Part a 18 Panic Attack

PANIC ATTACKS

Reading material No.1 WHAT IS A PANIC ATTACK?

A panic attack is a brief episode of intense anxiety, which causes the physical sensations of fear. Symptoms Symptoms of a panic attack can include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Heightened vigilance for danger and physical symptoms Anxious and irrational thinking A strong feeling of dread, danger or foreboding Fear of going mad, losing control or dying Feeling lightheaded and dizzy Tingling and chills, particularly in the arms and hands Trembling or shaking, sweating Hot flushes Accelerated heart rate A feeling of constriction in the chest Breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath Nausea or abdominal distress Tense muscles Dry mouth Feelings of unreality and detachment from the environment.

Panic attacks are common. Up to 35 per cent of the population experience a panic attack at some time in their lives. A panic attack can also be called an anxiety attack. Without treatment, frequent and prolonged panic attacks can be severely disabling. The person may choose to avoid a wide range of situations (such as leaving their home or being alone) for fear of experiencing an attack.

Reading material No.2 THE “FLIGHT-OR-FIGHT” RESPONSE

The ‘flight-or-fight’ response Some of the factors that can prime the body to inappropriately activate the ‘flightor-fight’ response include: • • • • • • •

Chronic (ongoing) stress – this causes the body to produce higher than usual levels of stress chemicals such as adrenaline. Acute stress (such as experiencing a traumatic event) – can suddenly flood the body with large amounts of stress chemicals. Habitual hyperventilation – disturbs the balance of blood gases because there is not enough carbon dioxide in the blood. Intense physical exercise – for some people, this may cause extreme reactions. Excessive caffeine intake – the caffeine in coffee, tea and other beverages is a strong stimulant. Illness – may cause physical changes. A sudden change of environment – such as walking into an overcrowded, hot or stuffy environment.

Reading material No.3 GETTING HELP

Suggestions on how to cope with a panic attack yourself, include: • •

•

•

Avoid ‘self-talk’ that focuses your attention on your symptoms – don’t tell yourself ‘Stop panicking!’ or ‘Relax!’ Remind yourself that the symptoms of a panic attack are uncomfortable, but not life threatening. Reassure yourself that you’ve felt these feelings before and nothing bad happened to you. Focus your attention on something outside your own body and symptoms. For example, distract yourself by counting backwards in threes from 100, recall the words from a favourite song or concentrate on the sights and sounds around you. Fleeing from the situation will only reinforce the perception that your panic attacks are unbearable. If you sit and allow the symptoms to pass, you gain confidence in your ability to cope.

Medical treatment options If the physical anxiety symptoms are caused by physical illnesses, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, proper treatment for these illnesses should stop the panic-like symptoms from recurring.

Treatment options can include: • • • • •

Medications Psychotherapy, including cognitive behaviour therapy Biofeedback therapy Stress management techniques Proper breathing techniques

• • •

Relaxation techniques Learning problem-solving skills Lifestyle adjustments, such as attention to diet, exercise and sleep.

Reading material No.4 SOME STATISTICS FROM AMERICA Prevalence of Anxiety disorder: approximately 2.4 million Americans (NIMH) Prevalence Rate: approx 1 in 113 or 0.88% or 2.4 million people in USA Incidence (annual) of Panic disorder: 1.7% of US adults annually (NIMH) Incidence Rate: approx 1 in 58 or 1.70% or 4.6 million people in USA Incidence extrapolations for USA for Anxiety disorder: 4,624,000 per year, 385,333 per month, 88,923 per week, 12,668 per day, 527 per hour, 8 per minute, 0 per second. Lifetime risk for Panic disorder: 3 million Americans (NIMH); 1.6% adults (USSG) Prevalence of Anxiety disorder: Anxiety disorder strikes between 3 and 6 million Americans, and is twice as common in women as in men.1 Incidence of Panic disorder: About 1.7% of the adult U.S. population ages 18 to 54 - approximately 2.4 million Americans - has anxiety panic disorder in a given year. 2 Prevalence of Anxiety disorder discussion: Approximately 2.4 million American adults ages 18 to 54, or about 1.7 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have anxiety disorder. 3 In the United States, 1.6 percent of the adult population, or more than 3 million people, will have anxiety panic disorder at some time in their lives.4 Prevalence statistics about Anxiety Panic disorder: The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Anxiety Panic disorder: • •

3 million American adults (NIMH) 1.7% of the adult U.S. population ages 18 to 54 (NIMH)

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Answer PANIC ATTACKS can be frightening but are, nevertheless, common. Some symptoms include fear of going mad, losing control or [dying] . A person might be lightheaded or [dizzy] , even get hot flushes or an [accelerated] heart rate as well as [constriction] of the chest. [breathing] difficulties can also be experienced. It is estimated that in Australia up to [35] % of the population have an attack at one time or another. If prolonged and frequent attacks are not [treated] , one's health can be severely [disabled] . The body's autoimmune system gives rise to what is known as the "flight or fight" response: to stay in a situation and try and cope - or to run away from it. Sometimes the body inappropriately responds to such events by producing higher than usual levels of [adrenaline] . Sudden environmental changes can cause panic attacks, such as walking into hot, [overcrowded] or [stuffy] areas. Habitual [hyperventilation] disturbs the balance of blood gases because there is [inadequate] carbondioxide in the blood. Large amounts of stress chemicals, caused by sudden [trauma] can cause [acute] stress. There are ways to help oneself: try and concentrate on something other than your own [symptoms] and [body]. Sufferers can remind themselves that while panic attacks are uncomfortable, they are not life [threatening] . Doing mental exercises, such as counting backwards in [threes] from one hundred, or recalling the words of a [favourite] song, or concentrating on the sights and [sounds] around you, can all help. There are some medical treatment options: in addition to medications and

psychotherapy, there is [] [biofeedback] therapy, stress management [cognitive behavior] [techniques] , proper breathing techniques, and making adjustments to one's [diet] , [exercise] and [sleep] patterns. In the USA, about [2.4] million American adults - that is, [1.7] % of the adult US population (aged 18 to 54) - suffer from anxiety panic disorder ... and that's probably not enough to worry about !