How Timely Anxiety Counselling Can Help Prevent the Side Effects of Panic Attacks
Posted on: 27 February 2020
Panic attacks occur more often than people think. Although their causes aren't fully known, specific thoughts and situations tend to trigger panic attacks. There are also genetic relationships that tend to occur, where a family member who had them before may increase one's susceptibility to experiencing an attack.
Most panic attacks make one feel an intense level of stress. You may also experience a rapid beating heart, difficulty breathing, chest pain and nausea. Even more concerning is that panic attacks may cause you to develop certain behaviours that are detrimental to your health. For example, it's not uncommon for patients with frequent panic attacks to become dependent on drugs or alcohol. This is why timely anxiety counselling is critical.
Anxiety counsellors can relate the triggers of your panic attacks to specific situations that you may have experienced and eventually help you work towards managing your outbreaks.
Common side effects of panic attacks
In addition to the symptoms that define panic attacks, there are side effects that you might develop over time. These side effects are often a way of coping with your symptoms so as to reduce the effect of repetitive attacks. Unfortunately, attempts to cope with panic attacks may result in negative behaviours or coping strategies. These include:
Phobia
Perhaps one of the most damaging side effects of a panic attack is the development of phobia. If your attacks are triggered by a specific activity such as walking alone at night or sudden loud noises, you may develop a phobia against such triggers. This makes you avoid situations where you may come across your trigger elements.
Alcohol dependency
It's not uncommon for panic attack victims to resort to drugs/alcohol as a means of coping with their condition. Because alcohol is a depressant, it may calm one's tension and nerves when an attack is experienced. But dependency on drugs/alcohol can also affect one's life in numerous ways.
Suicidal thoughts
Frequent panic attacks may also result in desperation and the thought of committing suicide. Panic attack victims are also prone to experiencing greater economic challenges, thus being unable to become financially independent.
How counselling can help
Anxiety counselling is a useful treatment for patients who experience panic attacks. It particularly comes in handy if your attacks are triggered by a past traumatic event — such as the death of a loved one, an accident or even military experience.
During counselling, you'll be able to share what makes you uneasy, become more comfortable about your situation and begin to understand and process the emotions around that traumatic event. This is a critical first step towards "facing your fears" and controlling how you react from them.
For more information, contact a local anxiety counselling centre.
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