stress can disrupt sleep, cause headaches and body pain, worsen existing health conditions, increase feelings of fear and sadness and lead to panic attacks.
“a panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming and intense fear, sometimes in response to a known trigger, but usually in the absence of any apparent threat or trigger,” explains aiden ansarian, a registered clinical counsellor at the
anxiety relief centre (arc) in b.c.
but it’s not just a feeling of anxiety.
joseph eliezer, a registered psychotherapist, clinical counsellor and author based in b.c, says, “if panic attacks were expressed as a mathematical equation, it would be feeling intensely overwhelmed times 1,000.”
ansarian says that when our sympathetic nervous system, or fight or flight response becomes activated, we experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, increased heart rate, lightheadedness, and an impending sense of doom or terror. the body gets flooded with adrenaline in an effort to help us confront or escape harm.
“for some people, a panic attack can feel like a heart attack or like you’re ‘going crazy,’” ansarian says, especially if it’s the first one they’ve ever had.
he suggests that the best way to calm yourself through a panic attack is to focus on the facts – remind yourself that your body is mistakenly preparing for a threat that isn’t real. take deep breaths with a short inhale through the nose and a long exhale through the mouth – this will engage your rest and relax response. ground yourself with your senses – notice and name some things you can see, hear, and touch as this will shift your attention away from the distressing symptoms until they subside.
3 minute read
