Symptoms
Panic attacks are a physiological manifestation of anxiety and fear. They come on when the nervous system is overwhelmed and are often triggered by heightened levels of stress. Several parts of our brain including the sympathetic nervous system and the amygdala are activated (which is in the centre of the brain that is responsible for us experiencing fear) during this process. People who experience panic episodes often report feeling like they are going to die, they may feel a choking sensation, and have difficulty breathing. Individuals may shake uncontrollably, have heart palpitations, and may also become sweaty. These symptoms range per person and can last for approximately 10-30 minutes.
Ways to Find Calm Again
Most importantly, it is valuable to know (and remind yourself during a panic episode) that a panic episode is temporary and will pass. Eventually the parasympathetic areas of the brain take over and help calm the symptoms down. One way to encourage the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system to activate and help calm us is through breathing. A 4/8 breath can help immensely, A quick deep breath into the diaphragm (belly breath) of a count of 4 seconds, a hold of breath for one second and exhale of 8 seconds can help engage the nervous system to help bring about calm. Additionally some people who experience panic episodes report grounding techniques can help, for example, holding an ice cube in your hand, against your neck, chest or dunking your face in a bowl of cold water are all ways in which some find relief from their panic episode. The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding technique can also be helpful for some and includes finding 5 things you can see; 4 things you can feel; 3 things you can hear; 2 things you can smell; 1 thing you can taste.
When should someone see a professional?
Panic episodes can vary infrequency, length and severity. If the cause of the panic episode was a single stress event and has passed without recurrence, chances are you may never experience a panic episode again. However, for some people panic episodes can be a regular occurrence and the trigger or cause may be unknown. In these situations it is helpful to seek out a compassionate and supportive professional to help.
