Freeze, fear: 15 silly questions about panic attacks

Some connection can be observed. For example, alcohol or coffee, even in small quantities, can provoke a panic attack. As for food, spicy food can cause vasospasm and a person rushes into a fever, a condition that the body recognizes as fear. But these are rather indirect causes, the root of the problem still lies in the psychological state.

More often than not, they recur. It happens so that a person experienced PA at a certain period in life, and then suddenly stopped. But usually it is a long story: panic attacks can disappear for a year or two, and then appear again.

During an attack, first of all, you should pay attention to your bodily state: concentrate on your breathing (preferably belly breathing, with emphasis on the exhalation), try to find your body, become aware of its presence. To do this, stand on both feet, "ground yourself" (imagine that the fear goes through you into the ground, like an electric current), grab hold of something or start shaking your hands, shaking off the tense state.

If there is someone nearby, it is better to tell them that you are experiencing a panic attack and that you need help. You can try verbalizing your experiences: saying out loud every sensation, telling others that you are afraid. By voicing your fear, we reduce anxiety, after which we can move on to projective techniques.

Eating a lemon or something sour in general is one way to concentrate on the physical experience. There are other ways to distract yourself, such as visually searching only for blue objects or creating a resource place--an imaginary space in which you feel comfortable and safe. But a person can only engage in these practices after the panic has receded somewhat. It should be understood that at the beginning of an attack, the main task is still to regain an awareness of reality and a sense of one's own body.

Of course, you cannot die, but you can faint if the vasospasm that often accompanies panic attacks is too strong. During an attack, you must constantly remind yourself that fear is just an emotion that strongly affects the mind, but it does not kill you. Or find someone to call at the moment of a panic attack to talk you through it over the phone.

The first thing to do is to show that you are there for him and support him. Take the person by the shoulders, repeat that all is well, that he is safe, and that the panic attack will soon pass. If a person close to you has had a panic attack, you can put both arms around him or her as if gathering and shielding him or her from everything around - this will help switch the consciousness from emotion and fear to tactile perception.

Yes. PA can and should be treated by seeing a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. The latter deals with both medication and psychotherapy.

You can, of course, try to work with panic attacks on your own, but it is very difficult, and success will depend on the depth and frequency of the attacks. There are various support groups in which people discuss their fears and share their experiences in dealing with panic attacks, but this cannot replace personal therapy. It is important to remember that one of the causes of panic attacks is often a basic lack of trust in the world, and building up this trust is a long job with a psychotherapist.

Sure. Treatment of PA is often with antidepressants, neuroleptics, or sedatives. For some, a simple sedative is enough, but more often it is a combination of several drugs: an antidepressant plus a sedative neuroleptic is the most effective of them. Of course, the selection of these drugs is extremely individual.

It is possible to try to do without medication, but this is not always feasible. A person may undergo prolonged psychotherapy, which does not give the desired results, and then it turns out that his body simply does not have enough serotonin. Then it is impossible to do without medication.