Panic Attacks - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. MF.

Each of us is familiar with the feeling of anxiety. This feeling appears in a difficult life situation, in conditions threatening our health, and maybe life. Many were worried about the health of our loved ones, often we are worried about the failures of our children, some are afraid of the uncertainty and instability of the future. .. Of course, in our daily lives there is always a place for anxiety. Anxiety signals some kind of unhappiness and helps us to find a way out of a difficult situation - after all, this unpleasant emotion triggers the development of stress hormones in the body, thanks to which our internal resources are mobilized and we can overcome a difficult period of life.

How do we experience anxiety? Heart palpitations and breathing become more frequent, sweating( especially palms often sweat), a nervous tremor is possible, someone pales. These reactions are the results of hormonal changes in the body, which triggers an alarm. The very alarm can be described as a feeling of tension, discomfort, unpleasant expectation.

It is clear that anxiety is an integral part of our life when there are reasons for it. But there are diseases when anxiety becomes the main symptom, while it does not help a person to adapt to the world around him, but, on the contrary, interferes with daily activities. To diagnose this pathological anxiety, many criteria have been developed on the basis of which the physician diagnoses an anxiety disorder. This disease is very multifaceted and has many different manifestations. In this article, we'll talk about panic attacks - this is perhaps the most vivid manifestation of anxiety disorder.

What is panic attack

The term "panic attacks" psychiatrist implies sudden and recurring attacks of intense fear. These seizures are accompanied by all the characteristic changes in the state of feeling for anxiety - sweating, palpitations and breathing, pallor, etc. . Usually such an attack lasts less than an hour, occurs 2-3 times a week. Such attacks can occur in different situations, but in most patients attacks occur in public transport, crowded places, enclosed space. At the same time, there are no obvious reasons for alarm - i.e.life and health of the patient and his loved ones does not directly threaten anything. Attacks arise "like a bolt from the blue."

Causes of Panic Attacks

What are the causes of this disease? This question has not yet been found in a clear and comprehensive answer. Most experts believe that panic attacks develop in people who have been in a prolonged psychotraumatic situation, or who have once suffered severe stress. But at the same time, not every person who has been in difficult life's troubles, panic attacks. Therefore, of course, hereditary predisposition to such reactions, as well as features of temperament and hormonal background, is important. There are studies that have revealed a predisposition to panic attacks of people with low tolerance of physical exertion. In addition, panic attacks can occur with diseases of the internal organs - the thyroid gland, heart, pancreas. Alcohol abusers have a higher risk of panic attack, especially in the state of withdrawal symptoms( so-called hangover)

Symptoms of panic attack

How can we distinguish the normal physiological anxiety response from a panic attack that requires treatment? The main criterion here is the quality of everyday life. When a person feels helpless, can not adapt to the world around, when anxiety is unreasonable and reaches a high intensity - a specialist, a neuropathologist or a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist is needed. Do not postpone the visit to the doctor if the panic attacks last more than a month, are spontaneous and involve violations in the daily way of life.

Examination of

Attempts to independently diagnose themselves or their loved ones with a panic attack and, moreover, self-administration of any medication can lead to unfortunate consequences. Panic attacks can also occur in the presence of various pathologies on the part of vital organs( for example, in diseases of the thyroid and pancreas, cardiopathies - various heart diseases, bronchial asthma, hypertension), and conditions similar to panic attacks can be observed in epilepsy, neuroses andsome mental illnesses, so you need the help of a specialist to determine the condition of the patient and the appointment of adequate treatment.

Most likely, you need to undergo standard and familiar medical procedures: examination of the therapist, blood tests, urine tests, ECG.Sometimes you need an electroencephalography - a painless study of the brain. If necessary, the doctor can refer the patient to additional examinations to clarify the diagnosis.

After the diagnosis of panic attacks the doctor will prescribe the treatment.

