It comes on suddenly without much warning. In a matter of seconds, you go from seemingly fine to fearing that you are dying. Your heart is racing, and you can’t catch your breath. You may feel dizzy or nauseous. You can’t stop sweating; you may feel claustrophobic; and your vision might be blurry. You are sure that you’re having a heart attack, that you’re dying. And after the longest 10 minutes of your life, it’s over. You just had a panic attack.
One of the most misunderstood mental health issues is panic disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 2% of Americans experience a panic attack in a given year, and about 5% of Americans will have a panic attack in their lifetime.
We’ve all heard people talk about having panic attacks, but what exactly does that mean?
First, the term “panic attack” is commonly misused in today’s jargon. People will say that they were “having a panic attack” when often what they describe is closer to intense anxiety.
Panic attacks aren’t simply “freaking out;” they are episodes in which someone experiences symptoms such as intense fear of dying, heart palpitations and hyperventilation. If you’re having a panic attack, you probably won’t be able to hide it from other people around you, as you’ll be more concerned with making sure you’re going to live than what others might be thinking about you.
A second misconception about panic attacks is that they don’t exist at all. This is probably due to the fact that such a small percentage of the population has panic disorder (the medical term for people who have panic attacks) as well as the misnaming of every day experiences of anxiety as a “panic attack.”
If you doubt whether there are such things as panic attacks, know that while they aren’t as common as it might seem, panic attacks are very much a real thing.
In my experience, most people do their best to hide their panic attacks from family, friends and coworkers initially, as they are too embarrassed to talk about it at all or describe it in full detail. People who experience panic attacks often feel foolish afterwards, because in the midst of the attack they were convinced that they were dying. In an attempt to save some dignity, they may minimize what they experienced.
If you or someone you love has panic attacks, what can you do?
The first thing would be to seek out professional help. Go to your doctor, make an appointment with a psychiatrist or call up a therapist. Panic disorder is nearly impossible to control on your own since the panic attacks happen seemingly at random. So, don’t wait another day. Make an appointment to start moving toward a solution.
What can you start working on today if you suffer from panic attacks?
The first thing you need to work on is controlling your heart rate and breathing when you begin experiencing a panic attack. Work on slowing your breathing down by taking deep breaths through your nose, holding them for a couple seconds, and then slowly breathing out through your mouth. Try to focus your mind away from your fears of dying and strictly onto the physical symptoms of the attack. What you’ll find is that most panic attacks only last about 10 minutes — although they seem much longer.
While you prepare for a visit with a medical professional, begin thinking about potential triggers for your panic attacks. Maybe they happen when you feel stressed from work. Maybe you recently experienced some trauma in your life, and now it’s coming out through your panic. Maybe they’re triggered by being in loud places with lots of people. Maybe there doesn’t seem to be any particular trigger at all. Whatever it is, try to see if you can connect any dots for what’s contributing to your panic.
Lastly, don’t focus too much on why you’re like this. Often times people will ask me if this is because of some trauma they experienced as a child or adult. While there can be some help in understanding the causes, what I’ve found is that there usually isn’t one particular reason for someone to develop anxiety or panic disorder.
Instead of focusing on the cause, direct your attention to working through the panic attacks and seeking out professional help.
• Mischa McCray is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist. Send questions or topics you’d like him to discuss to mmccray@wpcgreenwood.org.
