Panic Attack- The ”illness of the 21st century”

The Panic Attack is a sudden feeling of strong fear or extreme discomfort and the latter is most often described as a feeling that something terrible will happen - we have a feeling that we will die, lose control of ourselves, fall or even go crazy.

Panic attacks-Symptoms and duration

Attacks do not last longer than half an hour but within a few minutes, they can reach maximum.

However, subjective feeling is that they last forever. Sometimes it seems that it is the case of a never-ending attack. No wonder that we are expecting a deadly outcome due to exhaustion with such a strong and long-lasting panic.

During the attack, what one experience is the lack of air or difficulty in breathing, arrhythmia, dizziness, vomiting, discomfort and " rubber feet," feeling that things around are not real or that we cannot think/speak properly out of the fear that we will die/lose control of ourselves, feeling like you need to escape. Panic disorder is a treatable condition.

Practical strategies

Doctors recommend some practical strategies to properly approach panic attacks and to deal with the fear they cause. When finding oneself in situations with Panic Attacks and fear following these, instead of being afraid, one should always try to encourage oneself in order to overcome it. The following sentences can help: What I'm feeling right now is just a fear, fear is unpleasant but not dangerous, I will wait for it to disappear. These unpleasant feelings are harmless and they are just unpleasant, I can stand it. I do not have to run anywhere, what I'm feeling in this moment is just the fear I've experienced many times and I know that the fear can never be stronger than me, I will stay here.

The fact that I'm afraid is not a sign of insanity or the onset of some kind of a physical illness, I'm just being afraid, I'll wait for it to disappear. I do not have to control myself, the fear will pass, it's not possible to lose control of myself. Being scared and feeling helpless does not mean I'm weak or truly helpless, it's just a feeling that will pass, I'll wait for it to pass.

Sentences

According to doctors' advice, one can also use his/her own sentences with words that sound encouraging at that time being. These can be prepared in advance, they can be written down on a piece of paper that is to be carried in a person's pocket. Encouraging sentences should be as short as possible, that way they are easily remembered.