Anxiety and Panic - Overview
The brain is the seat of our consciousness, so having disruption to the brain or our thoughts and feelings alters our daily experiences. One of the many ways people experience these disruptions is anxiety and panic attacks (the difference between anxiety and panic attacks is essentially the onset, duration, and intensity).
https://doverbehavioral.com/blog/panic-attack-vs-anxiety-attack-whats-the-difference/
You have probably heard of “fight vs flight.” This “fight vs flight” system is called the sympathetic nervous system and it protects you when you feel like you are in danger (some experts acknowledge additional responses including flop and freeze, but we will only address the main two). These 2 broad options mean that when you perceive danger, your body will release all kinds of chemicals, including adrenaline, to make you either fight harder or run away faster.
Let’s take a look at an example scenario and see if we can recognize the feelings this system brings up when it’s at work: Let’s say you are standing at the grocery store picking out your produce when you hear the very loud crash of a bottle falling from a shelf and shattering behind you. You jump, maybe your arms flail or contract (like mine do), or maybe you gasp and turn around to look. Your heart speeds up, you breath faster, and your blood pressure raises. In some cases, it can be more severe and you might start to shake, have a hard time breathing, and maybe get dizzy, have tunnel vision and have to sit down. Are these feelings something you can identify with?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021
These feelings only last seconds before you realize that you are not in danger. Maybe you take a deep breath, have a sigh of relief, or laugh it off. This is all normal. But for many people, the “laugh it off” phase never comes. Sometimes these people don’t even need the bottle to break for them to have this sympathetic nervous system reaction. Imagine trying to work, study, or relax while feeling this way at random moments and long periods of time. It is exhausting, can be debilitating, and damages the body and brain in many ways. This is where anxiety and panic come into play.
Right now in the world’s population, we are experiencing a rise of these anxiety and panic disorders. There are many different reasons these issues are increasing. (This article by the APA is helpful to understand those statistics). The rates of these disorders are even higher in the medical community, EMS, and military. Tragically, when not treated or taken seriously, these very treatable issues can have catastrophic results.
https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/annual-poll-adults-express-increasing-anxiousness
I will talk more about patient perspectives, provider perspectives, and the hope that exists in the next 3 posts (I’m giving you a bonus post!). For now, start by taking care of yourself. If you need immediate help, dial 911 or 988 (crisis line). If you need non-urgent help, there are available. You can find therapists, social workers, psychiatrists or psychologists willing to help on your journey. You can also find a resources page on our website that links to a few (www.lastingheart.com/community-resources). Don’t forget to be kind, drink water and pet a dog.
