Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

There is another string to the bow of anxiety and that is panic attacks and panic disorder. Some people are lucky and don't suffer with any, or either or. But they are all different from one another. You can see my post on anxiety and GAD here.

What is a panic attack?

If you ever have a panic attack, you will know about it, they are unmistakable. All of a sudden, you feel your body heat up, your heart pounds while your breathing gets heavier and harder, your senses heighten and everything is just going over and over in your head. You feel like it's heart attack, this thing is taking over your body, you feel as though you might die. 

No, no you won't die. In this moment your heart is better so fast, it's not really possible. It's all in your mind, that's what all of this is. A panic attack is your body going into overdrive. They are horrible, horrible things but they won't kill you. 

Common symptoms when having a panic attack include;

• Sweating
• Shaking
• A feeling of choking
• Dizziness or feeling faint
• Pins and needles
• Hot or cold flushes
• Feeling sick

What is panic disorder?

Panic disorder is where someone will have reoccurring panic attacks, mostly when it relates to something that has already happened, the person will feel a sense of worry. For example, if your shopping and you get stuck in the lift and have a panic attack. You will also connect this when doing the activity again, so it will cause panic or you may choose to not even do it again because the sense of anxiety there is so strong that you can't even entertain the idea. You will try and avoid the situation again.

My thing tends to be if I've had a panic attack in a certain situation before, then I will avoid it, I won't want to do it because my brain will then associate it with being bad and something that I shouldn't do because bad things will happen. It's silly, because I know my brain is being silly but when the sense of panic is so strong. You believe.