How to overcome panic disorder? 5 key ideas

Panic disorder is a relatively common psychological disorder that can cause significant wear and tear on the well-being of people, especially in difficult moments such as preparing for an exam, the process of recovering a being dear, etc.

This causes many people to suffer this alteration without knowing very well what is happening to them, not being able to say what is the origin of their discomfort.

In this article we will see some of the keys to curbing panic disorder from a summary about how to overcome panic disorder to simple tips.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

What is panic disorder?

Among anxiety disorders, panic disorder is one of the most common. Consists in a tendency to experience panic attacks, which are times when the level of anxiety rises suddenly and without warning, often without the person knowing how to identify a cause. In addition, many times the belief arises that there is a danger of imminent death (for example, due to a heart attack).

These attacks last a few minutes and have physiological symptoms that make it very difficult for the person to take any action; some of the most frequent are chest pain, fast breathing, tremors, need to lie down, stomach pain, dizziness, etc. In addition, psychological symptoms also arise, such as the experience of a marked state of alert and in Sometimes fear of being in danger in the short term, although you don't really know what kind.

Your relationship with agoraphobia

There is an obvious resemblance between panic disorder and agoraphobia. This last anxiety disorder, which contrary to what is usually believed is not simply the fear of open spaces, can be summarized as a psychological alteration in which the person feels a strong anxiety when perceiving that the place where they are is not safe, there is elements that are beyond one's control and that can trigger panic attacks and / or do not offer ways to easily get out of there or to obtain help.

The fundamental difference between these disorders, whose symptoms largely overlap, is that panic disorder predominates arbitrariness of the situations in which the panic attack emerges and this does not limit the spaces to which the person can be exposed, while in agoraphobia there are certain harmful habits and rituals of avoiding specific places and that are perceived as threatening, and you need to go through them going with someone willing to help.

On the other hand, it must be taken into account that many people develop both disorders at the same time, so that their situation is complicated.

• You may be interested: "Agoraphobia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment"

How to overcome panic disorder?

Here are some tips for coping with panic disorder and prevent it from causing significant wear and tear on quality of life.

1. The importance of going to therapy

Panic disorder it is harmful enough to go to psychological therapy as soon as possible upon noticing its characteristic symptoms.

It is true that by itself it does not present an immediate danger to the health of those who experience it and that despite the fact that many times it goes accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the chest, it does not cause heart attacks or severe breathing problems, but can lead to problematic situations and even harmful habits that feed the disorder: phobias, addictions, disorders of the state of the encouragement, etc.

So if you think you are experiencing its symptoms, it is important that you contact mental health professionals as soon as possible. If it is the case that you have developed panic disorder, you will receive the corresponding diagnosis, and that will be the moment to have psychological assistance adapted to your case; In a matter of a few weeks, you will be able to notice the first significant improvements, since psychotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating this alteration.

2. Avoid addictive substances

Regular use of addictive substances has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood of panic disorder and other anxiety-related disorders. Avoid these kinds of products.

3. Perform aerobic exercise

Another way to lower your chances of having problems with anxiety is to do regular aerobic exercise. such as going for a run for about 45 minutes maintaining a moderate intensity, without accelerations.

4. Sleep well

Something as simple as getting enough sleep goes a long way toward reducing your chances of regularly experiencing symptoms of psychological disorders. A couple more hours of sleep can make a difference in a matter of a few days.

• You may be interested: "Tips for getting a good night's sleep and beating insomnia"

5. Perform therapy exercises

Finally, it should not be forgotten that the therapeutic process goes far beyond the meeting sessions with the psychologist. You have to perform the tasks set in the consultation, and that imply progress towards overcoming this anxiety problem.

This usually involves committing to getting out of your comfort zone and facing certain fears. (in the way the psychologist has indicated, following his instructions) so that our body have the opportunity to verify that these fears are unjustified, and begin to trust one more same.

Looking for professional help with a panic attack?

If you live in Madrid and you are considering going to therapy to treat panic disorder, we invite you to contact us. The Psychomaster psychology center, located in the El Retiro district, has a team of psychologists with extensive experience in the intervention in patients who present this psychological alteration, and you will help to generate ways of life and ways of thinking and perceiving the environment in a way that greatly weakens the disorder, leading it towards disappearance.

If you are interested in reading more about Psicomaster or seeing our contact information, click on this link.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2013), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.), Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• Cosci F, Knuts IJ, Abrams K, Griez EJ, Schruers KR (May 2010). Cigarette smoking and panic: a critical review of the literature. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 71 (5): pp. 606 - 615.
• Cox BJ, Norton GR, Dorward J, Fergusson PA (1989). The relationship between panic attacks and chemical dependencies. Addictive Behaviors. 14 (1): pp. 53 - 60.
• Salvador-Carulla L, Seguí J, Fernández-Cano P, Canet J (April 1995). Costs and offset effect in panic disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry. Supplement. 166 (27): pp. 23 - 28.
• White, K.S.; Brown, T.A., Somers, T.J., Barlow, D.H. (2006). Avoidance behavior in panic disorder: the moderating influence of perceived control. Behavior Research and Therapy. 44 (1): pp. 147 - 57.