Mind Over Matter. Why a Panic Attack Consumes You

Some people are prone to panic attacks, and they know just how bad they can be. Sometimes, you don't even want to live through them. However, for those who aren't as accustomed to them, or even for those who are, there are certain ways to overcome the effects.

A panic attack is defined as "a sudden rush of physical and psychological symptoms." But, many know that it is so much more than that. A panic attack can define your life if you suffer from them frequently, and, as a result, people feel as if they would do anything to avoid it. 

Panic attacks can stop people from thinking straight because their focus would be on analyzing what may or may not go wrong. 

Why do panic attacks happen?

Panic attacks actually serve an evolutionary purpose, as they are connected to our innate "fight or flight" system, in order to help us survive. They can be traced all the way back to cavemen, when they would feel this sensation in the face of danger. In these situations, surges of adrenaline to the body would offer extra strength to aid in the ability to either fight or flight.

However, evolution has not changed as fast as the world around us has. So, we might not have to battle lions anymore, but we still have that innate fight or flight system, leaving many with misplaced panic attacks.

Sometimes these attacks can have triggers, like high levels of stress, large workloads, or other impending changes to one's life.

So, when you feel your palms start to sweat and your stomach start to drop, there is a logical "reason," even when it may be misplaced.

Often, panic attacks occur when you cannot identify what the fear is about. This is due to your brain being unable to understand an underlying issue, and this may proliferate the attack as there is no rational reason that it is happening, making it harder to solve.

Some argue that panic attacks are caused by childhood, trauma, genetics, and more, but there is not any scientific evidence to support these reasons. Regardless of why panic attacks occur, it is important to learn how to fight against them.

Fear dying?

A common source of panic attacks is the fear of dying. Sometimes people's preexisting anxiety can promote the fear of death, while in other circumstances the fear can be a phobia itself, even for those who do not have any experience with anxiety.

The fear of death is considered a "universal fear," because everyone will die eventually. So, someone does not have to have clinical anxiety to be affected by this.

While the fear can arise regardless of whether someone has anxiety or not, whether it is a symptom or cause of anxiety will determine which type of treatment is most suitable.

Read on to learn more about how some panic attacks that make others feel like they'd rather die.