Understanding and Managing Panic Attack

Understanding and Managing Panic Attack

Understanding and Managing Panic Attack

Managing panic attack can never be done appropriately unless the person knows what panic attack really is. Contrary to what many may think, it is not tantamount to having a panic disorder. People without the disorder may experience panic attacks. However, people who can not recover from their panic episode and keep on imagining that it's going to happen again may be in the running for having the disorder.

Here are some of the facts that you should know about panic attacks:

1. They are the fight-flight-freeze response of the body. Meaning, they are natural responses. They happen when the body is ready to defend itself from anything the brain deems dangerous. For example, the heart beats faster and pumps blood to the muscles so the person can run away from danger, if not fight-off with it.

2. They are harmless. Although panic attacks can be very scary and uncomfortable, they are not really harmful. For a person who is witnessing someone else having an episode, managing a panic attack can't be too hard or overly sensitive. Even though it may feel or seem like the person is having a heart attack, a panic attack is not life-threatening. Because a panic episode is the body's alarm system, the person may really feel like he or she is going crazy or about to die, but he or she is not. The feeling can be similar to standing up in front of a bear and feeling the physical danger so close, only, what are the odds of a bear being in someone's home or office, right?

3. They are brief. Managing a panic attack can not be that arduous for the fact that a typical episode may only last between five and ten minutes. OK, it may feel like forever, but it really isn't forever-long. At least now you know better. If another panic strikes, you can remind yourself how momentary it is going to be. If you are just witnessing the attack though, you can tell the person that it's going to be OK. To walk an extra mile, encourage the person to breathe-in and out with you. This will help him or her calm down.

4. They are private experiences. Others, especially those who are not close to you, will not be able to tell whether you are having a panic episode or not. Panic attacks are personal, and if you would not be required to stand in front of the crowd or be in a situation where others will only focus attention on you, they will not be able to distinguish whether you are being normal or otherwise. Of course, the story is different once you start showing intense symptoms like severe breathing difficulties while talking with a friend or dining with a co-worker.

As already mentioned, having panic attack does not automatically mean that the person has a panic disorder. If you are equipped with the proper knowledge on managing panic attack, the chances of you developing a disorder is very slim.

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