Panic attacks

Symptoms

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming anxiety and fear. Your heart pounds and you can’t breathe. You feel dizzy and sick to your stomach. You may even feel like you’re dying or going senseless. Left untreated, panic attacks can lead to panic disorder and other problems. They may even cause you to withdraw from normal activities. But panic attacks are treatable – and the sooner you seek help, the better. With treatment, you can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of panic and regain control of your life.

Causes

Although the exact causes of panic attacks and panic disorder are unclear, the tendency to have panic attacks runs in families. There also appears to be a connection with major life transitions such as graduating from university or college and entering the workplace, getting married or having a baby. Severe stress, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or job loss can also trigger a panic attack.

Panic attacks can also be caused by medical conditions and other physical causes. If you’re suffering from symptoms of panic, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out the following possibilities:

• • Mitral valve prolapse, a minor cardiac problem that occurs when one of the heart’s valves does’t close correctly

• • Hyperthyroidism (the term for overactive tissue within the thyroid gland causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones)

• • Hypoglycaemia (the medical term for a state produced by a lower than normal level of blood glucose)

• • Stimulant use (amphetamines, cocaine, caffeine)

• • Medication withdrawal.

Treatment

The following techniques may help:

• • First, relax your shoulders and become conscious of any tension that you may be feeling in your muscles.

• • Then, with gentle reassurance, progressively tense and relax all the large muscle groups.

• • Slow down your breathing. This may best be done by blowing out every breath through pursed lips as if blowing out a candle. Also, place your hands on your stomach to feel the rapidity of your breathing. This may allow you to further control your symptoms.

• • Tell yourself (or someone else if you are trying this technique with someone) that you are not “going crazy”. If you are concerned about not being able to breathe, remember that if you are able to talk, you are able to breathe.

• • If a person is diagnosed with any medical illness, especially heart disease, home treatment is not appropriate. Even if the person has a history of panic attacks, home care is not appropriate if there is any new or otherwise worrisome symptom. A medical practitioner should be consulted.

Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about panic attacks.