Panic Attack Triggers |
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No one is 100% immune to panic. But, it is not uncommon for someone to have just one or two attacks in their lifetime, and then the problem goes away, never to return. Ideally, it would be great to simply prevent them. But, given the nature of triggers, panic can be impossible to avoid.
The essential nature of panic is a discrete feeling of dread or fear so intense that it raises the specter of death. Diagnostically, panic is an experience separate and distinct from that of anxiety and comes with at least 4 of 13 body oriented and/or cognitive (which means thought based) Symptoms:panic attack
Things that trigger panic can be seemingly random or directly associated with a certain set of risk factors. They can be memories, dreams, reflections, thoughts, emotions, or your heart when it skips a beat. You can have an attack simply by interpreting a stomach ache as a symptom and then running with it. A squeaky chair, a song, a voice, a place, a scent, a sudden change in temperature, lighting, even a strange taste in your mouth. A panic attack can even be brought on by coffee, exercise or certain medications.
Risk factors are certain life circumstances can make a person vulnerable to the triggers. They include:
* A family history of panic attacks or panic disorder * Significant stress * The death or serious illness of a loved one * Big changes in your life, such as a new baby * A history of childhood physical or sexual abuse * A serious accident * Rape as an adult Panic attack is term tossed around in social media and popular culture casually, i.e. "OMG, bfriend got tickets for Dancing With the Stars! -- I'm having a panic attack!"( yes, statistically, women are twice as likely as men to experience a panic attack but probably not for this reason). The reality of panic attacks is not something to take jokingly. For many people, a panic attack is a virtual near death experience.
Does that mean you can die from a panic attack? You're more likely to die of obesity than you are from a panic attack. At least, there are no documented cases. But, you're likely to think you can die from a panic attack if you're having one. Ultimately, the morbidity of panic is all in your mind. For this reason, effective treatment takes both physical and psychological processes into account. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is one of the best remedies for the role the mind plays in exacerbating panic and can be effective both face to face and on line.
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