In medicine, sudden, uncontrollable attacks of irrational fear are called panic attacks (PA). In addition to the discomfort caused by the anxiety disorder itself, panic attacks significantly interfere with a person’s daily life. Trying to avoid factors that cause anxiety, a person limits himself in many everyday benefits. As a result, his relationships with others deteriorate, professional activity decreases, and the risks of stressful situations and severe depression increase.
Causes of panic conditions
Each person is individual and, accordingly, their diseases are individual. The mechanism of the panic state has not been fully elucidated. But it is known that in the majority
- cases of panic attacks are susceptible to:
- overly impressionable individuals;
- people suffering from a lack of magnesium and zinc in the body. According to research, a deficiency of these substances provokes panic disorders;
- people who have suffered severe psychological shocks;
- genetically predisposed persons whose relatives are prone to nervous or mental disorders;
- people who have experienced sudden stress or are chronically depressed;
- drug or alcohol abusers, as well as gambling addicts .
Along with this, panic attacks are not always caused by panic disorder. They can be triggered by low blood sugar, an overactive thyroid gland, medications as a side effect, and other factors.
Experts distinguish three main types of PA:
- spontaneous - appears suddenly without the presence of any provoking factors;
- situational - occurs when expecting a certain event, for example, before an exam, interview, in anticipation of a conflict;
- conditional-situational - the key factor is a chemical or biological activator. This could be drug or alcohol abuse, hormonal changes.
If you do not treat a panic attack, regardless of the causes and types of the disease, then in a person with such a diagnosis, attacks will only intensify and become more frequent, the quality of life will deteriorate, problems in social adaptation and other negative consequences will arise.
Consequences
Panic disorder, if the diagnosis is correct, does not go away “on its own.” Sometimes the intervals between attacks are quite long - up to 1-3 months. But without adequate treatment, the time interval between attacks gradually decreases.
Looking at panic attacks separately, researchers conclude that they do not pose a threat to life. But repeated PA without treatment will lead to the formation of depressive disorder, phobias, and neurosis. Over time, a person becomes a hypochondriac, stress resistance suffers, and increased suspiciousness arises.
Letting a disorder take its course is a health hazard. After a few months, the quality of life decreases noticeably. Mental and physical capabilities decline, and performance suffers. People who do not treat mental problems have problems in the area of social adaptation.
Symptoms of panic attacks
Panic disorders manifest differently in each person and can combine physical and mental symptoms. Physical include:
- increased heart rate with a simultaneous sensation of pain in the chest area;
- nausea;
- muscle cramps;
- difficulty breathing;
- dizziness;
- trembling in the body;
- sweating;
- stomach upset;
- numbness of the limbs.
Mental (emotional) signs include:
- phobias: fear of large crowds of people or closed spaces, fear of sudden death or incurable illness;
- hysterical symptoms: causeless anxiety, tearfulness, increased emotionality, confusion of memory;
- insomnia or frequent awakenings in the middle of the night;
- disturbances in the perception of space;
- fear of committing an uncontrollable act.
Attacks occur spontaneously and can last from several minutes to several hours. The disease occurs in men and women, and in the first case, anxiety develops twice as often.
A panic attack is diagnosed when there is a severe combination of several symptoms over a long period. Only a qualified psychotherapist can accurately establish a diagnosis after a comprehensive examination.
Methods for treating panic attacks
Lack of awareness among people about panic attacks leads to the fact that some consider the disease incurable, while others are confident that the pathology does not cause any danger. Both opinions are wrong, since with the right approach the disease can be controlled and treated. You just need to seek help from an experienced specialist who, after studying the symptoms and carrying out diagnostic measures, will establish a diagnosis and draw up a treatment regimen.
The main methods of therapy are psychotherapy, psychopharmacology and treatment with folk remedies at home.
Drug therapy
Medications can reduce symptoms, weaken or completely eliminate the panic state. It can be:
- tranquilizers. They relieve acute attacks, but only with long-term use cause dependence;
- antidepressants. They have many contraindications, so you should select a specific product with extreme caution;
- neuroleptics. Prescribed in cases where other medications do not provide the desired effect;
- neurometabolic. Effective drugs, used in courses and only under the supervision of a doctor.
You should pay attention to the fact that each of the medications is prescribed by the doctor personally based on the symptoms and condition of the human body. In case of side effects or other adverse events, medications should be discontinued immediately.
Psychotherapeutic treatment
It is difficult to get rid of panic and anxiety attacks with medications alone. Psychotherapy will help reduce the dosage of medications and eventually stop taking them, while improving the quality of life. Various techniques are used in this direction:
- cognitive-behavioral – reduces the degree of anxiety, models behavior and thinking at the time of an attack, sets the mood for positivity;
- classical and/or Ericksonian hypnosis. The patient is encouraged to get rid of panic disorder. After the sessions, the level of anxiety decreases, self-confidence increases, and panic attacks disappear;
- body orientation therapy. Includes breathing techniques, Jacobson's relaxation and other methods that regulate anxiety levels by influencing the body.
Psychoanalysis and systemic psychotherapy can solve problems with panic attacks and provide a positive effect.
