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Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a sudden feeling of overwhelming fear or distress that includes physical symptoms. The sensations usually peak at around 10 minutes after onset and go away quickly. A diagnosis typically relies on the client’s description since the symptoms usually disappear before being observed by a healthcare provider. If you have repeated panic attacks, you may have panic disorder, especially if you have changed your behavior to avoid triggering an attack.

  

Types of Panic Attacks: Expected and Unexpected

Expected panic attacks occur when you are facing a situation that has caused you problems in the past. Sometimes, expected attacks are triggered by a phobia or by a genuinely stressful event, such as taking a difficult exam. While, Unexpected panic attacks leave individuals struggling with what cause an external trigger.

  

Physical Symptoms of a Panic Attack:

The physical symptoms of a panic attack can be so severe that individuals often believe that they are having a heart attack. Other common symptoms can include palpitations; accelerated heart rate; sweating, trembling or shaking; sensations of shortness of breath or being smothered; feeling of choking; chest pain or discomfort; nausea or abdominal distress; feeling dizzy; unsteady, lightheaded, or faint; numbness or tingling and or chills or sensations of heat 

 

Psychological Symptoms of a Panic Attack:

The psychological symptoms can include feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself; fear of losing control or going crazy; fear of dying. Any combination of four symptoms, either physical or psychological, can lead to a panic attack diagnosis. Some individuals have episodes with the same symptoms as panic attacks but with fewer than four symptoms. These are known as limited-symptom attacks. 

 

Treatment:

Panic Attacks interventions can be a combination of several different complementary approaches that work together to reduce symptoms. For one client, it may include medication, nutritional changes, exercise, and/or mental health therapy. For another client, it may include taking supplements/vitamins, practicing mindfulness, or spending lots of time outdoors in nature.  

If you think you may suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above, let’s work together to discuss your treatment options.