Panic Attacks
Is your life ruled by panic attacks? Do you live
in dread of the next one? Do you wonder what’s
happening to you, leaving you feeling out of control
or going mad? What restrictions on your life will
be lifted when you are free from panic attacks?
What would you be confident enough to do, where
would you go if you knew that panic attacks are
a thing of the past?
 What
is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a severe attack of anxiety and
fear, often occurring suddenly. The physical symptoms
are strong and unpleasant, like a surge of energy
through the body. These physical symptoms do not
indicate any physical problem and stem from the
unconscious mind. They can be disabling and sometimes,
trying to fight them, can make them seem worse.
Panic attacks usually occur outside the home.
Although the timing of a panic attack may seem
unpredictable, there may be “situation stressors”
that trigger them. These types of panic attacks
are named “situational panic attacks”
and the triggers are either internal thoughts
or external situations, such as being in a supermarket.
Panic attacks that appear without any specific
trigger are more likely to be indicative of a
panic disorder. Like social
and specific phobias there is usually an unconscious
cause for any panic attack, perhaps stemming from
repressed anxiety or emotions or from childhood.
Research has shown there is a link between agoraphobia
and panic attacks, where the person experiencing
panic attacks begins to avoid certain situations
like open places, shops, lifts, etc.
What
do they feel like?
A panic attack often begins abruptly and usually
lasts around 5 -10 minutes, although everyone
is individual.
The symptoms include:
— Increased heartbeat or palpitations
— Shortness of breath
— Excessive sweating
— Tingling in your toes
— Hot flushes or sudden chills
— Terror
What
causes panic attacks?
Certainly stress may play a role in causing panic
attacks, for example, bereavement or separation
anxiety when a relationship is over.
Sometimes the cause is not so obvious but the
body unconsciously triggers the body’s natural
alarm system, the “fight or flight”
state. People who have panic attacks may consciously
suppress or deny their emotions. In times of increased
stress, our unconscious mind releases that emotion
or that internal energy and anxiety, through a
panic attack.
Other contributing factors in the case of panic
attacks can be the use of caffeine, alcohol, cannabis
and amphetamines.
As panic attacks involve anxiety, it may be helpful
to see the section on anxiety
to understand how anxiety might be causing your
panic attacks.
How
can Angela help me?
Unless the panic attack is of a organic origin,
that is, induced by drugs like cannabis, your
panic attacks are more than likely to be a manifestation
of your internal, unconscious state. A repressed,
unresolved memory or anxiety may be the cause
and by addressing that root cause it is possible
to stop panic attacks.
Hypnotherapy combined with EMDR Therapy, NLP
and cognitive therapy is highly effective in treating
the cause of panic attacks and its symptoms. Angela’s
treatment is reliably successful as it addresses
the root cause of the panic attack quickly and
effectively, along with teaching you how to relax
and let go of stress. Hypnotherapy will re-educate
your unconscious mind to respond more appropriately
to stressful situations. EMDR Therapy is also
highly useful in desensitising the memories and
emotions around panic attacks.
Every thought we have produces a chemical from
the brain. As with anxiety,
our thoughts govern our physical state. People
who suffer panic attacks often dread the attacks,
and their thoughts sometimes keep the attack going
as the negative thoughts produce more anxious
feelings. Cognitive therapy or cognitive behavioural
therapy has been called the "how to"
therapy. That is, the focus is on "how to" eliminate the thoughts and feelings that lead
to the cycle of panic and anxiety. Along with
NLP, the person will be shown how to change their
thoughts and the way in which their brain responds
to stimuli. When you change the way your brain
responds, your physical state will follow and
panic and anxiety disappear.
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