Panic attacks can be an intensely frightening experience that occurs due to anxiety. The overwhelming anxiety causes physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
However, have you ever been so devastated by episodes of panic that you feel like you might collapse? These attacks are scary & feel like a threat at the moment, but there are very few chances that one may pass out.
Read this article to know more about symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and how they can be treated.
Understanding Panic Attacks
People experiencing anxiety are in persistent fear & experience episodes of panic. These are a combination of mental and physical responses to danger, stress, or excitement. These attacks are debilitating and severe at the moment and cause symptoms such as a racing heart, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
Moreover, it can also occur due to other mental health conditions that have symptoms of anxiety. People also experience panic episodes when anxiety co-occurs with other mental health disorders.
Signs and Symptoms
Some of the common signs are as follows:
- Dizziness
- Limb lightening
- Nausea or abdominal pain
- Rapid heartbeat
- Chills
- Sweating
- Feelings of danger
- Shaking
- Difficulty in breathing
- Lightheadedness
- Chest pain
- Feeling of choking
- Fear of dying
These symptoms come and go for a shorter period of time. Once the episode of attack has ended, the individuals remain in a still state & possibly repeat the same cycle again.
What are the Types of Panic Attacks?
The experiences vary from person to person; they can also differ according to what prompted the attack.
The DSM-5 lists separate types of this condition, which include:
1. Expected Panic Attacks
People who experience this are subjected to specific phobias that trigger the panic. These attacks are predictable and can only occur in a known situation. E.g, individuals who have a fear of heights can only get panicked when they experience it. Or people who have a fear of spiders can only get attacked when they see spiders.
2. Unexpected Panic Attack
Unexpected attacks can occur at any time without any clear reason or indication. It causes a sudden change in the personality of a person, as the person is completely calm and relaxed before the symptoms develop.
People in this particular state don’t have any external clues that panic disorder is arising. They experience sudden feelings of extreme dread and anxiety, & physical sensations.
3. Nocturnal Panic Attack
People in this condition have panic episodes while sleeping, which makes them prone to waking up from sleep. It causes excessive sweating, intense issues with breathing, rapid heartbeat, and other symptoms. It usually affects individuals in their teen years or in adulthood.
Nocturnal panics cause so much terror that it takes a long time to fall asleep again.
4. Limited-Symptom Panic Attack
People with this condition experience fewer than four attack symptoms.
It is also a frightening experience, but it does not fully meet the criteria of panic episodes.
Can Panic Attacks Make You Pass Out?
During the panic episodes, individuals feel like they might pass out. However, some individuals might faint for a short period of time, but no one has ever passed out because of it. The body and brain react differently during a panic episode; our bodies show symptoms like shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, sweating, or nausea, whereas our brain contributes to feelings of dizziness.
While experiencing this condition, the sympathetic nervous system activates the “fight-or-flight” response & adrenaline hormone prepares you for immediate danger. However, the physical symptoms like changes in breathing often cause too much carbon dioxide exhalation with less inhalation, and it makes you feel like you are passing out.
What Causes a Panic Attack?
The exact cause is not fully understood, but various factors may contribute to the development of panic episodes, such as genetics, environmental factors & mental health conditions. These attacks are prevalent, and anyone can experience them in their life.
Individuals who have been through traumatic experiences in their childhood or have a family history of this condition are at high risk of developing it.
Additionally, individuals remain in fear of experiencing another episode of panic, which worsens their condition. They may feel like there’s no relief from it, but it can be effectively treated.
How to Diagnose a Panic Attack?
It can be diagnosed by a professional mental healthcare expert. They conduct a one-on-one session with the individual who is suffering and examine the symptoms. They also check the family history and follow the (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) DSM-5 criteria.
They also ask about what psychological questions, like their triggers, also inquire about any use of substances like caffeine or alcohol.
When to Seek Professional Help?
If you have experienced fainting or feel like you are losing control, seek professional help immediately.
In rare cases, fainting can be a medical emergency; some of the common symptoms include:
- pounding heart
- Have the signs of dehydration, like little urination
- Staying unconscious for more than a minute
- Having a history of heart issues
What Treatment Options are Available to Treat Panic Attacks?
Treating anxiety-related disorders, such as panic disorders, is highly treatable with the right combination of medications and psychotherapies. The treatments help individuals to recognize that the symptoms are not life-threatening & can be managed with the right mental health support. A mental healthcare expert also helps them to learn coping skills to reduce the intensity and length of these attacks.
“These attacks are not something you have to live with. Treatment is available, and you can feel better!”
Medications that help reduce the symptoms include antidepressants, which help to regulate mood and reduce panic symptoms, anti-anxiety & benzodiazepines.
Note: please don’t take medications on your own; only a mental healthcare specialist can prescribe medications after examining the symtoms & severity.
Here are some of the common research-based psychotherapies to treat them:
1. Cognitive behavioral therapy
It is evidence-based therapy that helps in changing the thought patterns. It intervenes in the thoughts and changes the negative thoughts into positive ones. A mental healthcare expert changes the behaviors that are associated with episodes of panic, & helps to reduce the frequency and severity.
2. Exposure therapy
In this therapy, a mental health care expert talks about the fears that provoke these attacks. They expose the individual to their fears in a safe environment and help them learn how to cope with anxiety. This therapy is highly recommended for people with panic disorders.
3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
It’s a type of CBT that helps people manage emotional distress & intense emotions. DBT provides skills that include staying present, distress tolerance for getting through panic without making things worse, and emotion regulation for managing or changing unwanted emotions.
Take the first step towards Relief at Orange Coast Psychiatry
Are you experiencing panic attacks and feeling like it’s getting out of control?
Do you live in a state of fear and anxiety? There’s no reason to continue living that way.
At Orange Coast Psychiatry, we’re here to walk beside you on this journey.
We have a team of professional experts who have decades of experience in treating panic episodes, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health conditions. Our experts provide individualized and group treatments according to your unique condition. We offer evidence-based therapeutic approaches to address emotional distress to help you live a fulfilling life.
Contact us today!
Last Remarks
Living with panic disorder is a deeply distressing experience; many individuals become faint while experiencing episodes of panic, but no one has ever passed out due to this condition. People experiencing this sometimes lose control of their bodies or experience that their heart is pounding. Everyone has a different experience of panic disorder; it usually occurs due to family history, environmental factors, or childhood traumas.
However, it is highly manageable with the help of a mental healthcare expert. They diagnose the exact condition and recommend treatment according to the severity of the condition. They sometimes combine medications with psychotherapies to get the desired results.
