Dr Sarah Jarvis
My Weekly’s favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you
Panic attacks happen when anxiety suddenly reaches a peak, often for no apparent reason. At least 1 in 10 suffers them occasionally, and while they usually last just 5-10 minutes, it can feel like a lifetime.
The symptoms are remarkably like those of a heart attack, so it’s not surprising that people think they’re going to die, which makes them more anxious, which makes their symptoms worse… you get the picture.
Palpitations, breathlessness, feeling trembly and sick, dry mouth and chest pains are accompanied by a feeling that you’re dying or going mad. Breathing too fast lowers carbon dioxide levels in your body, making you lightheaded and causing pins and needles, which also raises anxiety. In fact, these symptoms are also very similar to what happens if you’re faced with sudden danger, because they have the same cause. The “fight or flight” response is an inbuilt survival mechanism, largely down to release of the hormone adrenaline, which your body also produces when you’re excited. Panic attacks are often an extension of anxiety, which is another inbuilt response. Fight or flight may have been very useful when there were sabre-toothed tigers around, but living with it constantly is exhausting. Anxiety and panic attacks happen when your body misinterprets signals around it. There are several kinds of anxiety disorder. Social anxiety, possibly the commonest, is where you worry about how other people perceive you. Phobias
MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM A MIXTURE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. SOME ANTIDEPRESSANTS CAN HELP WITH BOTH, BUT TALKING THERAPY IS KEY
are anxiety about a particular thing – spiders, confined spaces, etc. Generalised anxiety disorder is more common than we used to think – here, you turn everything into a potential catastrophe.
The first step to recovering from an anxiety disorder is to recognise it. Many folk believe excessive anxiety is a weakness, but in fact, it’s a very real medical condition with highly effective treatment.
Your doctor won’t be at all surprised to hear your story – anxiety disorders affect up to 1 in 20 Britons at any one time – so they’ll understand how distressing it is and will know exactly what to do.
Talking therapy is usually the first line of treatment. Not only does it help relieve your symptoms, it gives you the tools you need to tackle future episodes early and stop them escalating.
In most areas of the UK, you’ll be referred to a service called IAPT, or Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (you can also refer yourself by going to WWW.NHS.UK and searching for IAPT). A first assessment, mostly by phone, will give your counsellor an idea of the best type of therapy for you. The most effective forms for the majority of anxiety and panic disorders are variations of CBT, or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. CBT doesn’t delve into the past, but focuses on helping you understand why, and how, your thought processes can feed anxiety. It helps you become aware of what’s going on inside your brain, and challenge unhelpful thought patterns that arise. It’s not quick, and you’ll have to do “homework” outside your sessions, learning to be more aware of what you think and feel. But it’s well worth it – success rates are high for both anxiety and panic disorders. Next week: Addicted to prescription painkillers?
BETA BLOCKER TABLETS ARE OCCASIONALLY GIVEN FOR ANXIETY, BUT DOCTORS AREN’T KEEN ON TRANQUILLISERS, WHICH ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE
THE SYMPTOMS OF PANIC ATTACKS ARE REMARKABLY LIKE THOSE OF A HEART ATTACK’’