Panic attacks occur because of anxiety about stressful daily events, after experiencing trauma, or after hearing stories and accounts of death. One in every ten people experiences panic attacks from time to time. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of fear that causes the body to translate that feeling into intense reactions, because the person believes they may be having a heart attack or could die. In reality, there is no clear reason for this fear.

What causes panic attacks?

Scientifically, no specific cause of panic attacks has been identified. However, certain factors may contribute to their occurrence, and these can be considered general factors behind most mental health disorders, such as genetic factors, severe stress, being in an environment charged with negative emotions, or changes in brain chemistry. In general, panic attacks often occur without warning and often arise in response to stressful situations.

What are the symptoms of panic attacks?

  1. Shaking or trembling.
  2. Heavy sweating.
  3. Feeling hot.
  4. A rapid heartbeat.
  5. Rapid breathing.
  6. A feeling of choking.
  7. Shortness of breath.
  8. Some people may think they are about to have a heart attack.

How can you help yourself manage panic attacks?

  1. Change your body position when an attack occurs: stand instead of sitting, get up instead of lying down, or do the reverse.
  2. Move your body. You can walk or move your limbs to counter the effects of anxiety. Movement helps reduce cortisol, the hormone responsible for anxiety and stress.
  3. Distract yourself with something else, such as repeatedly squeezing a ball. Repetitive movements divert attention away from the panic.
  4. Wash your face with cold water. This stimulates the nervous system to slow the heart rate, helping to calm your nerves.
  5. Chew gum. According to health studies, chewing gum for 14 days may improve anxiety levels and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva.
  6. Improve your nutrition. Make sure to eat nuts, seeds, vegetables, and eggs because they contain magnesium, which helps improve nervous-system function.
  7. Herbs: avoid stimulant drinks that contain caffeine and try replacing them with natural herbs.
  8. ​​​​​​​Practise activities that release negative and stressful emotions, such as drawing, coloring, or even writing down your thoughts.
  9. ​​​​​​​Train yourself to relax and breathe correctly. This helps relieve tension and reduces the likelihood that panic attacks will continue.

Many of us may experience panic attacks or may have experienced them more than once, but they disappear as soon as their cause is gone. The problem arises when these attacks recur to the point of becoming a disorder, meaning that they happen repeatedly at unexpected times. In this case, you should follow the previous steps and think consciously about how to overcome these panic attacks. If the previous steps are ineffective, we advise you to seek psychological counseling and therapy. This can provide you with a treatment plan that enables you to confront the causes of panic disorder by recognizing the sources of fear, managing them, and moving beyond them. We cannot state with certainty that you will be completely free of panic attacks, but we can say with certainty that psychotherapy and counseling sessions can help reduce their severity.

Also read: Panic Attacks: Symptoms and Facts About Panic Disorder