Panic attacks:
KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS Panic attacks are a common yet debilitating part of many people’s lives, but could knowing more about what triggers them help to stop them occurring, or even reduce their severity? Writing | Claire Munnings
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any of us have had first-hand experience of a panic attack. There’s that overwhelming sense of anxiety and rising panic that starts to take over every inch of your body, and then the sudden rush of breathlessness and spread of overbearing heat that you just can’t ignore.
Once someone has a panic attack, they become very anxious about having another one. This can cause a vicious cycle
They’re certainly not pleasant, but why exactly do they happen? And could understanding this in greater depth help people manage their anxiety in practical ways? The problem is that everyone is different, and there’s no one answer that fits every situation. “Almost anything can be a trigger for a panic attack,” explains Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic and My Online Therapy. “It may be a social situation where you feel exposed, the thought of an important meeting at work, or symptomsearching on the internet. Anything that causes anxiety can act as the initial trigger, and it really depends on the person, and what kinds of situations provoke their anxiety, as to what this is.” It’s thought up to a third of the population will experience
from a panic attack or anxiety disorder at some point in their life, but researchers are still trying to understand more about their causes. Often they seem to come out of nowhere, and this can be confusing for those who feel they are usually in control of their emotions. Saying that, there are some common triggers to be aware of, such as crowds, the feeling of being trapped, and other situations which cause fear, as well as certain things that make you vulnerable to an attack, such as stress and alcohol. The very thought of a panic attack can also initiate a downward spiral of worry. “What tends to happen is once someone has a panic attack, they become very anxious about having another one. This can cause a vicious cycle whereby the fear of having a panic attack becomes the trigger for the panic attack itself,” explains Dr Touroni. >>>
May 2020 • happiful.com • 79
