Serious or clinical
panic attacks
Panic in itself is not abnormal. It’s
actually the body’s natural reaction to
suspected danger. Your racing heart
prepares you to fly from the situation
or fight off your attackers. However,
when it’s specifically a serious panic
attack, and when you’re unable to
control it to the point that you have
difficulty breathing causing you to
black out, you should consult a
therapist immediately.
Serious panic attacks occur more than
three times in a row. They can be
triggered by specific situations, or
they could be spontaneous and occurring
only while you’re sleeping. While it’s a
largely psychological incident (it is,
after all, an overreaction to an
unrealistic thought of danger), your
diet and your health can also be the
cause of your panic attacks.
Studies show that people who intake more
than their healthy share of caffeine and
sugar are more prone to panic attacks
compared to people with more balanced
diets. When you’re stressed out, or when
you lack sleep, you’re also prone to
have unreasonable spells of panic
attacks.
Treatment
Panic attacks are usually treated with
CBT or cognitive-behavioral treatment.
This treatment attacks your problem in
two ways: it identifies the root
delusional “thought” that triggers your
panic attacks (cognitive), and it also
exposes you to your fears (behavioral)
so that you’re able to deal with it head
on.
Remember that panic attacks, as in other
mood disorders or phobias, are
encouraged when you try to avoid them
and run away from them. Most people
experience prolonged panic attacks
because they fear the panic attack
itself. It’s helpful to think of the
panic attack as a stray dog. When it
smells your fear, and you run away from
it, it just tends to chase you more.
Instead of running away from your panic
attacks, you should stop, pause, and try
to understand it.
The first few sessions of your CBT are
bound to be challenging because you’ll
be asked to face your panic
head-to-head. However, compared to
addictive and pricey medicines,
psychologically mastering your fear and
your panic is definitely more
beneficial. As in all things, mastering
your panic takes practice. Most
sufferers testify that after 8 sessions
with their therapists, they’re able to
control their panic attacks better.
