Panic Attacks: How to Regain Control Over Your State
A panic attack is an intense reaction of the body to accumulated internal tension. This state is accompanied by a sudden feeling of fear and strong physical sensations. It is important to realize that despite the terrifying intensity of the symptoms, panic is merely a temporary malfunction in your stress regulation system.
How to recognize a panic attack?
Panic symptoms often mimic physical illnesses, which intensifies the fear. The most common signs include:
- Rapid heartbeat and a feeling of shortness of breath.
- Dizziness, trembling in the body, or sudden sweating.
- A feeling that what is happening is unreal (derealization).
- An intense fear of losing control or dying.
Why does this happen?
The body uses panic as a way to release excess tension. The main factors contributing to the development of this state are:
- Chronic stress: Prolonged suppression of emotions and ignoring fatigue.
- Thinking habits: A tendency to catastrophize and look for threats where there are none. Read more about how our brain tricks us in the article "Thinking Habits: Mental Traps".
- Psychosomatic connection: The body signals internal conflicts through physical symptoms. Read more about this in the article "Psychosomatics: When the Body Speaks for Us".
Emergency Help Techniques
To stabilize your condition in the moment, affirmative grounding actions are highly effective:
The "Square Breathing" Method
Inhale, pause, exhale, and pause again for equal intervals of time (4 seconds each). This action switches the nervous system into a state of calm.
The "5-4-3-2-1" Technique
Find 5 objects of different colors in the space around you, hear 4 sounds, feel 3 bodily sensations, notice 2 smells, and take 1 sip of water. This brings your focus of attention back to reality.