Your heart starts racing. You can’t seem to catch your breath. You feel dizzy, and your extremities feel numb. You feel utterly terrified, and the thought floods your mind that maybe you’re dying. It’s scary and utterly alarming.
What could be happening?
It could be a panic attack.
Many panic attacks come out of nowhere, and they are challenging to endure. The good news is that you can get through them. Understanding panic attacks, their causes, and how to treat them is crucial to taking steps to diminish them. In this article, we’ll touch on all things related to panic attacks so you can recognize when you have one and what you can do about it.
Anxiety Treatment in San Diego
What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden and intense episode of fear, anxiety, and physical discomfort that can strike without warning. Characterized by a rapid onset of overwhelming sensations, panic attacks can leave you feeling out of control. When you experience a panic attack, your fight-or-flight response gets triggered. This causes a surge of adrenaline and physical symptoms like a racing heart, shortness of breath, trembling, and sweating.
These unwelcome episodes are often accompanied by impending doom and fear, further exacerbating the situation. While certain events can trigger them, they can occur anytime and anywhere, striking without warning.
If you experience recurring panic attacks, you may actually have panic disorder. In either case, it’s best to partner with a mental health professional to get your symptoms under control.
Causes of Panic Attacks
Fully understanding panic attacks is still a work in process. While the exact underlying causes of panic attacks are not fully understood, research has shed light on some potential contributing factors.
- Genetics
Studies show that if you have a history of panic attacks or other anxiety disorders within your family, you are more likely to experience them. This suggests there may be a genetic predisposition or vulnerability increasing your risk.
- Hormonal and Neurological Imbalances
If you have an overactive sympathetic nervous system or a neurotransmitter imbalance, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, you may be more likely to experience panic attacks. Hormone fluctuations, such as estrogen and testosterone have also been linked to anxiety and panic attacks.
- Environmental Factors
Stressful life events, traumatic experiences, and chronic stress can play a significant role in triggering panic attacks. If you’ve experienced major life changes such as the loss of a loved one, career change, or sgnificant move, you may be more susceptible.
- Certain Medical Conditions
Research shows that thyroid disorders, respiratory problems, and cardiovascualar issues can contribute to the development of panic attacks. This is because these medical conditions can cause physical symptoms that mimic the experience.
It’s important to note that what causes your panic attacks could vary from others. There is a combination of factors that may contribute to the onset and recurrence of these uncomfortable episodes. But understanding the potential causes can help you and your healthcare provider develop a more comprehensive approach to managing them.
Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Again, symptoms of panic attacks could vary from person to person. However, there are several common symptoms of panic attacks to be aware of, including the following:
- strong feeling of dread
- rapid heartbeat
- hot flashes
- trembling, shaking, or sweating
- constriction in your chest
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- nausea
- muscle tension
- dry mouth
- tingling or chills, particularly in your hands and arms
- fear of going “crazy”, losing control, or dying
- dizziness
Treatment Options for Panic Attacks
Treating panic attacks requires a multifaceted approach addressing the physical and psychological aspects. Fortunately, there are several effective treatment options to help you reduce symptoms and learn strategies for coping with panic attacks.
Depending on your individual needs, our physician-led team of clinicians will determine the best approach for you. At BOLD Health, your anxiety treatment in San Diego may include the following, along with lifestyle changes and stress-management techniques.
Psychotherapy
Certain therapy approaches can help you identify and challenge negative thought patterns and irrational believes contributing to panic attacks. During anxiety therapy in San Diego, you can learn how to refram your perceptions and develop more adaptive coping strategies.
Therapeutic approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are highly effective in reducting the frequency and intensitiy of panic attacks. It can also help you manage any underlying anxiety accompaning your episodes.
Medication Management
Cetain classes of medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines, have been found to be effective in reducing the symptoms of panic attacks. Such medications work by addressing the underlying nerochemical imbalances contributing to panic attacks.
While medication can be a valuable tool for coping with panic attacks, it is best used in conjunction with psychotherapy for effective long-term outcomes. It is also vital to note that while benzodiazepines, or benzos, are an effective medication for anxiety attacks, they are habit-forming and are typically not prescribed long-term.
Coping with Panic Attacks: Self-Help Options
The best course of action in treating panic attacks is to partner with a mental health profession. But it’s also important to know how to get yourself through them when they arise outside of therapy. Here are some helpful tips for coping with panic attacks:
- Deep breathing: Slow, deep breathing can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for yoru body’s rest-and-digest response. Deep breathing exercises can also counteract the physiological symptoms such as a racing heartbeat and shortness of breath. There are plenty of deep breathing exercises to choose from, including box-breathing, and 4–7-8 breathing.
- Mindfulness and meditation: When you cultivate present-moment awareness and a non-judgmental attitude toward your experiences, you can learn to observe your panic attack symptoms without becoming overwhelmed. Mindfulness-based practices, such as body scans, guided imagery, and loving-kindness meditation, can help you develop a greater sense of control and self-compassion in the face of panic.
- Physical exercise: Exercise has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and regulat your body’s stress response system. Activities like walking, yoga, or swimming can be particularly effective in calming yoru mind and body during a panic attack. Incorporating these activities into your daily routine can also help prevent the onset of future panic attacks.
Some additional tips to try during a panic attack include:
- closing your eyes to reduce stimulation and focus on breathing
- challenging negative thoughts to reduce symptoms
- reciting a positive inner mantra to change your focus
- recognizing that you’re experiencing a panic attack to alleviate symptoms
- focusing on a single object and describing all of its qualities
- practicing progressive muscle relaxation, starting with your fingers and working your way through your body
Our Mental Health Team at BOLD Health Can Help You Combat Panic Attacks
We know that understanding panic attacks, their causes, symptoms, and treatment options is only the first step to successfully diminishing them. But it is a positive step. At BOLD Health, we provide top-notch anxiety therapy in San Diego to help you recognize your symptoms, learn coping mechanisms, and change the way you experience them.
We’ll take the time to get to know you and understand why you came to our door needing help. By doing that, we can curate the ideal treatment plan to help you overcome your symptoms and live life with fewer panic attacks.
Your anxiety treatment in San Diego at BOLD Health may include any of the following:
- individual therapy
- group therapy
- family therapy
- medication management
- intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- ketamine treatment
You don’t have to live your life in fear of another panic attack. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.