Do You Have a Phobia of Panic Attacks?

A panic attack is a sudden, intense episode of extreme fear which causes serious physical reactions even when there’s no apparent cause or threat. For those who experience panic attacks frequently, panic attacks can be extremely scary. Especially when panic attacks happen unexpectedly, you may feel like you’re about to lose control, being suffocated by an unseen danger, or possibly dying.

Panic attacks are usually triggered by some kind of stressful event, like a frightening night for instance. That said, panic attacks can also be caused by certain situations, such as the sudden and unexpected introduction of a new member of the family, a common stressor at work, a romantic relationship that goes sour, or even your first day of school. The key to treating this condition is to identify its root causes so that treatment options can be properly tailored.

Although panic disorder is not officially recognized as a medical condition, it is widely considered a psychological disorder that causes irrational fears. These fears usually stem from deep within a person’s psyche. In most cases, the symptoms associated with this condition do not interfere with everyday life, but can nonetheless be incredibly distressing to the person suffering from them. Some symptoms of panic attacks include dizziness, chest pains, difficulty breathing, numbness in the hands and feet, nausea, and tingling in the arms and legs. If these symptoms are present when the attack occurs, the condition is often appropriately classified as a panic disorder.

While the symptoms may differ from person to person, the common denominator between all cases of panic disorder is that they last for at least ten minutes. This duration is the important factor in determining which panic disorder treatment options to use. Some options, like cognitive behavioral therapy, may take several weeks or months before any benefits are realized. In the meantime, relief can be obtained through the use of relaxation techniques and positive thinking.

The first step toward dealing with panic attacks is learning how to identify the onset of an attack. In most cases, the onset is triggered by a stressful situation that is perceived to be even more stressful to the individual than the actual situation itself. Typically, these situations occur while the individual is engaged in highly demanding activities such as driving or working out. These situations usually peak stress triggers at the end of the day, just before bedtime. A common problem with people who suffer from panic attacks is that they attempt to avoid stressful situations in the future in an effort to prevent future occurrences.

Panic disorder symptoms can also arise in the context of very stressful life situations. For example, extremely traumatic experiences can often cause sufferers to experience chest pain or numbness. Sometimes, symptoms will simply worsen as the day goes on. However, for many individuals who experience panic attacks, the intensity of their symptoms wanes as the day wears on – only to return at some point in the evening. For example, if an individual goes to work and finds that his work has heightened levels of anxiety and the need to be highly productive is creating a very stressful work environment, the person may begin to feel the need to take a break from the work environment and go home to avoid the intense fear and chest pain that are associated with this type of work environment.

Although many individuals who experience phobias often cannot change their phobias or avoid stressful situations, they do have a number of ways in which they can reduce or eliminate the occurrence of their phobias. For example, several individuals who have panic attacks often find that by carefully managing and addressing the issues that lead to their phobias, they can effectively reduce and even eliminate their phobias altogether. Phobias are usually not strongly tied to a specific cause, although they can sometimes be triggered by a specific event or stimuli. For example, individuals who are afraid of stepping on coasters often realize that they can avoid stepping on coasters in their homes by using various different methods that will prevent them from stepping on the cold metal surfaces that are found in most homes.

In some cases, individuals may not realize that they are having panic attacks when they experience them. This is often because they do not experience an attack that is severe enough to leave them feeling scared. As a result, the individual may believe that they are experiencing another type of anxiety attack when in fact they are suffering from a panic attack. The good news for individuals who experience this problem is that there are a number of different ways in which they can overcome their fears. If an individual is willing to make some changes in their life, they can effectively lower and even eliminate their fear of having panic attacks. One such change that Professor Salkovski recommends is that an individual should make a list of all of the feared situations in their life and then identify why they are fearful of them.