Panic attacks can be defined as episodes of intense restlessness, distress, and fear that begin suddenly and recur over time. The lives of people who experience panic attacks or are anxious about having panic attacks change markedly. The person has some concerns such as losing control, about to die or fainting. These thoughts cause rapid and complex changes and reactions in a person’s body. People with panic attacks become nervous and restless between attacks and develop a general state of anxiety with the fear that a new attack may develop at any time, which is called ‘anticipatory anxiety’. The person begins to not be able to leave the house, to be alone, develops excessively anxious and sensitive behaviors, hypersensitivity to reactions from the environment and especially to his own bodily signals.
Panic attacks are twice as common in women than in men. In the society, 3-4 people out of every 100 people have either had a panic attack or are still living with this disease.
Factors influencing panic disorder
-Exposure to prolonged stress conditions.
-War, accident, rape etc. such as past traumatic events and fears.
-Excited, passive and introverted personality.
-Providing chemical transmission in the brain; the presence of disruptions in the functioning of neurochemical substances.
It can be summarized as, but the reason for its formation may also be for a different reason as a result of the subjective experience of the person.
There is a genetic predisposition in those who have panic disorder in their family and close relatives. If they are exposed to adverse conditions, these people are more likely to develop panic disorder.
Despite telling people with panic disorder that they do not have a physical illness, they are not convinced and apply to the emergency services or cardiology services of hospitals. For this reason, they suffer significant losses in terms of time and economy.
Depressed mood, that is, depression, can also be seen in these people due to the severe fear of death.
Many people with panic disorder avoid social situations. Not being able to be alone, not being able to go out, and not being able to enter crowded environments are the most obvious situations.
Since many of those with panic disorder also have “agoraphobia”, these people do not leave the house for months. For this reason, they disrupt or quit their job or school.
TREATMENT OF PANIC DISORDER
Panic disorder is a psychological disorder with treatment. The person suffering from this disorder must first accept the treatment and be convinced that the illness is caused by psychological reasons. This is especially important for therapies. Especially for those with panic disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy applications give extremely successful results. In addition, medical treatment can be applied if necessary. New generation antidepressant drugs (SSRIs) used in the treatment of panic disorder are not addictive. Its side effects are extremely few and not dangerous. If desired, they can be easily cut with the recommendation of a doctor. According to studies, medicated treatments that use psychotherapies together for the treatment of panic disorder are more successful than medicated treatments that do not use psychotherapies.
With psychotherapy applied in addition to drug treatment, it is aimed to change the negative thinking and behavior patterns of the person and to be more active in fighting the disease.
Breathing and various relaxation exercises and methods of coping with stress provide relaxation to the person. And when the patient encounters a panic attack again, he can make himself stronger by using these coping mechanisms.
Panic attack can be described as a book that standardizes and classifies psychiatric disorders according to DSM-IV criteria and contains the common language used by psychiatrists all over the world.
According to the DSM-IV, if four or more of the following symptoms start suddenly and reach a peak within 10 minutes, a panic attack may occur:
1. Palpitations, sense of heartbeat, or increased heart rate
2. sweating
3. trembling or shaking all over the body
4. shortness of breath, a feeling of suffocation
5. suffocation
6. chest pain or feeling of tightness in the chest
7. nausea or abdominal pain
8. dizziness, lightheadedness, feeling like you’re about to fall or pass out
9. Feelings of unreality or detachment
10. Fear of losing control or going crazy
11. fear of death
12. paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
13. chills, chills or hot flashes
The above symptoms may also indicate a significant heart, brain, or other organ system disorder. Due to the vital importance of such diseases, the diagnosis of panic attack is a diagnosis made when all medical diseases are investigated and no problems are found in the organs.
Although some people have panic disorders, they are not aware of this situation and their life becomes very difficult and unbearable for them because they are not treated properly. Because these people think that they have a serious physical disorder or they are afraid of it. However, it is a psychological disorder they experience and its treatment is possible.
In addition, some people interpret their usual daily worries and troubles as “panic attacks” and put themselves into “disease conditioning” by saying “I also have a panic attack”. In order to avoid both mistakes, it is beneficial for people to be in contact with experts in the subject and to reach healthy information about panic disorder in this way.
