[lit-ideas] Re: Fwd: Re: Tune and Turn Off - Panic Attacks
- From: "Judith Evans" <judithevans1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 22:18:57 +0100
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Kirschenbaum" <carolkir@xxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:00 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Fwd: Re: Tune and Turn Off - Panic
Attacks
>
> An asthma attack is *not* an anxiety attack, though the latter
could trigger
> the former, I suppose.
>
> The hyperventilation aspect of anxiety attacks are easily
treated by having
> the person breathe into a paper bag for a few minutes. This
reestablishes
> the oxygen-carbon balance. People having anxiety attacks think
they're not
> getting enough oxygen, whereas the opposite is actually true.
(Breathing
> into a paper bag does *not* alleviate symptoms of an asthma
attack. Very
> different problem.)
>
> People can't die from anxiety attacks. They'll pass out first,
and the
> autonomic nervous system will regulate breathing functions once
that
> anxious, conscious person knocks himself out. (Note to Iremago:
Yes, you
> could kill yourself via anxiety attack if you pass out while
driving, in
> case you're wondering.) Asthma attacks can be fatal on their
own.
>
> Try this link,
>
> http://www.emedicine.com/med/byname/panic-disorder.htm
>
> which summarizes the DSM-IV-tr criteria for panic attacks (also
called
> "anxiety attacks") and has a link to a fuller discussion of
panic disorder
> with and without agoraphobia.
>
> If anyone here is interested in reading the precise language
from the
> DSM-IV-tr, let me know. (NB: DSM stands for Diagnostic and
Statistical
> Manual of Mental Disorders. Definitions are meant as guidance
for healthcare
> practitioners, internationally. The gold standard, and
self-avowedly flawed,
> but it's the best set of definitions and descriptions that
we've got in one
> book.)
>
> Most GPs know about panic attacks and panic disorders, as Judy
said. At a
> certain age and medical history, it's a smart move to get
checked out for
> cardiac problems. But it's also very common for people with
minor cardiac
> issues (mitral valve prolapse, for instance) to get panic
attacks. The
> incidence is astounding, actually--something like 70% of people
who get
> panic attacks have congenital mitral valve prolapse.
Correlation, not
> causality at this point.
>
> Cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with exposure therapy is
very
> successful in treating panic disorder--which often develops
from a first
> panic attack, with astounding rapidity, into full-blown,
disabling
> agoraphobia. I'd offer help with getting help, but anyone who's
in
> full-blown panic disorder probably can't read this much about
panic without
> panic. In fact, just the subject line of this thread could
trigger an
> episode.
>
> (NB: One can be in panic mode without having a full-blown
attack. Panic
> attacks, like most everything else, exist on a continuum.)
>
> Best,
> Carol
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Judith Evans" <judithevans1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 12:48 PM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Fwd: Re: Tune and Turn Off - Panic
Attacks
>
>
> > >Yeah, I'm familiar with what anaphylactic shock is, it just
> > seemed irrelevant to
> >> the conversation. I'm talking about someone with no history
of
> > asthma,
> >>no sudden incident such as a bee sting or what have you, who
> > suddenly
> >>is completely unable to exhale for a matter of several
minutes.
> > A
> >>frightening experience, but survivable. My question, I
guess,
> > is does
> >>that qualify as a "panic attack", and if so or not, what
forms
> > of behaviour
> >>do panic attacks take?
> >
> > They might though they have no history of asthma and don't
appear
> > to
> > have exposed to an allergen have had an allergic reaction.
Or
> > they might
> > be having a panic attack. But I would expect fear to enter
into
> > their mind
> > almost before the physical symptoms. To an observer,
apparently,
> > panic
> > attacks and asthma attacks can look the same.
> >
> > This account omits hyperventilation, still, it may help:
> >
> > "your heart is racing, your mind is filled with anxiety,
> > you start to tremble, you're having trouble breathing,
> > and you feel a threat of impending doom."
> >
> > I found it here; I haven't checked this site out but think
you
> > might also want to look at say nih.gov
> >
> > http://www.anxietypanic.com/
> >
> >
> > I think someone who gets what could be panic attacks should
see
> > their GP
> >
> > Judy Evans, Cardiff
>
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