Keys to understanding the functioning of the anxiety crisis

Imagine the following situation: you have had a lot of work, this day your boss asks you to deliver a report before the end of the day. The phone rings and it is one of your clients asking you for an urgent quote, in turn you remember that today you decided to take your family to have dinner.

Then, suddenly, a feeling of anguish invades you because you feel that you are not going to be able to with everything, you begin to feel that you lack the breathing and feel how your heart begins to beat strongly, suddenly comes an anxiety attack, also known as an attack of panic.

If you are reading this it is because perhaps at some point you have already had a similar experience, or worse, You recently had a crisis and it was probably not pleasant for you to have a feeling that "something bad It will happen".

Anxiety attacks are more common than people think. In fact, according to the WHO, more than 260 million people suffer from an anxiety disorder. In this article We will see what an anxiety crisis is, what is its treatment and what you can do to cope with the situation.

• Related article: "The 7 types of anxiety (characteristics, causes and symptoms)"

How is an anxiety attack expressed?

The first thing you need to know is that An anxiety attack is the way your body is telling you "we need to slow down" and it is given as a response to several factors together that can range from high stress, constant worries, not having regular sleep schedules, among others.

Some of its main symptoms are:

• You are very afraid of not being able to control the situation or you feel that something bad is going to happen to you.
• You have trouble breathing.
• Your heart begins to beat very strong, that is, you have tachycardias.
• You have the feeling of "feeling outside of yourself."
• You may feel dizzy and nauseous.
• You have tremors.
• Tingling sensation in some parts of your body.

These are the most common symptoms; however, it is important that you know that there are other people who may experience it differently.

Thus It is important that you go to a specialist to evaluate you and make a diagnosis of your anxiety level, either with a psychiatrist or with a clinical psychologist. In our psychotherapeutic center we have specialists who interview you and apply the necessary tests so that you have an accurate diagnosis that can help you in this.

Why does the anxiety crisis appear?

While it is true that there is no single cause that causes a crisis, there are factors that lead to increased risk. For example, some social psychologists attribute our emotional distress to a system in which the hustle and bustle and daily demands lead us to be at such a level of alertness and availability that we generate constant stress, which leads to anxiety and all its nuances, added to factors such as lack of opportunities, little access to health services, unemployment... that generate hypervigilance mechanisms in ourselves.

On the other hand, some research suggests that these factors predispose us to having a crisis:

• Some traumatic event that generated an emotional shock and that you have not been able to process.
• A personality that tends to be overly concerned.
• A lot of stress that you have not been able to manage.
• Any medical illness or response to some medications.

The reasons can help us understand the cause a bit. However, An anxiety attack is something that could happen to anyoneregardless of the origin and it depends a lot on the emotional tools you have to get out of it.

What treatment should I have if I have had a seizure?

If you have already had an anxiety attack, it is likely that you need pharmacological and psychological treatment. The first will help you balance your levels of norepinephrine, which is one of those responsible for your physical responses, as well as your serotonin, which affects your mood. This treatment should always be under the supervision of a psychiatrist.as it can have counterproductive effects.

On the other hand, a psychotherapeutic treatment will help you to have tools to work with your emotions and thoughts. Up to now, the cognitive-behavioral current is the one that has had the best results. This type of therapy will help you identify the type of thinking you have and what are the elements that make you prone to a crisis. In this type of intervention, the duration of treatment is usually between 12 and 24 sessions when it is a mild to moderate case.

Both treatments, carried out properly, have a high success rate in helping people overcome anxiety attacks.

And what can I do while I find a specialist?

We know that finding a specialist with whom you feel comfortable can take a while; Therefore, here we explain some tips that, although they do not root out your anxiety crisis, they can help you reduce the episodes.

1. Keep an emotion diary

It is one of the first recommendations we make in our office, since helps you to be aware of what is going through your head and to identify the type of thoughts that induce you to a crisis.

2. Start practicing Mindfulness

This will help you to put 100% of your attention in the present moment, but above all to better manage the interaction you have with everyday situations.

3. Take time to relax

Everyday life demands a lot from us, so give yourself a time to stop and enjoy life's little pleasures whether it's watching a movie or a good book, or just doing nothing. It will help you a lot to reconnect with yourself.

4. Exercise regularly

It is the basics that you have to integrate into your life. Regardless of your emotional state, it will bring you many benefits and helps you release stress.

5. Take care of your diet

For example, reduce caffeine and sugar intakeWhen you tend to have anxiety, these foods make your situation worse.

Concluding

In general, when faced with anxiety problems, you have to try to lead a better lifestyle; we are sure that in combination with a therapeutic treatment, these routines will help you to overcome the situation. On Emotional Astronaut we love to talk about these topics and everything related to mental health, if you need more advice you can listen to our podcast "De Otro Planeta" or follow us on social networks, in which we publish illustrations with valuable information for you to take care of your health mental. You can find more information about us at this page.