Panic attacks
Panic attacks, and how can you help those going through them
If you’ve ever tried to go through a panic attack, you can imagine how terrible and exhausting those fits are for those who go through them, at which point it becomes hard to believe that these feelings will pass.
So, as a viewer, for a friend or family member going through a terror attack, how can you help him ??
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of fear and intense tension. Some people may experience it regularly as a state of psychological disorder (panic disorder) or anxiety resulting from a specific problem such as a social phobia. Some social phobia patients, when they feel surrounded by people, have a rapid escalation of terror and panic It seems as if it was found suddenly out of nowhere
Even with those people who go through regular and recurring episodes of terror, coping with the condition seems very difficult !!
Horror attacks have no specific age, so people can have them at any age and at any stage of life, childhood, youth, old age, old age !!
Therefore, even if you do not personally have this problem, it is important to know how to help someone who is going through a panic attack !!
It is normal for you to feel confused when you are in the company of a person and he suddenly suffers from a panic attack, especially since it often happens suddenly !!
Therefore, if you encounter a friend or relative who is going through a panic attack, kindly ask him if he is suffering a panic attack, and if he answers yes, then be calm and tell him that you are by his side and to help him, and encourage him to sit down and try to calm down.
One of the best ways to help these people is to encourage them to breathe deeply and slowly, because deep breathing ensures the body gets what it needs from the oxygen. The rapid breathing that the seizure goes through can increase the severity of the seizure, while slow, deep breathing helps him calm and relax.
There are also some ways to help them, such as counting out loud, or watching you gently raise and lower your arms in the air, and encourage them to sit rather than stay standing or move aimlessly.
Never encourage a person going through a panic attack to breathe in a paper bag, as this is not recommended and may be unsafe as well
Your attempt to help a person who is going through a panic attack does not mean that you try to force him to do anything, for he is in the meantime exhausted, confused and frozen in the body and thinking, losing the ability to determine the direction of his body or the location of his steps, and this may cause him a problem or injury if you forced him to move motivated by his help! !
Do not pressure the sufferer of a panic attack to do anything against his will, but on the contrary, be calm and patient, listen to his desires that make him feel comfortable and implement them quickly, so it is possible for him to ask for people to stay away from him, for example, or to darken the place, turn on the lights, close the doors, or Windows !!
After a panic attack
Most panic attacks reach their peak within ten minutes, and end after 20 to 30 minutes.
Some people may remain for several hours after a panic attack, feeling tired, shaky, and tired.
Therefore, it is important that these people do not feel compelled to do things for which they are not ready, as this could make their condition worse.
Long-term support for the casualty
In the long term, if you want to support someone who has panic attacks, research with him about available solutions and possible treatment methods and techniques and help him try them.
You can also support him by encouraging him, for example, to read about his problem, and learn about the personal experiences of other people with the same condition, and you can also encourage him to communicate with them and exchange personal experiences and experiences with each other about dealing with the problem.
Also, you must bear in mind that even if you have previous experiences with panic attacks, everyone is different from the other, even if you personally are the owners of the problem, this does not necessarily mean that you are fully aware of the person you are trying to support, as the effect of the attacks on you It does not necessarily have the same effect on the rest of those affected by it, so it is important to listen to the injured person and get to know him about the dimensions of his condition and his feeling towards it and the extent of its impact on his life, what makes his seizures better and what makes them worse.
There may be triggers for panic attacks, such as exposure to fear, hearing bad news, or experiencing stress about something. It is important to know who you are supporting what triggers for panic attacks to help them avoid them or cope with them.
Your friend himself may know the ways in which you can support him, and tell you how you can help him. You should then support them so that they feel more secure and in control of their situations.
When the victim knows that there is someone who knows how to calm him down when he is going through a panic attack, such as listening to music, breathing exercises, or anything else, this gives him a greater sense of safety and confidence that he will find someone to help him in case he needs help.
Professional support
Of course, if you notice that panic attacks have become a problem for those you are trying to support, encourage them to seek help from a doctor, as this step becomes less difficult for them when it is encouraged by someone who supports them.
You can also provide a home doctor if the injured person cannot leave the house or is afraid of it, and it is also useful to go with him to his doctor’s sessions and wait for him outside.
You can also help them plan what they will tell the doctor and how they will show him the details of their problem.
treatment
There are many methods of treatment that are used to control panic attacks, including psychological, pharmacological, and other treatment methods.
- Behavioral therapy is one of the most important ways to control the situation and help the person feel that he is able to control it when it arises, and in many cases the reaction of people has a negative impact on the condition of the sufferer and his feelings towards himself and those around him.
The patient must be trained not to focus on the reactions of those around him, and not to obey negative feelings, and to change his way of thinking and interacting with things.
