What to Know (& Do) about Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can be intense, debilitating events that derail everyday activities, ruin important events, and create strain in relationships. However, many people remain unclear about what panic attacks are and what can be done to prevent or stop them.

What are panic attacks?

Panic attacks are often caused by intense fear or anxiety, even in the absence of a threat and sometimes without an apparent cause. Panic attacks can often be mistaken as heart attacks, since they often result in physical symptomatology.

Panic attack symptoms may include

• Muscle tension
• Shortness of breath
• Trembling
• Racing heartbeat

The physical symptoms associated with panic attacks can develop rapidly with little to no warning. One of the reasons so many people struggle with panic attacks is that this unexpectedness leaves them feeling like they have no control over their own bodies.

What causes panic attacks?

Specific physical or mental health factors can increase someone’s risk:

• Stress
• Major life changes
• Genetics
• Trauma

People who have experienced panic attacks before may also develop an intense fear of panic attacks themselves — known as panic disorder.

Who is at risk for panic attacks?

Women are almost twice as likely to develop panic disorder than men, but anyone can experience panic attacks regardless of age or gender. Some people experience panic attacks only once or twice in their life, usually as a result of a stressful life event. For others, panic attacks can be recurrent and unexpected.

Signs of an oncoming panic attack

• Feeling a sudden loss of control
• Chills
• Feeling detached from reality
• A sense of doom
• Shaking or trembling
• Excessive or abnormal sweating

How to stop a panic attack

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been found to be highly efficacious for treating panic and anxiety-related disorders. By utilizing CBT, the patient and therapist are able to identify the factors responsible for the panic attacks and create actionable strategies for mitigating their influence.

CBT helps individuals develop a greater understanding of the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Patients can then begin to develop the tools necessary for targeting and modifying patterns of behaviour that contribute to their anxiety.

Several grounding techniques can also help mitigate panic attack symptoms by helping individuals focus on the present moment. One such method is the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

• What are 5 things you can see around you? Focus on the details of nearby objects.
• What are 4 things you can feel? The feeling of your shirt, the heaviness of your shoes, the texture of the chair.
• What are 3 things you can hear? Notice your foot tapping on the floor or the wind outside.
• What are 2 things you can smell? Focus on pleasant sensations — detergent from freshly washed clothes, an air freshener.
• What is 1 thing you can taste? Think of the last meal you ate, or carry a small piece of candy to focus on the flavour.

Finding help for panic disorders

Panic disorders can create significant difficulties for any individual, but you don’t have to deal with them alone. Read about our anxiety work or book a free 20-minute consult.