To start this article, let us define first panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense distress and apprehension. The victim perceives a threat so real and so dangerous that they are driven to get as far away from the place or situation as possible. It occurs spontaneously without any apparent cause and may last for 1-5 minutes or as long as 15-20 minutes. Panic attack symptoms comprise of physical symptoms such as the heart beating rapidly, the breathing being very deep and heavy, and profuse sweating. Mental symptoms, on the other hand, may include an irrational fear of going mentally unstable, fear of loss of control, decreased cognitive abilities and decreased perceptual ability. Panic attacks occur only during times of great anxiety and stress. If the attacks are recurrent, then the condition is diagnosed as a panic disorder.
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by panic attacks that recur at unpredictable times. It is a potentially disabling disorder due to the victim being plagued most of the time by thoughts of intense apprehension, fear and terror and constantly worrying about having another panic attack. The victim is also concerned with thoughts that the panic attacks may cause a drastic change in behavior or cause unrelated health illnesses. Due to the extremeness of the attacks in a panic disorder, the victim may perceive the attack as a heart attack. This misconception also predisposes the victim to more panic attacks in the future. Panic attack symptoms must be present for at least one month to correctly confirm that the victim is suffering from panic disorder.
When panic ensues, stresses that would have been negligible and easily manageable for a normal person become overwhelming and tremendous for a person with a panic disorder. The victim’s coping mechanisms become useless and there is an inability to focus during the event. An extreme and powerful fear rises to the surface and a wide array of the previously stated panic attack symptoms are experienced by the victim. Panic disorder is not the same as agoraphobia, but may occur with or without it. Agoraphobia is defined as anxiety about being in a place or a situation from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or in which help may not be accessible in the event that panic attack symptoms start.
Although the exact etiology of a panic disorder is unknown, there are associated factors that predispose a person to the disease. Heredity may play a role as panic disorder has been observed to run in some families. Psychosocial factors such as stressful life events, transition from one developmental stage to the next, environmental factors, and a faulty thinking are also believed to play a role in triggering the onset of the disorder. Panic disorders are also believed to be born from a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters serotonin or GABA, or both.
During an initial panic attack, as mentioned earlier, the victim may think that they are undergoing symptoms of a heart attack. Support systems must be established during the episode so as to prevent further aggravating the attack and potentially assist to cure panic attacks. A support person should promote safety at all times. They must be allowed to engage in any activity to expend any excess energy so long as it does not endanger the victim’s welfare. External stimuli must be reduced. The support person should carefully discern the root of the attack and remove the said cause from the scene. If not possible, the victim should instead be removed and placed in an area that is serene and less stressful. Controlled breathing should also be initiated to prevent hyperventilation and to give the victim a sense that they are in control of themselves during the attack. After the attack has dissipated and the victim is able to focus, proper education of coping measures must be done so that the victim will learn how to handle anxiety better in the likely case that an attack occurs again.