back of my mind that a panic attack is probably what I am experiencing. However, in the moment I still feel the debilitating symptoms and my mind still makes me wonder if it is something more serious. There are medications that you can take when you feel an attack coming on but from my experience they don’t usually kick it fast enough to be effective. Since the major symptoms occur within 10-20 minutes it would be hard to have a pill that combats it that quickly.

Not that I would consider it a positive exactly but as you endure through more panic attacks you become more experienced. Like anything, with experience you learn how to adjust and adapt. As I said, everyone deals with panic attacks differently but the goal is finding out how to best deal with your specific symptoms. Often the best solution is learning how to treat your anxiety overall and hopefully this will lessen the panic attacks that occur at all.

How do you deal with panic attacks? Or how do you support your loved ones through their attacks? Please share in the comments… you could be helping someone with new ideas!