Tag: panic attack
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CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)-INDUCED PANIC ATTACKS: A BREATH OF INSIGHT INTO PANIC DISORDER
~ Carbon dioxide (CO2) studies reveal insights into panic disorder (PD). ~ Breathing in 5% or inhaling 35% CO2 can trigger panic attacks more often in PD individuals. ~ PD patients describe these CO2-induced panic attacks as similar to their regular ones. This suggests a link between PD and aberrant respiratory responses. ~ Cognitive factors…
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BREATHING RETRAINING
1 – Hyperventilate: 60 to 90 seconds: Standing up, start breathing deeply and quickly as if you were blowing a balloon. Exhalations should be hard and forced. This is what you do when you hyperventilate 2 – Pay attention to the body: Sit down, close your eyes, and listen to your body. How does it…
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BREATHE DEEP: THE SURPRISING ROLE OF HYPERVENTILATION IN EMOTIONS
The intricate connection between emotions and breathing finds expression in everyday phrases like a “gasp of surprise” or a “sigh of sadness.” This linkage is further evident in laughter and crying, where breathing patterns are noticeably altered. Within this framework, Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome (HVS) emerges, characterized by abnormal breathing at rest and during activity without…
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AGORAPHOBIA (AG) AS A DISORDER OF COMMUNICATION
Based on the analysis of a case study of a woman suffering from agoraphobia (AG), it was concluded that the disorder could be a disorder of communication characterized by extreme reluctance to express negative feelings, or acting in ways that go counter to the wishes of others. Admittedly, that statement resonates with Freud’s description of…
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IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGORAPHOBIA LINKED TO THE FIRST PANIC ATTACK?
Studies show that high avoiders are more likely to have had their first panic attack in what is called a classic agoraphobic situation. What is a classic agoraphobic situation? It is experiencing a panic attack while driving or in public transportation. In fact, having a first panic attack in public with a strong feeling of…
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THE PANIC ATTACK QUESTIONNAIRE (PAQ)
INTRODUCTION Below are sample questions taken from the PAQ, which is a questionnaire about panic attacks . The original questionnaire is 9-page long, so here you will find only an abbreviated version.It will help you assess the frequency and severity of your panic attacks. Take it once a month together while working on your recovery…
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WHAT IS HYPERVENTILATION?
Hyperventilation refers to the act of breathing fast or increasing the respiratory rate. When we breathe normally, we take about 15 to 18 breaths per minute (one breath cycle includes one inhalation and one exhalation); however when we hyperventilate we take about 18 to 20 breaths per minute, and this rate can go up to…
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CAN A PANIC ATTACK CAUSE YOU TO STOP BREATHING?
No, even though it feels that way when you are in the throngs of a panic attack you will never stop breathing because of the panic attack (presupposing that you don’t have a health condition). Although we have some control over our breathing, respiration is controlled by a portion of our brain that is essentially…
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CAN A PANIC ATTACK CAUSE CHEST PAIN?
Chest pain is common during anxiety or panic attacks. Typically, hyperventilation during panic attacks may lead to musculoskeletal chest pain, with strain or spasm of intercostal chest wall muscles. Though it can feel alarming, anxiety chest pain is fleeting. Pain typically lasts around 10 minutes, though other anxiety or panic attack symptoms (like dizziness, shortness of…
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ARE ANXIETY ATTACK AND PANIC ATTACK THE SAME THING?
No, the word “anxiety attack” is a misnomer, because it is often used interchangeably with the word “panic attack”. A panic attack is a sudden onset of intense and acute physiological arousal with shaking, fast heartbeats, sweating, and other common symptoms. Fear is the characteristic emotion. Anxiety, not anxiety attack, is a continuous feeling of…