Acute Anxiety or Panic Disorder

The official definition is; a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in which four or more of the following symptoms develop abruptly and peak within ten minutes.

How I can Help You

Symptoms

Everybody who has experienced a panic attack will be terribly familiar with many or all of these symptoms. The exact pattern is individual, not always the same and often doesn’t fit neatly into the ‘label’. But it is frightening, horrible, often perplexing and definitely not wished to be re-experienced. Even the fear of experiencing an attack again leads to severe worry and avoidance of situations.

Palpitations – heart races faster and pounds
Sweating – sweat breaks out
Shaking – hands and body tremble and shake
Breathlessness – sensation of being unable to breath properly
Choking – feeling that throat closing off, being throttled.
Nausea – feeling of sickness and of wanting to vomit
Dizziness – light-headedness disorientation and light-headedness.
Fear of loss of control – fear of losing control/consciousness and appearing foolish.
Fear of dying – fearing symptoms will lead to death(or indicate illness)
Paraesthesia(s) – tingling –usually in extremities –hands, feet
Hot flushes / chills – skin flushes feels hot then may feel cold and clammy.

I can help you to reduce or even completely eliminate your symptoms.

Key Information

The signs and symptoms of a panic attack develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes.

Most panic attacks end within 20 to 30 minutes, rarely lasting much longer.
Panic attacks can happen anywhere and at any time. You may have one whilst shopping, walking down the street, driving in your car, or sitting at home.

It is possible to have more than one panic attack on the same day
Most of the symptoms of a panic attack are physical, and may even be so severe that people think fear they’re losing control, or they’re having a heart attack or even risk dying. Physically, though panic attacks are harmless.

Psychologically, however, the effects of the experience are very intrusive and life-affecting and can leave a lasting imprint. The memory of the intense fear and terror that you felt during the attacks can negatively impact your self-confidence. If you associate certain activities or environments with the onset of a panic attack (no matter how misguidedly) you will increasingly attempt to avoid them.

Your ‘fear of the fear’ becomes the dominant emotion guiding your life, so that even when not experiencing panic you become anxious and tense fearing panic attacks. This is anticipatory anxiety.

Phobic avoidance best describes the anxiety/panic associated specifically with exposure to certain environments or objects (Phobias)

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