Anxiety Toolbox: The Complete Fear-Free Plan. Gloria Thomas
called The Biology of Excellence (see here) and self-hypnosis on building confidence in group meetings. And the feedback? According to Angus, the techniques worked a treat.
Panic Disorder
Some people experience anxiety through the feeling of panic. Panic disorders affect 0.7 per cent of the British population and 2.4 million Americans, and are twice as common in women than men.
The attacks of anxiety that are usually experienced with panic disorder can be very scary and can last from 5 minutes to 30. An individual can feel fine one minute and the next find themselves in the grip of extreme fear and anxiety for no apparent reason. An attack is usually preceded by a feeling of something being not quite right. This then quickly escalates into sheer panic, absolute terror and a feeling of being out of control. The catastrophic thoughts that follow the initial sense of foreboding cause a powerful physiological response, which then reinforces the thoughts. It is this feedback loop between thought and sensation that exacerbates the condition, causing anxiety to spiral out of control. At the height of an acute panic attack the sufferer feels completely powerless and really believes that this time the worst is going to happen – i.e. that they are about to die or go crazy. (Thankfully, this never happens.) Some people may only experience one or two panic attacks in a lifetime but others are plagued with panic attacks on a weekly or monthly basis.
Panic attacks can, of course, be mild and therefore will not have a huge impact on a person’s life. However, when they are acute and debilitating they can restrict the sufferer’s life in many areas. This is due not only to the fear of causing an attack but because of the uncertainty as to when and where the next one is going to occur. Hence sufferers avoid certain situations, places and people that could bring on an attack or where they would feel vulnerable or embarrassed should one happen.
Unfortunately, fear of an attack can often bring on the condition itself. Fear makes us more alert and hypersensitive and we can then begin to look out for any bodily sensations that indicate a panic attack is going to occur or any situations that could bring one on – for example, being in a lift or a crowded room or in an aeroplane, anything that is a reminder of the original attack. Panic attacks can also occur during sleep. The sufferer will waken up gripped with fear, and panic that they are going to have a heart attack.
Like most other anxiety disorders, if you suffer from panic disorder you are also likely to suffer from anxiety in other areas. Depression is closely linked to panic disorder, as is agoraphobia, claustrophobia and social phobia.
What Causes Panic Attacks?
The causes of panic attacks are varied. Personality type can be a contributory factor, as people who are naturally prone to anxiety are more likely to have a panic attack. Sometimes they are born from childhood events, such as separation from parents or one parent. A study showed that rat pups separated from their mothers had greater levels of anxiety than those whose mothers were not removed.
Associating something with other uncomfortable and stressful experiences from the past – for example mental, emotional or physical abuse – is also a common trigger.
Panic attacks do not always have their roots in childhood. Panic attacks can suddenly come on for no apparent reason in adulthood. Life changes and worries about impending life changes are often at the bottom of this, although it has to be said that the possible psychological causes of panic are endless. There are also possible physical causes for panic attack. These include unstable blood sugar levels, hyperventilation and food allergies.
It is important to treat panic attacks, otherwise they could become worse or develop into other disorders. There are a number of different therapies for treating panic attacks so the condition can be managed or overcome – it’s just a matter of learning how.
Symptoms of a Panic Attack
Do you suffer from any of the following symptoms at any one time?
Self-Assessment
– On a scale of one to 10, how strongly do you suffer the symptoms of panic attack?
(0–1 = none, 2–3 = very slightly, 4–6 = moderately, 7–8 = marked suffering, 9–10 = severely)
– How often do you experience panic, panic disorder or panic attacks?
– Not at all/a little/some of the time/a lot of the time/all of the time
– Do you worry about having another attack?
– Not at all/a little/some of the time/a lot of the time/all of the time
CASE STUDY for Panic Attacks
Deborah is a 32-year-old mature student with a history of panic and anxiety-related conditions. These had prevented her from completing her education and she had left school with no qualifications and low self-esteem. Having eventually realized her true potential, she decided to study design. However, as Deborah was waiting to sign up for her course, she suddenly felt vulnerable – there were people in front and behind her and she felt so much older than everyone else. Her heart began to palpitate and her stomach began to churn – she felt completely trapped and unable to escape. Her panic levels rose as she became more and more anxious. Although she had always been nervous, this was completely unexpected. Rather than give up her new-found determination to study she decided to seek help.
I treated her panic using the thought scrambler exercise (see here). I then used the new behaviour generator exercise (see here) to begin to train her brain to work in a new direction. Lastly, I taught her self-hypnosis for confidence and how to visualize her goals for the future.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
If you experience ongoing anxious thoughts that cause you to repeatedly engage in time-consuming rituals, then you may be suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. According to the mental health charity Mind, 1.2 per cent of the UK population have an obsessive-compulsive disorder at any one time. Other research suggests that somewhere in the region of 3 per cent of the population have experienced OCD. In the US, it is estimated that 3.3 million suffer from this intrusive disorder. It strikes both men and women equally and often has its roots in childhood. One third of adults with OCD say that their obsessions began when they were children.
A key feature of OCD is the repeated compulsive behaviour that occurs as a result of dwelling on a perceived threat. Confronted with a particular threat, the OCD sufferer will become anxious and unable to disengage from the object of concern. Fear becomes too much to bear and this then leads to compulsive behaviour. This behaviour reduces the severity of the anxiety or the obsession. However, the relief is only minor and so a vicious circle of more anxiety,