Panic attack: 6 ways of control

The phenomenon of the panic attack is known long ago, but the reasons of its emergence still are up to the end not found out. It is established that more than 30% of people at least once in life become the victims of very unpleasant phenomenon: without everyones on that the reasons they have a feeling of horror which is followed by a cardiopalmus, a shiver and the fever or feeling of sudden heat increased by sweating, breath constraint, dizziness, nausea. Partial loss of communication with reality is characteristic of an attack: the person feels fear of death in spite of the fact that there is no danger to his life actually. Symptoms arise suddenly and remain within 15-20 minutes. At a part of patients such attacks repeat repeatedly, worsening the general state of health, complicating the course of chronic illnesses and seriously reducing quality of life. Specialists developed the receptions helping to control a condition of the panic attack and to minimize its unpleasant manifestations for them.

1. Quet breathing

The speeded-up respiratory rhythm at the panic attack appears instinctively as reaction to sensation of fear and emergence of symptoms of suffocation. At the same time there is a phenomenon of a hyperventilation of lungs. In combination with the high level of carbon dioxide in blood, it aggravates unpleasant feelings and promotes strengthening of painful symptoms. To stabilize a situation, it is necessary to do the following consistently:

1. To inhale air through a nose within 5 seconds;
2. To hold the breath for 1-2 seconds;
3. To exhale through a half-open mouth within 4 seconds;
4. Before the next breath to wait 2 seconds;
5. To repeat the cycle until slow breath does not become automatic.

2. Muscular relaxation

At the panic attack it is very important to achieve removal of a hyper tone of muscles. For this purpose recommend a technique of alternate relaxation and tension of various groups of muscles. Exercises usually begin with the lower extremities, gradually moving up. The muscle tension has to be carried out on a breath, and relaxation – on an exhalation.

3. Control of thoughts

Patients at whom the panic attacks happen regularly, note that the attack can be provoked even by thoughts that it is possible, and fear of its approach. Therefore for such patients it is very important to control the mood not to allow process to become the avalanche. Establishment of a quiet system of thoughts with adequate assessment of danger of a real situation is called the equipment of attention or cognitive бихейвиоральной therapy. Patients can not always independently learn to control the thoughts. Much of them need individual consultation of the psychotherapist or group occupations. It is especially urgent for people with so-called catastrophic type of thinking: they are, as a rule, not capable to assess adequately a situation without the assistance of the specialist.

4. Physical activity

The people inclined to the panic attacks, for fear of the next attack quite often aim to make as little as possible excess movements and more rare to leave the house. Such approach is very harmful. Patients should not refuse physical activity: walks in the fresh air, easy sports activities, swimming not only do not provoke emergence of painful symptoms, but also activate production of endorphines which help to cope with stresses, improve mood and overall health.

5. Planning

Standard stressful situations happen factors of emergence of the panic attack often: for example, attacks happen at pupils who excessively worry before examinations, or at the people feeling fear of air flight. These patients are usually informed on specifics of the reactions, but in the absence of competent approach such knowledge only aggravates a problem. The most correct – to try to be prepared for an unpleasant event (if there is no opportunity to avoid it). It is possible to prevent the panic attack, having sensibly considered a situation and having adequately estimated the available risks. It is also useful to ask the help for relatives or friends, in advance having reported to them about the features, to warn about possible painful manifestations and about ways of minimization of their effects.

6. Balanced diet

Maintenance of optimum level of sugar in blood is very important for the persons suffering from the panic attacks. Therefore regular food with breaks between meals is shown no more than 4 hours them. The diet has to be balanced on the content of the main nutrients and is most saturated with vitamins. Patients should not take alcohol. It is necessary to limit also black coffee and strong tea as caffeine with which these drinks are rich tones up an organism, than can provoke an attack.

The panic attack in itself is not life-threatening, but at regular repetition can become the reason of development of pathologies of cardiovascular system or serious violations of a neurologic order. At numerous emergence of such conditions of the patient has to address the specialist timely to begin treatment and not to start an illness.