Lately, the topic of panic attacks has become increasingly relevant. This is often linked to the large amount of stress in everyday life. Since 2019, the number of panic attack cases has increased sharply. Why? What is this connected to? And, most importantly, what should be done about it: treat it, or let it pass on its own? A brief overview in this article.
Let's start by clarifying the concept. We call a panic attack a state in which a person experiences a “bouquet” of symptoms:
And all of this occurs even though, from a physiological standpoint, everything is fine and there is no real reason to panic.
For example, one of my patients called an ambulance during a panic attack. The doctor measured her blood pressure, took an ECG, and measured her blood oxygen level (saturation) — everything was within normal range. Her first panic attack occurred two months after she recovered from COVID-19.
Speaking about the causes of panic attacks, I'll make an important clarification right away: in this article we are talking about cases where the body itself is fine — that is, when doctors say there is no organic change to explain these symptoms.
Prolonged suppression of one's emotions + psychological trauma = panic attack. When a person endures something for a long time — for example, psychological abuse at home or at work — this creates the grounds for the symptoms of a panic attack to arise. A chronic state of inner emotional tension can also be a precursor to this condition.
You could even say that a panic attack is, in a way, a good thing — it's a release of excess inner tension. Although the person experiencing it usually has a different opinion on the matter.
Sometimes an attack of fear in the face of something that isn't actually threatening can seem completely irrational. One of my patients, for example, experienced panic-level fear whenever she needed to cross a bridge. The bridge could be completely safe and sturdy, yet the state of uncontrollable fear would still arise.
When you come to our center, together we will find the cause behind your panic attacks and work through the root psychological trauma that underlies this phenomenon. As a result, you will already feel significantly lighter after the very first session. Typically, 3–5 sessions are enough to fully work through and eliminate the symptoms of panic attacks.
The answer is: “YES.” To cope with this phenomenon “on your own,” you need to go through two stages according to this scheme:
Did you do it? Congratulations — you've successfully completed the first stage. The next stage:
This is needed so that your brain gradually gets used to the fact that you are okay. With this self-help method, several repetitions are needed. A sign that recovery is happening is that, each time, the symptoms become weaker and it becomes much easier for you to observe them.
