Have you or anyone you know ever experienced an anxiety attack? If you’ve ever had the misfortune of having one, like me, it can be quite alarming: your heart starts to race, you feel as though you’ve become detached from your body or surroundings, you experience chest pain, and you begin to have an enormous feeling of impending doom.
Anxiety or panic attacks, as they are often referred to, are unlike any other symptoms. They give no warning and are sudden in onset, varying in the length of time they last, although some individuals report feeling anxious or fearful prior to the onset of an attack. Depending on the length and severity of the attack, it can take days to recover from the emotional turmoil surrounding the event. Many individuals struggle with the decision to carry on or become homebound due to fear of another occurrence.
According to the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, an academic affiliate of Saint Louis University School of Medicine, for U.S. adults aged 18 to 54, 13.3 percent or 19 million have a treatable anxiety disorder, 4.4 percent or 6.3 million suffer from social anxiety, and 2.8 percent or 4 million experience some form of generalized anxiety disorder. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America states that panic attacks are believed to be the underlying result of several factors, including heredity, stress, biological factors, pharmacological triggers, or situational events. If the attacks are frequent or affecting your quality of life, treatment may be required. As with any medical emergency, it is always best to seek immediate care if you are uncertain if you are truly experiencing a panic attack.
Treatments vary for diagnosed panic or anxiety disorders and can include psychological treatment in addition to medication. It is always best to discuss treatment options with your physician. When dealing with how to cope with the after-effects of anxiety, it is important to remember that anxiety is merely the result of the body seeking to protect itself from an unwanted stressor, such as those listed above. Making your loved ones and those around you aware of your condition can be helpful in giving you a sense of security should you experience another attack. Helping family and friends understand how you feel and how they can assist you can also be comforting and might decrease any additional anxiety you may be feeling.
If you’re a person dealing with anxiety or panic attacks, the following local resources may be of interest to you:
• St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute: Anxiety Disorders Center
• Paul Lohkamp, MSW, LCSW: Anxiety and Stress Treatment Specialist
• Dr. Teresa Flynn: Specialist in the treatment of social anxiety disorders
Aline Hanrahan is a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor practicing in St. Charles County and servicing St. Louis County. She specializes in child, individual, and group counseling and has serviced the mental health and public school systems for 20 years.
