It is not that unususual for people to arrive at the emergengcy room, only to be told that what they are experiencing is ‘just panic attack symptoms‘. It is also not surprising that they do end up there. If you live with panic attacks, it is certainly not a trivial matter. It is very easy to believe that what you are going through is dangerous, if not life threatening.
The attack may be a natural response of your body, to an anxious thought or feeling that you have had, but that doesn’t make it any less real. When there is no apparent reason for it, feeling your body preparing itself to deal with a critical situation can be very unpleasant. You be be at home, seemingly relaxed, and then this happens.
Your breathing suddenly becomes rapid, almost out of control. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest. Your skin is cold and your muscles are trembling. There is tingling in various parts of your body and you might be feeling dizzy or light headed. You might even experience a dreamlike state, dissociated from your surroundings.
With all this going on, it is no wonder that you begin to feel fearful, even to the extent of fearing death. So, when a paramedic or a doctor tells you that there is really nothing to worry about, it is not necessarily that reassuring. For most people, having gone through this scary experience, the fear of another attack becomes a part of the problem.
In somes ways, a trip to the emergency room can turn out to be a good thing. You can rule out other possible causes and be confident that these are the symptoms of a panic attack. At least now, you have something to work with. These symptoms, frightening as they are, are not actually dangerous.
They are just the outward signs of underlying anxiety and that is what needs to be addressed. The most successful panic attack cures are based on this approach. It is not really particular situations that lead to these attacks, but the way we feel about them. And it is definitely within our power to change our thoughts and feelings to be more resourceful for us.
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