How Can I Tell If I’m Having One?
One moment, you might feel fine, doing something you know or are used to. In the next moment, your heart begins to race, you begin feeling nauseous, and you can’t seem to catch your breath. If this sounds familiar to you, you likely experienced a panic attack. Panic attacks are scary, especially if you don’t know what one is, why it’s occurring, or when it will stop. For such reasons, it’s important to learn what panic attacks are, how they happen, and what can be done to prevent them. The key to resolving your panic attacks starts with counseling and therapy through Chapin & Russell Associates. Call today!
Describing Panic Attacks
A panic attack is a short episode of intense anxiety that is accompanied by extreme fear and physical symptoms. Unfortunately, those who experience panic attacks can have them frequently and unexpectedly, not necessarily related to outside stress or anxiety. For some individuals, the symptoms experienced during a panic attack feel so extreme they liken the pain to feelings of near-death or having a heart attack. Although neither is true, panic attacks are still severely disabling. Some of the common symptoms of panic attacks include:
- Shortness of Breath
- Chest Pain
- Dry Mouth
- Sweating
- Hot Flashes
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Apprehension and Worry
- Fear of Dying
- And More
What Can You Do When a Panic Attack Strikes?
As mentioned, panic attacks can be severe and sudden. While there are treatments for reducing the frequency of attacks, such as psychotherapy, knowing what to do in the moment of an attack can help “bring you back to reality.” Here are some helpful tips on what to do if you end up in the middle of a panic attack:
- Breath in and out slowly (a breath every six seconds) to help slow your heart rate and calm yourself
- Focus on the thoughts you are having and the sensations you are feeling rather than attempting to control them
- Focus on a single point or object in the distance, and don’t break focus until you feel symptoms begin abating
- Relax your muscles, focusing on one at a time, until you’ve relaxed your entire body
What is the Long-Term Solution for Panic Attacks?
Even with knowledge of how to de-escalate a panic attack, you still want to prevent attacks from occurring in the first place. Thankfully, Chapin & Russell Associates can assist. Through our counseling and therapy services, we get to the root of your anxieties, fears and phobias. If there are specific triggers for your panic attacks, we teach individuals how to avoid or contend with them. Otherwise, by teaching mindfulness activities and additional coping methods, our therapists help you manage anxiety and stop its symptoms (including panic attacks).
In addition to psychotherapy, some medications can be prescribed by a psychiatrist, to reduce anxiety if psychological testing determines you have an anxiety or panic disorder. Or, Chapin & Russell Associates can offer neurofeedback treatment to address panic attacks. Using neurofeedback, we identify the electrical signals in your brain causing dysregulation and engage in painless, chemical-free methods that retrain your brain.
If you’d like to learn more about how to stop and prevent panic attacks or overall reduce your stress and anxiety, talk with the mental health professionals at Chapin & Russell Associates. See what additional counseling services we offer or schedule a session by calling 309-681-5850.
