What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is an overwhelming rush of physical and psychological symptoms which generally last between 5 and 30 minutes.
Panic attacks are usually very distressing, or frightening, and can make you feel as if you are in serious danger. You can be assured that you are safe, this is an instinctive and natural response which assists you in making fast judgements to either fight a perceived threat, or to run from it.
The “fight or flight” response can be triggered by real stresses or imagined threats that are internally or externally experienced, your brain cannot distinguish between the two.
If you are experiencing panic attacks in Hertfordshire, it shows that your “fight or flight” response is working correctly, it just might need a bit of fine tuning to keep it at a manageable level.
Symptoms of a Panic Attack
You may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, you may also feel as if you are detached from the world around you and out of control. These are the psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms can include:
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating
- Chest pains
- Nausea
- Fast, shallow breathing
- Shaking
- Throat tightening
- Feeling feint
These are all symptoms of the “fight or flight” response, this is a self preservation response which assists you in fighting or running from a stressor. At this point your body will also release a cascade of hormones which include
- Adrenalin – prepares your body for a burst of energy and puts you into a state of overdrive.
- Noradrenalin – releases fats and sugars from the liver. This is why some people crave comfort foods that are high in sugar after a stressful situation.
- Cortisol – is released to dampen pain or damage to the body in the event of a fight situation.
While these hormones are beneficial in the short term, they can begin to impact negatively on your health if they are experienced for long periods.
Treatment for Panic Attacks
The “fight or flight” hormones can be combated and also mopped up out of our systems with endorphins. These are released when we exercise, do something that we enjoy or relax deeply with techniques such as Hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy techniques can help you take control of the over whelming feelings that accompany a panic attack. By staying calm and relaxed as a panic attack starts you can give yourself space to calm down enough to stop triggering the “fight or flight” stress response. There are numerous causes for panic attacks and it is very common to be unaware of what the trigger is. We can work with you to determine the underlying cause and then find the best combination of therapies to neutralise the problem and give you back control over the attack.
We will also teach you NLP reframing techniques which will help you change how you think about the stressor that triggers your panic attack. Learning to manage the triggers will allow you to take control of your feelings and make the lifestyle changes necessary to overcome the challenging situation.
By continuing to practice the techniques you are taught, you will find that the number of panic attacks you experience reduces over time until they are more manageable, or may even disappear completely.
If you are looking for Hypnotherapy for panic attacks in Hertfordshire, we can assist you in taking control today. Please call us on 01438 358174 to discuss your goals further.
Disclaimer:
As is common in therapy, results may vary from individual to individual and no specific outcome can be promised or guaranteed. Your therapist will however, endeavour to accomplish the objective of your sessions to the best of her ability.
If you are unable to attend our clinic in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, we have an extensive collection of Hypnotherapy downloads to choose from and download today. Please search in the box below.
