PANIC ATTACKS

Reading material No.1

WHAT IS A PANIC ATTACK?

A panic attack is a brief episode of intense anxiety, which causes the physical
sensations of fear.

Symptoms
Symptoms of a panic attack can include:

Heightened vigilance for danger and physical symptoms

Anxious and irrational thinking
A strong feeling of dread, danger or foreboding
Fear of going mad, losing control or dying
Feeling lightheaded and dizzy
Tingling and chills, particularly in the arms and hands
Trembling or shaking, sweating
Hot flushes
Accelerated heart rate
A feeling of constriction in the chest
Breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath
Nausea or abdominal distress
Tense muscles
Dry mouth
Feelings of unreality and detachment from the environment.

Panic attacks are common. Up to 35 per cent of the population experience a panic
attack at some time in their lives.

A panic attack can also be called an anxiety attack.

Without treatment, frequent and prolonged panic attacks can be severely disabling.

The person may choose to avoid a wide range of situations (such as leaving their
home or being alone) for fear of experiencing an attack.

Reading material No.2

THE FLIGHT-OR-FIGHT RESPONSE
The flight-or-fight response

Some of the factors that can prime the body to inappropriately activate the flight-
or-fight response include:

Chronic (ongoing) stress this causes the body to produce higher than usual levels
of stress chemicals such as adrenaline.
Acute stress (such as experiencing a traumatic event) can suddenly flood the
body with large amounts of stress chemicals.
Habitual hyperventilation disturbs the balance of blood gases because there is not
enough carbon dioxide in the blood.
Intense physical exercise for some people, this may cause extreme reactions.
Excessive caffeine intake the caffeine in coffee, tea and other beverages is a
strong stimulant.
Illness may cause physical changes.
A sudden change of environment such as walking into an overcrowded, hot or
stuffy environment.

Reading material No.3

GETTING HELP

Suggestions on how to cope with a panic attack yourself, include:

Avoid self-talk that focuses your attention on your symptoms dont tell yourself
Stop panicking! or Relax!
Remind yourself that the symptoms of a panic attack are uncomfortable, but not life
threatening. Reassure yourself that youve felt these feelings before and nothing
bad happened to you.
Focus your attention on something outside your own body and symptoms. For
example, distract yourself by counting backwards in threes from 100, recall the
words from a favourite song or concentrate on the sights and sounds around you.
Fleeing from the situation will only reinforce the perception that your panic attacks
are unbearable. If you sit and allow the symptoms to pass, you gain confidence in
your ability to cope.

Medical treatment options

If the physical anxiety symptoms are caused by physical illnesses, such as diabetes or
hyperthyroidism, proper treatment for these illnesses should stop the panic-like symptoms
from recurring.

Treatment options can include:

Medications
Psychotherapy, including cognitive behaviour therapy
Biofeedback therapy
Stress management techniques
Proper breathing techniques
 Relaxation techniques
Learning problem-solving skills
Lifestyle adjustments, such as attention to diet, exercise and sleep.

Reading material No.4

SOME STATISTICS FROM AMERICA

Prevalence of Anxiety disorder: approximately 2.4 million Americans (NIMH)

Prevalence Rate: approx 1 in 113 or 0.88% or 2.4 million people in USA
Incidence (annual) of Panic disorder: 1.7% of US adults annually (NIMH)
Incidence Rate: approx 1 in 58 or 1.70% or 4.6 million people in USA
Incidence extrapolations for USA for Anxiety disorder: 4,624,000 per year,
385,333 per month, 88,923 per week, 12,668 per day, 527 per hour, 8 per minute, 0
per second.
Lifetime risk for Panic disorder: 3 million Americans (NIMH); 1.6% adults (USSG)
Prevalence of Anxiety disorder: Anxiety disorder strikes between 3 and 6 million
Americans, and is twice as common in women as in men.1
Incidence of Panic disorder: About 1.7% of the adult U.S. population ages
18 to 54 - approximately 2.4 million Americans - has anxiety panic disorder in a given
year. 2

Prevalence of Anxiety disorder discussion: Approximately 2.4 million American

adults ages 18 to 54, or about 1.7 percent of people in this age group in a given year,
have anxiety disorder. 3

In the United States, 1.6 percent of the adult population, or more than 3 million
people, will have anxiety panic disorder at some time in their lives.4

Prevalence statistics about Anxiety Panic disorder: The following statistics relate to
the prevalence of Anxiety Panic disorder:

3 million American adults (NIMH)

1.7% of the adult U.S. population ages 18 to 54 (NIMH)

question sheet

PANIC ATTACKS can be frightening but are, nevertheless, common. Some symptoms

include fear of going mad, losing control or . A person might be lightheaded or

, even get hot flushes or an heart rate as well as of the

chest. difficulties can also be experienced. It is estimated that in Australia up to

% of the population have an attack at one time or another. If prolonged and

frequent attacks are not , one's health can be severely .

The body's autoimmune system gives rise to what is known as the "flight or fight" response: to
stay in a situation and try and cope - or to run away from it. Sometimes the body

inappropriately responds to such events by producing higher than usual levels of

. Sudden environmental changes can cause panic attacks, such as walking into hot,

or areas. Habitual disturbs the balance of blood gases

because there is carbondioxide in the blood. Large amounts of stress chemicals,

caused by sudden can cause stress.

There are ways to help oneself: try and concentrate on something other than your own

and . Sufferers can remind themselves that while panic attacks are

uncomfortable, they are not life . Doing mental exercises, such as counting

backwards in from one hundred, or recalling the words of a song, or

concentrating on the sights and around you, can all help.

There are some medical treatment options: in addition to medications and psychotherapy,

there is therapy, stress management , proper breathing techniques,

and making adjustments to one's , and patterns.

In the USA, about million American adults - that is, % of the adult US
population (aged 18 to 54) - suffer from anxiety panic disorder ... and that's probably not
enough to worry about !

Answer
PANIC ATTACKS can be frightening but are, nevertheless, common. Some
symptoms include fear of going mad, losing control or [dying] . A person might be
lightheaded or [dizzy] , even get hot flushes or an [accelerated] heart rate as well as
[constriction] of the chest. [breathing] difficulties can also be experienced. It is
estimated that in Australia up to [35] % of the population have an attack at one time
or another. If prolonged and frequent attacks are not [treated] , one's health can be
severely [disabled] .

The body's autoimmune system gives rise to what is known as the "flight or fight"
response: to stay in a situation and try and cope - or to run away from it. Sometimes
the body inappropriately responds to such events by producing higher than usual
levels of [adrenaline] . Sudden environmental changes can cause panic attacks,
such as walking into hot, [overcrowded] or [stuffy] areas. Habitual
[hyperventilation] disturbs the balance of blood gases because there is
[inadequate] carbondioxide in the blood. Large amounts of stress chemicals, caused
by sudden [trauma] can cause [acute] stress.

There are ways to help oneself: try and concentrate on something other than your
own [symptoms] and [body]. Sufferers can remind themselves that while panic
attacks are uncomfortable, they are not life [threatening] . Doing mental exercises,
such as counting backwards in [threes] from one hundred, or recalling the words of a
[favourite] song, or concentrating on the sights and [sounds] around you, can all
help.

There are some medical treatment options: in addition to medications and

psychotherapy, there is [] [biofeedback] therapy, stress management [cognitive
behavior] [techniques] , proper breathing techniques, and making adjustments to
one's [diet] , [exercise] and [sleep] patterns.

In the USA, about [2.4] million American adults - that is, [1.7] % of the adult US
population (aged 18 to 54) - suffer from anxiety panic disorder ... and that's probably
not enough to worry about !