How to Help Someone Having a Panic Attack
Understand what they're going through., Watch for the symptoms., If this is the first time the individual has experienced this, seek emergency medical attention., Find out the cause of the attack.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand what they're going through.
People with panic disorder have sudden and repeated attacks of fear that last for several minutes, up to an hour, but rarely over that because the body simply does not physically have enough energy to panic for that long.
Panic attacks are characterized by a fear of disaster or of losing control even when there is no real danger.A panic attack can occur without warning and for no obvious reason.
In extreme cases, the symptoms may be accompanied by an acute fear of dying.
Although they are quite distressing and can last from 5 minutes to somewhere over an hour, panic attacks are not life-threatening on their own.
Panic attacks arouse the body to a peak level of excitement which makes the individual feel not in control of him or herself.
The mind is preparing for a false fight or flight mode, forcing the body to take over to help the victim face or run from the perceived danger, real or not.
The hormones cortisol and adrenaline are released from the adrenal glands into the blood stream and the process begins
-- this forms the heart of a panic attack.
The mind cannot distinguish the difference between a real danger from the one that is in the mind.
If you believe it, then it is real as far as your mind is concerned.
They may act as if their life is in danger, and they feel like it is.
Try to put it in perspective; if someone was holding a knife to your throat and saying "I'm going to slit your throat.
But I'm going to wait and keep you guessing when I'll decide to do it.
It could be any time now." There has never been a recorded instance of a person dying of a panic attack.They can only be fatal if accompanied by pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma, or if extreme behaviors subsequently result (like jumping out of a window). -
Step 2: Watch for the symptoms.
If the person has never experienced a panic attack before, they'll be panicking on two different levels
-- the second for not knowing what's going on.
If you can pinpoint that they're going through a panic attack, this alleviates half the problem.
Symptoms include:
Palpitations or chest pain Speeding up of the heart rate (rapid heartbeat) Hyperventilation (over-breathing) Trembling Dizziness/lightheadedness/feeling faint (this is usually from hyperventilating) Tingling/numbness in fingers or toes Ringing in the ears or temporary loss or hearing Sweating Nausea Abdominal cramping Hot flashes or chills Dry mouth Difficulty swallowing Depersonalization (disconnected feeling) Headache , When in doubt, it is always best to seek immediate medical attention.
This is doubly important if the individual has diabetes, asthma or other medical problems.
It is important to note that the signs and symptoms of a panic attack can be similar to those of a heart attack.
Do keep this in mind when assessing the situation. , Talk to the individual and determine if he or she is having a panic attack and not another kind of medical emergency (such as a heart or asthma attack) which would require immediate medical attention.
If they've experienced it before, they may be able to clue you in to what's going on.
Many panic attacks don't have a cause or, at the very least, the person panicking isn't consciously aware of what the cause is.
Because of this, determining the cause may not be doable.
If the person doesn't know why, take their word for it and stop asking.
Not everything is for a good reason. -
Step 3: If this is the first time the individual has experienced this
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Step 4: seek emergency medical attention.
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Step 5: Find out the cause of the attack.
Detailed Guide
People with panic disorder have sudden and repeated attacks of fear that last for several minutes, up to an hour, but rarely over that because the body simply does not physically have enough energy to panic for that long.
Panic attacks are characterized by a fear of disaster or of losing control even when there is no real danger.A panic attack can occur without warning and for no obvious reason.
In extreme cases, the symptoms may be accompanied by an acute fear of dying.
Although they are quite distressing and can last from 5 minutes to somewhere over an hour, panic attacks are not life-threatening on their own.
Panic attacks arouse the body to a peak level of excitement which makes the individual feel not in control of him or herself.
The mind is preparing for a false fight or flight mode, forcing the body to take over to help the victim face or run from the perceived danger, real or not.
The hormones cortisol and adrenaline are released from the adrenal glands into the blood stream and the process begins
-- this forms the heart of a panic attack.
The mind cannot distinguish the difference between a real danger from the one that is in the mind.
If you believe it, then it is real as far as your mind is concerned.
They may act as if their life is in danger, and they feel like it is.
Try to put it in perspective; if someone was holding a knife to your throat and saying "I'm going to slit your throat.
But I'm going to wait and keep you guessing when I'll decide to do it.
It could be any time now." There has never been a recorded instance of a person dying of a panic attack.They can only be fatal if accompanied by pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma, or if extreme behaviors subsequently result (like jumping out of a window).
If the person has never experienced a panic attack before, they'll be panicking on two different levels
-- the second for not knowing what's going on.
If you can pinpoint that they're going through a panic attack, this alleviates half the problem.
Symptoms include:
Palpitations or chest pain Speeding up of the heart rate (rapid heartbeat) Hyperventilation (over-breathing) Trembling Dizziness/lightheadedness/feeling faint (this is usually from hyperventilating) Tingling/numbness in fingers or toes Ringing in the ears or temporary loss or hearing Sweating Nausea Abdominal cramping Hot flashes or chills Dry mouth Difficulty swallowing Depersonalization (disconnected feeling) Headache , When in doubt, it is always best to seek immediate medical attention.
This is doubly important if the individual has diabetes, asthma or other medical problems.
It is important to note that the signs and symptoms of a panic attack can be similar to those of a heart attack.
Do keep this in mind when assessing the situation. , Talk to the individual and determine if he or she is having a panic attack and not another kind of medical emergency (such as a heart or asthma attack) which would require immediate medical attention.
If they've experienced it before, they may be able to clue you in to what's going on.
Many panic attacks don't have a cause or, at the very least, the person panicking isn't consciously aware of what the cause is.
Because of this, determining the cause may not be doable.
If the person doesn't know why, take their word for it and stop asking.
Not everything is for a good reason.
About the Author
Angela Hernandez
Creates helpful guides on hobbies to inspire and educate readers.
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