Panic Attack - symptoms, causes and treatment

Panic Attack - symptoms, causes and treatment

Lindlatecba  -  panic attacks are the emergence of high intensity fear that comes suddenly without a real cause. Feeling a heart attack to think that he is dying are things that sufferers experience when a panic attack occurs. Fear of loss of control or chest pain can also be experienced by patients. However, panic attacks themselves are not dangerous.


Panic attacks can disappear and can be experienced only 1-2 times throughout a person's life, but can also occur repeatedly. This attack is more experienced by women aged adolescents to adults than men, children and the elderly.

In a panic attack condition that occurs repeatedly and accompanied by a constant feeling of fear of the occurrence of a follow-up attack indicates a condition called panic disorder (panic disorder).

Causes of Panic Attack

Most cases of panic attacks attack without warning and without knowing time, for example when driving a vehicle or being asleep. But over time, the appearance of panic attacks can be anticipated as a result of certain situations.

Some researchers suspect that panic attacks are part of the body's natural defense response when in a threatening situation because it has the same reaction form. But so far there has been no research that can confirm the cause of panic attacks, especially when there were no real causes that triggered the attack.

Some of the following factors are also thought to play a role in the occurrence of panic attacks that are generally experienced by late adolescents or early adults, namely:

    1) Genetic factors or who have a history of panic attacks in the family.
    2) Have a history of physical or sexual abuse during childhood.
    3) Temperaments that are susceptible to being affected by stress or negative emotions.
    4) Excessive stress, for example due to loss of someone who is very meaningful.
    5) Traumatic events, such as sexual violence or serious accidents.
    6) Experiencing major changes in life, such as having another child without   planning or the impact of divorce.
    7) Changes or imbalances in substances that affect brain function.
    8) Smoking or consuming caffeinated drinks in excess.

Symptoms of Panic Attack

Panic attacks can appear occasionally or more often. Symptoms usually appear suddenly and reach a peak in just minutes. Generally a panic attack can last for 5-20 minutes, even one hour. Sufferers tend to feel tired after this attack subsides. Here are some symptoms that generally accompany panic attacks:

    1) Excessive sweating
    2) Feeling danger or disaster will come
    3) Feeling afraid of losing control or fear of death
    4) Trembling
    5) Feeling tight in the throat and having difficulty breathing
    6) Heart rate is fast and feels hard
    7) Feel a flash of cold or hot air that resembles a fever
    8) Stomach cramps
    9) Chest pain
    10) Dizziness or fainting
    11) Nausea
    12) Numbness (invulnerability) or amusement.
    13) Feeling free from the body and feeling unreal

Immediately seek medical help if a panic attack occurs because this condition requires the help of others in handling it. Panic attacks also have symptoms similar to other diseases that are classified as serious, such as heart attacks. It is recommended for someone who experiences symptoms resembling a heart attack to undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine the cause.
Diagnosis of Panic Attack

To get the right diagnosis and differentiate panic attack symptoms from other symptoms, the doctor will recommend the following tests.

    1) Thorough physical examination.
    2) Blood test to check the thyroid and risk of other conditions.
    3) Electrocardiogram or ECG / ECG test to check heart condition.
    4) Psychological evaluation to understand the level of symptoms, stress, fear, relationships, and other disorders that can affect aspects of the patient's life, including consumption of alcohol or substances

Someone who has panic disorder generally experiences a series of repeated panic attacks, although not all people with panic attacks have panic disorder. Therefore, the doctor will also check the existence of the following criteria to determine whether the patient has panic disorder.

Panic attacks are not triggered by the use of drugs or other substances, medical conditions, or other mental health, such as social phobia or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder).
     (o People with panic attacks are more frequent and unpredictable.
     (o Having a panic attack that is followed by a feeling of anxiety that lasts up to one month for another attack and the consequences of the attack, such as losing control or attack.
 
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