Why Am I Having Panic Attacks ?

by | Sep 30, 2013 | Anxiety, Panic Attacks, OCD | 3 comments

Why Am I Having Panic Attacks ?

When a person experiences a panic attack, it is a horribly frightening experience that he or she is unlikely to forget. In fact, the fear of having another such experience can often bring on another one.  Then the stage is set where one might find himself or herself avoiding doing things to avoid another incident which can be very alarming and embarrassing.

Unless the person is dealing with some obvious and major crisis or trauma, the  victim of a PA is so focused on their symptoms that they don’t take time to realize the source of their symptoms. Typically, the anxious person will look for a quick remedy through medications. While medications are quite often necessary and helpful,  they do not always offer a cure. I always recommend that anyone experiencing panic attacks seeks medical intervention. You want to make sure there are no physical causes for your symptoms, or that the symptoms are not exacerbated by some condition like thyroid imbalances, hypoglycemia,  etc. Then I recommend you see a therapist who is experienced with treating panic attacks.

Now is there a cure for the heart palpitating, chest beating, frantic shortness of breath or that light-headed dizzying feeling that may be a PA ? Well, in my opinion, there is no quick fix or magic pill, but with hard work, soul-searching under the guidance of a trained professional counselor, and a focus not only on learning how to deal with and desensitize to the symptoms, but also discovering and taking steps to face the source of the anxiety, you can learn to control your symptoms. Dare I say, I have had many a client who no longer experiences panic attacks.

At first, the true source can be a very evasive issue as we tend to look for something traumatic, some overwhelming crisis. Not that panic attacks cannot occur as a result of some tragedy, but in my experience, the source for many panic attacks tends to be “personal conflicts ” that cause us to feel trapped, out of control and overwhelmed rather than traumas. 

A suggestion is that you might look at issues, be they people or situations in your life that you might be avoiding. We do not avoid without paying a price in our thoughts.

I will expand on this topic by offering examples in my next article to see if I can stimulate even more soul searching on your part.

Gene Benedetto, Psychologist
Blog : RuledByFear.com

3 Comments

  1. BG

    I think you are absolutely right that there is usually no quick fix to panic attacks. Panic attacks can be extremely frightening to the indvidual experiencing them and they often bring on embarrassment as well. I also believe that it is extremely important for people to know that with time and patience, along with taking small but effective steps to overcome one’s fears, and desensitization, they can become successful. For many people that don’t deal with a great deal of anxiety or panic attacks, they may not understand and realize just how real the feelings and symptoms can be, but there are people who do understand.
    I also must agree that while panic attacks and anxiety can come from a traumatic event, there are times where panic attacks can arise from a simple personal obstacle or challenge. However, just because a personal issue may seem simple, it is still important to examine.

    Reply
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