Treatment at home
Professional therapy will be most effective if it is supplemented with treatment at home. Decoctions of oregano, motherwort, young leaves of birch, chamomile, linden and other plants will help reduce fear and panic. Aromatherapy gives positive results; candles with essential oils of juniper, eucalyptus and pine are especially useful.
In addition, while at home, you should minimize the consumption of coffee and strong tea, learn to breathe correctly, with the help of special training of the nervous system, develop resistance to stress, exercise regularly and set yourself up for the positive.
Is it possible to overcome forever
To overcome panic disorder forever, long-term work with a psychotherapist, taking a course of medications, and the patient’s efforts are required. It is important to find the root cause of anxiety - it is often hidden deep in the subconscious. Next, you need to learn how to independently smooth out the symptoms during an attack.
The nuances of therapy depend on the severity of the disorder, its duration, severity and personal characteristics of the body. It is believed that the most severe PAs occur in those patients who perceived the first attack as a fatal catastrophe. The sooner treatment begins, the faster and easier it will be. Full recovery occurs in the presence of two factors - a competent treatment regimen and a lot of effort from the patient.
Treatment of panic disorders in the Skvira center
If panic attacks are repeated more and more often and interfere with a full life in society, then you cannot do without the help of a professional doctor in such situations. Medical provides services for the treatment of panic disorders. Experienced psychotherapists and psychologists work with patients, using safe and effective techniques: using hypnotherapy, doctors identify and process the first uncomfortable anxiety state:
- Cognitive-behavioral methods in combination with hypnosis allow the patient to quickly learn healthy stereotypes;
- psychocorrection reduces anxiety and tension, normalizes sleep and improves mood;
- psychotherapy strengthens the nervous system and restores the psyche through the transformation of negative emotions and events from the subconscious.
The advantage of treatment at the center is that the main methods of therapy are psychotherapy and psychocorrection, and medications are only an aid.
As a result of the help of psychotherapists, patients’ resistance to stress increases, a positive mood and good sleep are restored, and panic attacks completely disappear.
The technique provides long-term and lasting results, which cannot be said about drug therapy, in particular about the side effects of various drugs and the addiction they cause. During psychotherapy, the patient learns to control and monitor his emotions and thoughts, and gradually changes the beliefs that lead to the development of the disorder. Doctors will help anyone who turns to us for help to find peace, self-confidence and a healthy, harmonious state of mind.
Answers to frequently asked questions that arise for those who are faced with neuroses
Are neuroses inherited?
No, they are not transmitted. Character traits can be transmitted, such as impressionability, anxiety, suspiciousness, and so on, which, under unfavorable circumstances, facilitate the onset of neurosis.
Is it possible to recover from neurosis forever?
Yes, you can.
Could sexual dissatisfaction be the main cause of neurosis?
Yes, it can, but now, as the basis of neurosis, it practically does not occur. The role of sex is extremely overrated when it comes to the emergence of neurotic experiences. This is due to the contribution of Sigmund Freud to the development of the causes and mechanisms of neurosis.
Why is physical exercise useful for neuroses?
It is unlikely that it will be possible to cure neurosis with the help of physical education, but physical activity is very useful as an auxiliary component. Stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol) are consumed and muscles relax, this will contribute to overall calm. You will seem to be letting off steam.
Does neurosis affect life expectancy?
More likely no than yes. But, if we exclude the fact that those suffering from neurosis take more care of themselves and lead a healthier lifestyle. This just contributes to longer life expectancy.
What will happen if I don’t treat my neurosis?
You won't die or go crazy. But your quality of life may decrease significantly. While remaining physically and mentally healthy, a person suffering from neurosis can fill his life with a huge number of restrictions, anxiety and depression.
What is the worst neurosis?
The one that is running. The longer a person suffers from neurosis, the harder and longer it takes to treat him. If a person fell ill, for example, less than 2 months ago, then 3-4 meetings may be enough for treatment. All other things being equal (age, intelligence, motivation, duration of illness, unfavorable background), panic disorder is the easiest to treat, and OCD is the hardest to treat. Social phobia may not poison life as much as panic attacks, but it is much more difficult to get rid of it completely, especially if it has been present since adolescence.
Is it possible to go crazy from neurosis?
No impossible. Read more
When should you start treating neurosis? When to finish? How long does it take to treat neurosis?
Start treating - the sooner the better. At a minimum, if symptoms become regular over two months, it is better to quickly consult a psychotherapist. When to end is a more difficult question. Let me give you an example of a situation: let’s take a person with a moderate degree of neurosis, who, for example, will need 8 meetings. The first two weeks - twice a week, then - once a week, that is, the general course will last one and a half to two months. Most often, by the fourth session, symptoms subside significantly. Gradually the symptoms go away in waves. After two months, they are either gone, or their echoes remain, which appear less and less often and become less intense. That is, when the symptoms have passed or there has been a persistent absence of them, you can think about ending the treatment. However, it happens that there are no symptoms, but a person continues to visit a psychotherapist for some time in order to optimize the quality of his life, make himself more stress-resistant and thereby prevent the recurrence of neurosis. To summarize: it is optimal to stop treatment when the symptoms have gone away completely or when there are so few of them that they no longer affect life, in addition, the issues that can support neurosis or provoke it have been resolved.
