Anxiety Panic Attack
ANXIETY DISORDERS
Anxiety is a disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically accompanied by compulsive behavior or panic attacks.
Anxiety in its simple definition is an inability to self soothe and regulate emotions. Symptoms of anxiety begin with Human Disconnect, starting with mother-infant disconnect.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but sometimes the symptoms can be debilitating. Anxiety manifests in many ways, and the disorder can range from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, specific phobias, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Women are 60% more likely than men to suffer from anxiety, and only 39% of those suffering from anxiety receive treatment. As the nuclear family disintegrates and demands on us increase, it is no surprise that anxiety has become a nationwide and global problem. No one is immune to stress.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about future threat. The individual experiences anxiety and panic attack symptoms including restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance. These symptoms can oftentimes feel pervasive and persistent and difficult to control.
Panic attacks are a particular type of fear response. They are abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by physical and/or cognitive symptoms. Some symptoms include, but are not limited to, palpitations, trembling or shaking, shortness of breath, fear of losing control or “going crazy,” and fear of dying. Individuals with panic attacks are oftentimes worried about having additional panic attacks.
Social anxiety is another type of fear response. People suffering from anxiety and panic attacks experience extreme discomfort in the presence of others, and suffer when they have to leave the home or be in social situations.
Phobias are developed when the fear is associated with specific objects or events such as spiders, elevators or closed spaces (claustrophobia), heights, open spaces, or events such as taking an exam.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is experienced in reaction to a traumatic event such as war, hostage situations, armed robberies, and other life threatening situations.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) develops in response to anxiety. It is a coping mechanism designed to bind anxiety. Eventually this defense against anxiety breaks the person, and others around the person suffering from this disorder down.
Some Statistics of anxiety and panic attack are included below:
- 22.7% of people in the United States experience a panic attack once in their lives.
- Women are over twice as likely to experience a panic attack, compared to men.
- 71.9% of the people with only panic attacks suffer another mental disorder as well
- 100% of the people with panic attacks and agoraphobia suffer another mental disorder as well
- 81% of people with a panic attack report that their symptoms usually reach their peak within 10 minutes of the first symptom.
- 19% of people with a panic attack have their peak later than 10 minutes after the first symptom.
- 61.1% of the people with only panic attacks will receive treatment for psychiatric problems in their lives.
- 74.7% of the people with panic attacks and agoraphobia will receive treatment for psychiatric problems in their lives.
According to John Bowlby, MD, Father of Attachment Theory, secure attachment (or lack thereof) to our primary attachment–usually our mother, is the root cause of many of the symptoms of anxiety. If we don’t receive healthy attachment which includes (ideally) breast feeding, eye contact, skin contact, stay-at-home-mothering or parenting, and attunement to the baby’s needs, the baby will not develop secure attachment.
At the Psychological Healing Center we view anxiety as a reaction to mother-infant, father-infant, and family disconnect. When unconscious threatening feelings are re-triggered by some activating event or thought, these feelings of Human Disconnect trigger . The retriggering activates the fight/flight response (increased pulse rate, rapid breathing, a desire to flee the situation, etc.) creating feelings of anxiety.
At the Center we focus on childhood wounds, the CAUSE or blueprint for anxiety and anxiety attacks. Rather than treat only the symptoms, we dismantle the CAUSE behind the symptoms.
If you are experiencing anxiety it is important to receive anxiety and panic attack medication and treatment to heal the reprocess unconscious emotions and developmentally evolve the primitive disregulated ones. As we learn to uproot threatening feelings and self soothe, we can nurture ourselves back to health.