The attack of panic

The attack of panic

The attack of panic

Description of the attack of panic

Classically, the attacks of panics or crises of acute anguishes, occur brutally and without apparent reason. They last of ten minutes to less than two hours and end in a feeling of relief and a great tiredness.

They are characterized by a whole of symptoms:

> The physical symptoms dominate the table: palpitations, nauseas, tremors, sweats, feeling of suffocation, oppression or thoracic pain, giddiness. In fact, a crisis of acute anguish can mimer of many somatic pathologies (ex: myocardial infarction, asthma, hypoglycemia…). This diagnostic can thus be retained only after having eliminated all the possible physical causes. An electrocardiogram and a biological assessment are thus often obligatory.

> Feelings of transformation of oneself, of its body (depersonalization) but also of the environment (derealisation) which are very distressing.

> Impression of an imminent danger, with fear of dying or to become insane.

> A behavioral dimension: a need to flee, leave a place precipitately, or to leave to take the air.

In addition to this card, lira our file:
> To overcome its anguishes, phobias and anxieties!

The disorder panics

It is defined by the repetition of the attacks of panic at the same subject. But also by the presence of other symptoms generated by the recurrence of the crises of anguishes:

> “Fear of being afraid” or anxiety anticipatoire. The “paniquor” apprehends by advance the next crisis.

> Fear of the consequences of a crisis: cardiac problems, to become insane…

> Behavioral changes of the patient who is afraid of a new crisis and thus reorganizes his life with an aim of doing everything to escape his disorder.

Who is touched by the disorder panics?

The disorder panics key especially the women and settles between 20 and 30 years. The existence of an anxiety of separation going back with childhood or adolescence can have a predisposing effect. Neurobiologic theories implying various cerebral neuro-transmitters whose noradrenalin or serotonin is also evoked to explain the disorder panics.

Which are the complications of the disorder panics?

Association with an agoraphobia (fear of big spaces and public places) can be at the origin of a socio-professional disability.

This disorder can also become complicated depressions and abuse alcohol or tranquillizing.

Treatment of the disorder panics

> The attack of panic requires urgently a medicamentous treatment using tranquillizing (benzodiazepines generally). The insulation of the patient to calm, well off an often thrown into a panic entourage proves often useful and necessary.

> The disorder panic is improved by certain antidepressants (tricyclic and serotoninergic), even in the absence of associated depression. Moreover, psychotherapies cognitivo-behaviorists showed their effectiveness in the treatment of this disorder.

Cognitivo-Behavioral Therapies (TCC)

These short therapies are currently proposed in first intention to treat the disorder panics. Initially, the patient and the therapeutist draw up a hierarchical display of the symptoms present at the time of an attack (of most serious at least serious).

Then, the subject imagines a crisis according to a preestablished progression and learns how at the same time to be released. Thus, the subject realizes that its palpitations or its thoracic pain are not synonymous with an heart attack and that it can self-manage its physical demonstrations of the anguish (cognitive reorganization).

Then, the patient is confronted gradually with his fears in reality (“in vivo”).

The place of the psychoanalysis

The psychoanalysis is a very good indication if the patient makes the request of it. It can be made after a TCC to include/understand why one became “paniquor”. Indeed, the TCC deal rather with how to make to stop these crises of anguishes.

To retain

The attack of panic occurs without reason connect contrary to the phobias or the obsessional disorders compulsifs. It can resemble many physical pathologies and it thus should always be made sure that there is not a medical problem before concluding that it is psychological.

The disorder panic is improved by certain antidepressants and a cognitivo-behavioral therapy.