Greetings  Bristol!

I hope the first days of 2010 are finding everyone well and WARM! The snow continues to fall and keep most people “hunkered down” indoors, however I did have a question posed to me I wish to address this month.

What are panic attacks, exactly, and what can I do about them? I feel like I’m dying!

This is a very good question, as panic attacks are more common than most people think. The definition of a panic attack, from the American Psychologists Association, is “a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason”. It appears to be related to the “fight or flight” instinct inherent in every living animal. Symptoms include; racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, shaking or trembling, hot flashes, sudden chills, tingling, and a terrifying feeling you are about to die or go crazy. The interesting thing is that panic attacks can’t harm you, but the FEAR of having an attack can completely incapacitate people. Panic disorders are one of the main causes of the fear of outside places-agoraphobia.

Psychologists are not sure of the actual causes of panic attacks or a panic disorder. Genetics may play a part, as may a traumatic or stressful event. Once a person experiences a severe panic attack, he or she becomes very aware of what they believe triggered the attack and tries to avoid the trigger. For example, if someone has an attack after drinking their morning coffee, they may believe caffeine caused it and become afraid of anything with caffeine. Although caffeine certainly can cause the jitters and raise the heart rate, the person’s fear actually brings on the attack rather than the caffeine itself.

Panic disorders can be diagnosed by a qualified therapist who will design a plan to work through the attacks. The therapy would most likely include “talking it out” as well as exposing the patient to what they believe to be the trigger(s) in a controlled manner. This method allows the patient to gain control of their response to the trigger and calm themselves down before experiencing the full attack. The APA notes that it could take 10-20 weekly sessions and within a year a patient could see a significant decrease in the number and frequency of attacks. Anti-anxiety medications may be required, however they would likely only be prescribed for a limited period of time. If anyone feels they may suffer from a panic disorder, the first thing to do is to contact a local psychologist or psychiatrist for help. Oaklawn in Goshen or Elkhart has outpatient resources. The number for the Goshen facility is 574-533-1234 and ask to be transferred to the Access Center. I hope this helps and if you have anything to add, please stop in and let me know. Thank you and have a great January!

Katrina, Pharmacist
Mor for Less/Bristol Pharmacy 848-0660