Panic attacks affect millions of people worldwide, with approximately 11% of North Americans reporting panic attacks at some point in their life.
Signs and Symptoms of Panic Disorder
A panic attack develops abruptly and can reach a peak of intensity within ten minutes. It may
involve:
- Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- Feeling of choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
- Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
- Fear of losing control or “going crazy”
- Fear of dying
- Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensation)
- Chills or hot flushes
What Causes Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks are an overactive fear response – our body goes into fight/flight mode by pumping
blood faster and increasing heart rate in order to be able to run away or fight the danger. When
this response becomes too strong, or happens even in the apparent absence of danger, this is
the sign of an overactive response. While they may feel life threatening, the good news is that a
panic attack will not cause death. Left untreated, the heightened levels of cortisol (stress
hormone) can have damaging impacts on your overall health.
Treating Panic Attacks
One of the most effective methods for treating panic attacks is exposure therapy. During a panic
attack, the brain receives signals of fear (heart rate increasing, sweating) and interprets these
signals to be dangerous in and of themselves. In order to lower the fear response, exposure
therapy involves training the brain to see these signals as nonthreatening by feeling the signals
in a therapeutic setting. To feel the signals, a person may run on the spot, hold their breath, or
try fast, shallow breathing. Once the fear signals begin, the therapist guides a client in
recognizing that the feelings are not life threatening.
Deeper Healing from Panic
While exposure therapy is effective, it does not address the root of the panic. What starts the
fear response in the first place? What are the stressors in a person’s life? Was there a traumatic
event that occurred? Was there an extended period of neglect or abuse? Are you plagued with
thoughts of perfectionism and self-criticism? This process of trauma informed care must be
taken cautiously. The first step is to ensure that now is the right time to process at a deeper
level, ensuring that supports are in place and there is some level of stability in a person’s life.
Next is the process of coming to trust a therapist. Once trust is established and a person feels
safe and supported, the process of deeper healing can begin, uncovering the real root of the
issue and allowing the mind and body to heal
