What to do if you have a panic attack
Have you ever suffered from a panic attack? The South African Depression and Anxiety Group give some tips on how to cope, as well as advice on how to treat panic disorder.
Recent research shows that there is a strong genetic or hereditary component that predisposes people to panic. Attacks can be triggered by stressful life events or occur “out of the blue”.
Two to four percent of the population will suffer from panic disorder at some point in their lives. Panic is twice as common in woman as it is in men.
If you have a fear of driving, going in an elevator, public spaces, or are even fearful of snakes and spiders, you may have a panic disorder. When we experience these as a threat, we sometimes run for safety or avoid the situation or place, thus giving us some relief.
You may feel faint, start to sweat, get blurred vision, start to shake or even tremble. These are all symptoms of a panic attack.
Over time this fear becomes so strong that you completely avoid the place or situation where you initially developed the fear. This can lead to social avoidance, greater than that of major depression. You then may not want to go to restaurants, go to shopping malls or even leave your house.
The good news is that panic disorder is a highly treatable condition.
With the right combinations of therapy, 90% of people recover greatly. Even the remaining 10% can experience significant recovery
Experiencing a panic attack can be very frightening and many people don’t know what to do during an attack, what treatments are out there, and how you can avoid a future attack.
We asked Cassey Chambers, Operations Director of the The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) for some expert advice:
How should you cope with a panic attack if it happens while you are driving or in a business meeting?
Firstly, you should not stop driving or leave the meeting if you feel like you are having a panic attack. Avoidance only makes the anxiety and the fear of having panic attacks worse. If you feel more anxious and that a panic attack is starting, you need to do deep breathing exercises (they really do help lower your heart rate and get oxygen to your brain) and count from 20 backwards (this helps distract your brain from the panic attack). See below for more tips on how to get through a panic attack.
What treatments do you recommend, or are available?
Anxiety and Panic Disorder is one of the most highly treatable mental illnesses, and with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which has a 90% success rate. Through a combination of therapy or counselling and self-help techniques, patients are able to regain control of their lives once again. There is so much help available online. Visit www.sadag.org for articles, online videos and online forums to help patients and family/loved ones understand and cope better. There are also nationwide support groups and lots of information and brochures on the topic. Panic Disorder can be treated!
To talk about these issues, and to create awareness, The Waterfall Library in Durban will be having a free Panic Q & A with Psychologist Fracois de Marigny and Psychiatrist Dr. Moola on Wednesday 31st July at 6. They will be discussing breathing techniques, how to lessen the effects of a panic attack, and what you can avoid to decrease your chances of having future attacks. To attend, please call Lori Barausse on 083 652 0117
If you feel a panic attack coming and need help with coping, call The South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s (SADAG) toll-free helpline on 0800 33 33 77 and a counsellor will help you step by step, breath by breath until the panic attack is over.
Visit the South African Depression and Anxiety Group's website for more information: www.sadag.org
Fourteen “On The Spot” Tips To Get Through A Panic Attack
1. Take a “time out” and slow down. Slow your rate of breathing, slow your racing thoughts, slow your entire body, head to toe. Then slowly resume your previous activities.
2. Picture a relaxing scene using all your senses. Now put yourself into the scene
3. If there are places available, take a stroll. If there are people available, talk to one of them.
4. Picture a person that you trust, someone who believes in you, supports you and cares about your well-being. Now imagine the person is with you, offering you encouragement.
5. Recall a time you handled a similar situation well, or try to bring to mind a past success and the good feeling you experienced at that time.
6. Focus on the present, on concrete objects around you. Make a game of noticing details or inventing questions about every object you identify.
7. Count backwards from 20 and with every number picture a different image of love, something that pleases you, something that calms you. These might be images you recall from the past or those you only imagine.
8. Occupy your mind with an absorbing task. Plan your schedule for the day or the evening; try to recall the names of all the Clint Eastwood movies you have ever seen; plan a sumptuous meal, appetizer through to dessert, and imagine yourself eating one bite of very course.
9. Bring to mind the image of a person you admire and imagine yourself to actually be that person. Think as they might think, act as they might act, even feel as they might feel.
10. Remind yourself that attacks always end. Always
11. Remind yourself that panic is not dangerous.
12. Take a gain yawn and stretch your body, head to toe.
13. Get mad. Vow not to let panic win out. You deserve better.
14. If all else fails, take as deep a breath as you can and hold it as long as you can. Use one of the other strategies to occupy your mind. Your physical symptoms should come down and stay down.
Courtesy of Master Your Panic - Beckfield
(File photo: Gallo Images)