Is it better to treat neurosis in a hospital or on an outpatient basis?
From my point of view, in the vast majority of cases, neurosis is best treated on an outpatient basis. It makes sense to go to a hospital (for example, to a neurosis clinic) only if a person is completely unable to lead a normal life due to constant anxiety and severely depressed mood. Hospitals may prescribe drugs in IVs that will help you come to your senses a little. In a hospital setting, it is easier for a doctor to determine the effectiveness of drugs, since the patient is under constant supervision. In an outpatient setting, the doctor must be much more careful so as not to “overload” the patient. However, it is not always possible to receive full psychotherapeutic treatment in a hospital. However, for some it is a way out to get relief. Another reason to go to the hospital may be an unfavorable environment at home. If you find yourself in a hospital, avoid conversations on the topic of who got sick, otherwise you risk treating some fears and leaving with others. Outpatient treatment is preferable, since getting rid of neurosis requires mastering techniques that need to be practiced in real life. If the need arises, you will be prescribed sedatives anyway. Plus: you will be able to stay in your normal life for several weeks.
Is it possible to cure neurosis without pills?
In most cases, yes, if it is a pure neurosis, uncomplicated by anything (depression, organic brain damage, long-term course, and so on).
Are there pills for neurosis?
No. Drugs (tranquilizers, antidepressants, minor antipsychotics) that are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders are aimed at reducing symptoms, and not at the cause or mechanisms of neurosis.
What's the worst thing about neuroses?
Being a physically and mentally healthy person, you will not use your potential and realize your opportunities, and life will pass you by.
If I have a neurosis, is it worth talking about it, will they understand me?
Unfortunately, most likely you will not find understanding. People who have never experienced panic attacks, fear and anxiety in situations that seem ordinary to them (an airplane, a subway, a hairdresser, a concert hall, performances, standing in a traffic jam) are not able to understand how one can worry so much in completely safe situations and not being able to “pull yourself together.” Therefore, it makes sense to communicate what is happening to you only to those who are actively involved in your life or live nearby. So that they have the opportunity, if not to understand, then at least to accept the limitations that neurosis has brought into your life. So that they understand how they can help you and do not add even more anxiety with their worries, irritation or lectures. At the same time, you should not be afraid that someone will find out about your problems: your behavior may be incomprehensible to others, but since you will still control yourself, no one will decide that you are some kind of abnormal. Neuroses are quite common, so people often find understanding from those whom they would never have thought would find support.
Which specialist is best to treat neurosis?
See a psychotherapist. It was no coincidence that I clarified that I was seeing a doctor, because, unfortunately, psychologists often call themselves psychotherapists. You need a doctor who knows psychotherapeutic methods for treating neuroses. If you want to truly cure neurosis, and not just smooth out the symptoms, then a neurologist or psychiatrist is not suitable.
Can neurosis go away on its own?
Yes maybe. But if the symptoms increase and do not go away for more than one month, then it is unlikely.
Is it necessary to prevent neurosis?
I don’t think it’s necessary to specifically prevent any disease if your heredity is not burdened by this disease - there’s no point in thinking about what doesn’t exist. But it’s worth leading a healthy lifestyle, that’s all! Try not to give a damn about the quality of your life, don’t push yourself, don’t accumulate stress, try to balance your life so that it includes rest, healthy sleep, interesting activities, pleasant communication, and sufficient physical activity. Minimize the amount of conflict, alcohol and do not use drugs. Then the chances of neurosis appearing in your life will be significantly reduced.
Can mental trauma cause neurosis?
Yes maybe. Although often neurosis occurs when a difficult period is over.
Is it necessary to deal with childhood memories in order to recover from neurosis?
Not necessary. Information about childhood is needed to find out the personality traits that contributed to the onset of neurosis, and to determine habitual ways of reacting and thinking. That is, the mechanism “I remembered something from childhood, told a psychotherapist and the neurosis went away” does not work.
Is anorexia nervosa a neurosis?
No, with anorexia nervosa there is a completely different mechanism of occurrence and development. This diagnosis refers to eating disorders and is mechanically close to addiction.
Can alcoholism lead to neurosis and vice versa?
Yes maybe. Often the first panic attack in those suffering from alcoholism occurs during abstinence (the day after abuse). Sometimes after such an attack a person stops drinking. The situation is the opposite, when with the help of alcohol a person suffering from neurosis and social phobia relieves his constriction and fear, and begins to do this regularly.
What type of psychotherapy is most effective for neuroses?
From our point of view, the cognitive behavioral approach is the best. It began to be developed in the mid-20th century. A huge amount of research has been carried out on its effectiveness, techniques have been developed. The approach is based on a scientific basis, and in a short period of time it can help a person change a lot. But this does not mean that it is the only effective one; representatives of other psychotherapeutic schools also provide effective treatment. Here it’s like in surgery: scalpels can be of different shapes, the main thing is literacy, intelligence, experience, surgeon skills and the desire to help.