Treatment of panic attacks

The patient will select a drug from the group of tranquilizers - these medicines remove excessive anxiety. The doctor will pick up a tranquilizer that best matches the patient's lifestyle, in addition, with panic attacks, sleep disturbances, moods are possible - these problems can also be solved by selecting the drug. The specialist in the appointment of a tranquilizer will take into account the presence of concomitant diseases, the patient, in turn, must inform the doctor about the medications he takes, allergic reactions. It is necessary to discuss with the doctor the possibility of driving while taking medications, and if the patient's profession requires a high concentration of attention, you should also report this before starting treatment. Of course, the intake of alcohol and drugs during the treatment with tranquilizers is unacceptable - this combination can lead to irreversible consequences: for example, severe poisoning, up to a lethal outcome is possible, besides there is a risk of a psychotic condition - when a person ceases to comprehend the surrounding reality and can notcontrol their actions. For effective and safe treatment, the patient should strictly observe the dosage of the drug recommended by the doctor, report changes in his condition. The partnership of the doctor and the patient is the key to the successful treatment of any disease.

There are medications that are not potent and are sold without a prescription, but they can alleviate a state of panic attacks. This medicinal herbs, such as valerian, sweet clover, oregano, motherwort, birch leaves, lemon balm, chamomile. The most common and most effective remedy in this group is valerian, with the appearance of symptoms of attack, you can take 2 valerian tablets. In addition, there are drugs that are similar in effect to tranquilizers, but go down without a prescription in pharmacies.

This is normoxane( a drug that is based on the same valerian), grandaxin( a weak tranquilizer that does not cause drowsiness), as well as well-known Persen, afobazol and novopassit. Nevertheless, it is better to discuss even more such harmless drugs with a doctor.

As far as folk medicine is concerned, folk remedies, although made on the basis of natural ingredients, still contain active substances that can harm them when they are illiterate. Perhaps, such drugs will serve as a good additional means of therapy for panic attacks, but also after consulting a doctor.

But any, even the most mild drugs, can provoke complications during treatment. If there are sleep disorders( both insomnia and excessive drowsiness) when you take tranquilizers, mood changes( in any direction), decreased concentration, as well as allergic reactions, muscle weakness - you should immediately inform the doctor about it. Timely appeal to a specialist will help reduce the side effect of the drug, promotes effective and safe treatment of panic attacks.

The second most important component of successful treatment of panic attacks is psychotherapy. Today, there is a huge number of methods of psychotherapy( from auto-training to Kurpatov's methods), to understand them and to choose the optimal for a particular patient will help an expert.

The effect of treatment will be more complete if the patient will pay attention not only to taking medication, but also to his lifestyle. To completely get rid of panic attacks, it is advisable to get enough sleep, regularly eat healthy quality food, excluding stimulants( coffee, carbonated drinks based on caffeine, strong tea, chocolate, alcohol, excessively spicy and spicy food) from the diet. Useful moderate exercise, walking in the fresh air.

Panic Attack Prevention

And, of course, as we all know, any disease is easier to prevent than treat. And for panic attacks this is no exception. The doctor can train the patient in the auto-training technique to prevent a panic attack, there are breathing techniques for the same purpose( for example, full yoga breathing, holotropic breathing).It is also possible to prescribe weak tranquilizers as a drug prevention panic attack. A healthy prophylactic property is also possessed by the patient's healthy lifestyle.

Timely and correctly begun treatment will help to avoid unpleasant complications of this disease.

Complications of panic attacks

As the daily life of a patient becomes more complicated, there is a risk of joining to panic attacks of new mental disorders - depression or hypochondria. From the side of internal organs there can also be negative changes, so, with prolonged panic attacks, myocardial hypertrophy may develop( which is fraught with heart rhythm disturbances and increases the risk of myocardial infarction), blood vessel diseases are possible( and this reduces the quality of blood supply to organs).

Thus,adherence to doctor's prescriptions, striving for a healthy lifestyle and caring for your body will help to get rid of such an unpleasant state as panic attacks forever.

Doctor psychiatrist Bochkareva OS