The city sustains in the funnel: people constantly hurry somewhere, talking on the phone, keeping all under control. And suddenly it crashes - control suddenly disappears, and a human experiences panic attack.
TIME OF ALARM
Over the past twenty years, the world increasingly faces events that are impossible to predict.
Panic attack - an acute experience of anxiety and fear. With almost instant attack one becomes feeling unbearably frightening to die or go mad. It looks like this: tremor passes on the whole body, a man begins to suffocate, sweats, weakens, face turns pale or red. Sometimes an attack is accompanied by pain in the abdomen. The reality around changes dramatically: sounds and colors are perceived in a different way. Experienced attack said that objects became more convex.
In a real threat, whether an explosion or earthquake, there was is usual panic. A panic attack has no apparent reasons.
Over the past twenty years, residents of large cities complain of similar symptoms more often. And more often than not, these were people without any serious psychological problems. Over the same twenty years, the world increasingly faced events that were impossible to predict: explosions in subways and on streets, collapse of buildings, crash of planes and trains … Speed and tension of life in the city, obstacles that must be constantly overcome, unforeseen emergencies - because of all this, general background of alarming increases, which gives rise to panic attacks.
According to my experience, I can say that one of the main sensations of a man who suffers panic attacks - a feeling that he is entirely an author of his own destiny, that not only his own life, but lives of loved ones depend on him. It seems that he can rely only on himself. Describing this experience, people see a man in a desert: no one around, no one comes to the rescue. In such cases, psychologists say that a man perceives himself as a figure around which there is no background.
If we look at human interaction with the world as the relationship of figure and background, then between them, we can conditionally designate the border, where the contact of external and internal exists. This border is necessary not only to receive signals, but also as a protective function of the body. When panic attack connection with background is lost, and all the world as if disappears. A man is not only waiting for outside help, but is unable to receive it, even if it is offered. He simply does not see it.
Young people who are afraid not to deal with «adult» liability suffer from panic attacks more often.
The peak of panic attacks usually occurs in people under 35 years old. At that time, out the world of parents, relatives and friends of childhood, where he felt comfortable, a man turns into an adult world, where relationships must be built anew. Especially important points: admission to the institution, change of work and residence, birth of children. Accordingly, a desire to control everything and fear that one can not cope appear.
Once experienced panic attack, people are afraid of losing control once again. There is as though the fear of fear. Paradox: a person wants to totally control his life and live goes out of control due to tension!
Part of the whole
How to prevent this condition? How not to bring yourself up to panic attack? Trust friends, be able to spread responsibility, believe that there is a place forwonder in life, remember about our own experience, when we had unexpected help …
We all can clearly draw our borders and protect our territory. However, most of us are less likely to experience this sweet feeling of closeness, where there is warmth and light, when people allow themselves to be with each other, not analyzing words and actions.
Some psychologists believe that panic attacks - are an acute attack of loneliness. People who survived the attack, say they feared not just to die, but die alone. It is therefore necessary to have a close person, with whom you sometimes can feel weak and not afraid to show your need for another one. Of course, we must rely on out strength, but each of us also needs to feel part of humanity.
Noticed that as soon as the heroes of American films - Julia Roberts in «Run away bride» or Matt Damon in «Stuck in you» - experienced a panic attack, their friends gave them a brown packing bag to breathe? This is the first help while panic, this is taught in scout camps.
The point is that when a person has panic, he feels rapid breathing - hyperventilation. Excess of oxygen only increases tension and stress, and loss of carbon dioxide causes alkaline shift in blood, which prevents to relax and unwind. Using the package, we are rebuilding the level of carbon dioxide in the body, resulting in voltage decreases. This helps not only to stop the attack, but also warn it.
By the way, it is not necessarily to search for a bag. Feeling the shortage of air, it is enough to breathe in a scarf, handkerchief or palms.
Flip attack
The main is to remember that panic attack is seems more terrible, than its real threat to health.
If you face panic attack
As a rule, people feel approaching PA in a few seconds, so they can try to prevent the attack. The main task - not to lose touch with reality, control emotions.
Concentrate on breathing. The fact that you do not have enough air, - an illusion. Look: People around you breathe normally! There is no need to inhale deeply and frequently, this only adds stress to you muscles. Slow breathing. Let the breath will be equal to the time of expiration: inspiration for «one-two-three-four», exhale on «one-two-three-four». Three phase Yoga breathing also helps: inhale «bottom up». First, fill the stomach with air and then inflate diaphragm under chest, and only then - chest. Similarly, expiration: first down the stomach, then diaphragm and chest. Such a breath is unusual for a modern person. It allows you to concentrate on yourself and your feelings.
Look around. If there are people around, try to discern their faces or clothes. Calculate how much men and women are around, blondes and dark-haired man. Listen, what they say. Every effort should be made to remove yourself from panic state. To do this, stick to any details. If there is nobody around, close your eyes and try to imagine something nice and quiet - for example, blue sky or the sea. Relax your muscles. Physical stress only increases anxiety.
Do not run away from the place where you are overtaken with panic attack. Location is unimportant. But when you calm down, it is better to change the situation, go out, call someone.
Analyze your feelings. Remember that no one died of panic attacks yet! Just quietly wait for termination of attack. It can last from several seconds to two hours and firstly goes on the rise, and then gradually decreases.
If panic attack happened at someone close
If someone beside you starts to thrash and gasp, it is necessary to bring him back to reality. At the time of attack people are unable to manage themselves, they are driven, so it is fairly easy to divert them to themselves, withdraw to the side. Take him by the hand.
Calmly talk to him in short phrases: «Look at me», «What is your name?». Tell him about yourself, ask about him. Draw his attention to people and things around.
Help him to restore breathing. It should be understood that panic attack will be over soon.
