5 Signs of Panic Attacks (and What to Do About Them)

A panic attack is a sudden wave of fear or discomfort together with a feeling that you’re losing control of yourself or the situation, despite a lack of any clear danger or even a trigger. Such an attack is usually accompanied by both physical and emotional symptoms and can be debilitating if they occur regularly, disrupting your health and your life.

Panic usually stems from an underlying anxiety disorder, but the specifics of the attack vary from person to person. The good news is that, with proper help, panic attacks (and anxiety) can be treated, giving you back control of your life.

At Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic in Palm Harbor, Florida, Kanwaljit “Kavi” Sidhu, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, and our skilled staff diagnose and treat panic disorders and their underlying anxiety issues for those patients who struggle with the symptoms. If you’re easily startled or develop full-blown panic at the drop of a hat, here’s what you need to know about your condition and how it’s treated.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a condition where you feel fear, dread, or uneasiness. It’s the body’s natural reaction to stress. By ramping up your heartbeat and dumping stress hormones into your bloodstream, the body allows you to deal with the stressor effectively, through extra focus or energy, then return to your resting state.

However, for some people, the anxiety never goes away, and even worsens over time. You become jumpy and worried, to the exclusion of all else. This is known as an anxiety disorder, and it may be a generalized condition (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD) or specific to one type of anxiety (e.g., social anxiety disorder, phobias).

What are 5 signs of a panic attack?

Panic attacks are sudden, repeated periods of intense fear that come on suddenly and last several or more minutes. The key to recognizing a panic attack is that the danger is entirely perceived, there’s no real threat. Nevertheless, your body responds just as it would when confronted by a major stressor.

Panic attacks often include physical symptoms that can be confused with those of a heart attack, such as trembling, a tingling sensation in the limbs, or a rapid heart rate. These attacks can happen at any time, even during sleep. They can occur from a few times a year to several times a day, and they’re more common in women than men.

Most people with panic disorders become highly concerned about having another attack and may change multiple aspects of their lives in an attempt to prevent one from occurring, including withdrawing from other people and social situations that might trigger them. This often leads to isolation and a “cementing” of the behaviors that cause the attacks in the first place.

Five signs of a panic attack include:

Sudden and repeated episodes of overwhelming anxiety and fear
Sense of being out of control
Fear of death or impending doom while the attack is ongoing
Intense worry about when the next attack will happen
Fear or avoidance of places and people where panic attacks have occurred in the past

Sometimes, the individual intellectually understands that there’s no real danger, but they’re unable to stop the attack from happening.

How to treat panic attacks

At Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic, Kavi and our team provide effective treatments for all types of anxiety, including panic attacks. These include both medication management and types of psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which challenges your beliefs and helps you learn how to employ better coping skills. Together, they make for a powerful combination.

You can also help yourself by adopting some healthy lifestyle practices. These include:

Prioritizing sleep

A lack of sleep, or poor-quality sleep, can make mental health issues worse, and vice versa. You should aim for 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep each night.

Exercising

Exercise is a natural anxiety-buster, because it helps your body produce more of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates mood, as well as endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals. Exercise also reduces fatigue, decreases tension, and elevates your mood. Aim for 30 minutes, 3-5 times per week.

Focusing on good nutrition

Eating nutritious, balanced meals improves your overall well-being, including your anxiety. Make sure to include complex carbohydrates, which your body uses to synthesize serotonin. Also get enough protein. It’s one of the major building blocks of cells, and it also helps stabilize your blood sugar, evening out your mood.

Practicing meditation

Meditation — anything from tai chi to deep breathing to walking — helps you relax your mind, reducing stress and dampening anxiety. Try to make this a daily practice.

If you’re prone to panic attacks, there’s hope, and our team at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic can help. Call our office at 727-382-1383, or book online with us today.