subject: What Effects Do Panic Attacks have On Your Body? [print this page] Panic attacks cause a broad range of symptoms apart from the sense of anxiety and panic which you get These are some of the main side effects, you may well be surprised at just how much they can change you.
Cardiovascular Effects
Whenever we start to feel anxious, adrenalin may be released into our bloodstream by the sympathetic nervous system in order to prepare us for fight or flight. This causes an increased pulse and a higher flow of blood around our bodies whilst at the same time restricting which parts of the body the blood is sent to. The larger muscles like your thigh and arm muscles get additional supply of blood to prepare them for action. The extremities receive less blood which can result in a tingling sensation or pins and needles, which is a common symptom. A lot of people feel a lingling or a numb feeling during a panic attack often making them worry that they are about to have a heart attack. This worry is unfounded.
Breathing Effects
A feeling as if you are suffocating is also a common symptom of a panic attack. This is caused by the changes in your breathing as you breathe more rapidly and deeply, causing the oxygen levels in your blood to increase. If you do not use up the additional oxygen it can leave you gasping for breath. This is simply because our rate of breathing is triggered by the level of carbon dioxide. You can be left feeling as if you are gasping for nreat until the carbob dioxide levels return to normal, which is why breathing into a paper bag works. You recycle the same breath; increase the levels of carbon dioxide and revert to normal breathing.
These changes in your breathing can also make you feel giddy or light headed and confused. Just remember that you are never in any danger of suffocating no matter how it feels.
other Physical Effects of a panic attack
Your pupils dilate to let in more light;one result of this can be blurred vision. Your mouth may feel dry as the amount of saliva that you produce decreases and less important bodily functions such as digesting yoru food will temporarily slow down; this can lead to you feeling sick or nauseous.
Muscle groups tense up in preparartion for the fight or flight scenario which can lead to cramps and aches and pains, shaling and trembling. All of these things use up energy which can leave you feeling tired and drained.
Mental side effects
The fight/flight response is meant to protect us from danger so we will instinctively become more sensitized and alert to our surroundings in order to identify any threat.
All of these things happens in just a split second but the effects can go on for an hour or more. The first time that you experience a panic attack it can be extremely upsetting
Some people experience a panic attack without there being any obvious source of anxiety. A panic attack can be triggered simply by the fear of a repeat attack. Panic attacks can be almost self fulfilling prophecies. In order to get out of this cycle you need to realise that panic attacks cannot harm you. It is the result of thousands of years of evolution and is meant to save you not harm you. It is the inappropriate reaction which starts to cause problems for }people, the feeling that our body is overreacting to a particular situation
Understanding that panic attacks cannot physically harm you is one of the first steps on the road to recovery
