Panic attacks are very sudden and intense feelings of anxiety and fear that comes over a person with no apparent reason at all. The symptoms of panic attacks are cause by the rush of adrenaline release into the body’s bloodstream. This release of adrenaline is a bodily response intended as a survival mechanism. It prepares the body to face dangerous situations. However, when the body does this excessively, unnecessarily and too frequently, this can result in a negative impact on the psychological and emotional health of a person.

Panic attacks are not caused by specific external triggers. A person with panic attacks may be doing something that he or she usually does, like going to the bank, cycling or taking an elevator and suddenly get hit by a panic attack. It just seems to come out of nowhere.

Negative thoughts will start to engulf the mind such as paranoia and unrealistic fears. The mind will believe that the worst possible things will happen; Things such as the ship sinking or the car from the other side of the road crashing in. All this regardless of the probability of it happening.

It is no wonder why people suffering from panic attacks are so affected by this affliction. They live in fear because of it. Panic attacks may come anytime and anywhere, and this has greatly affected their confidence to live their daily lives.

The most effective way to stop panic attacks is to face it head on. Don’t fight against the panic attack, instead let it come, befriend it and allow it to run it’s course. In other words, weather the storm of the panic attack. There are 2 reasons why taking this approach is good;

First, it is because panic attacks feeds on fear. The more you resist and fight against a panic attack, the stronger it becomes because you are giving it energy from the fear you exhibit. The only end result you get from resisting a panic attack is the panic attack will become more intense and last longer.

When you resist something, it will usually only make things worse. Take the example a roller coaster ride. If you go along with the movement of the roller coaster, it will feel exhilarating. That is why people love to lift up their hands when the roller coaster dives downwards sharply. However, when you try to resist and go against the roller coaster, you will feel even more frightened and tense.

Second, by not resisting a panic attack and facing it head on instead, you will experience and realize that there is actually no danger in the situation at all. However if you continuously resist and run away from a panic attack, you will only escape it until the next time it happens.

When you have fully faced a panic attack and come out of it unharmed, there will be a sense of relief and understanding that it is your illusions of danger that have been creating these panic attacks. You will realize that in reality there isn’t any danger at all. This realization will take away your fear enable you to face future panic attacks with confidence. Having this courage will lead you on the way to conquering panic attacks.

Tags: Mental Health

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