A panic attack is the sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within a few minutes.
Breanna SpriggsLicensed Counselor and Clinical Director Family tree Doctors at the Counseling Center in Lafayette said the part of the brain that causes panic can’t detect whether the body is running away from a tiger or feeling anxiety due to mental stress.
“When we panic, it’s our body’s way of telling us that we’re in some kind of danger,” Spriggs says.
These attacks are common: up to 11% of people in the United States experience a panic attack each year. About 2% to 3% of people in the United States suffer from panic disorder, according to a survey by the National Institute of Mental Health. Cleveland Clinic.
What happens when you have a panic attack?
Panic attacks are distinguished from other anxiety conditions by their intensity and duration. Spriggs says the normal alarm bells of anxiety you feel before a test or something similar get louder and louder during a panic attack.
“This is when anxiety escalates into a panic attack,” Spriggs says. “In many ways, it’s our emotions screaming at us to let it out.”
Dr. Julia BucknerProfessor, LSU Anxiety and Addictive Behavior Lab and Clinic According to a Baton Rouge doctor, a panic attack usually peaks within 10 minutes and then begins to subside, and symptoms can include at least four of the following:
- Palpitations, racing heart, fast heart rate
- sweating
- Tremors or shivers
- Shortness of breath or choking
- Feeling of suffocation
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, unsteady, or faint
- Chills or fever
- Paresthesias (numbness or tingling)
- Derealization (feeling unreal) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
- Fear of losing control or “going crazy”
“Panic attacks can be very unpleasant and very frightening,” Buckner says, “and as a result, people who have experienced a panic attack can become very anxious about whether they will have another attack, what it means that they have had a panic attack, and whether they will have to change their lifestyle.”
How can peers help?
Seeing someone having a panic attack can be frightening, as many of the symptoms resemble a heart attack or other life-threatening medical condition, Buckner said.
- Stay calm: If a peer appears frightened, this may send the wrong message to the person having a panic attack that there is something physically or mentally wrong with them, making the panic attack worse. Instead, try to stay calm, show understanding and non-blaming.
- Breathing: Encourage and support the person to breathe slowly and deeply using abdominal breathing.
- Be there to help the person get through the panic attack, and continue to show them that although it is uncomfortable, there is nothing to be afraid of. Panic attacks usually subside within 20 to 30 minutes.
- Ask questions: Ask what is causing the panic. This allows you to step back and think about the situation instead of focusing on the fear of the panic attack. “What do you think caused it?” or “How many times have you experienced something like this?”
- Many people feel embarrassed when they have a panic attack, so remind them that there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
When helping someone having a panic attack, Spriggs urges not to touch them without permission, have them focus on a concrete object, and move them to fresh air if indoors. For children, offering them a cookie or candy can help bring them back to the present moment and calm them down.
“Anxiety isn’t always visible,” Spriggs says, “but panic is.”
Louisiana leads in mental health disparities
A new study reveals which states have seen their residents’ mental health deteriorate the most since the pandemic began, with Louisiana coming out on top.
Dokvaan online virtual assistant provider for physicians, conducted a study on anxiety and depression. CDC data They compared the mental health status of each state since 2020. The researchers calculated the average percentage of people suffering from symptoms of anxiety or depression from 2020 to 2024 and ranked each state from best to worst.
Topping the list is Louisiana, where 38.2% of all residents have experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression since 2020.
One reason the mental health impacts were more severe in Louisiana is due to the state’s cultural makeup, Spriggs said: Louisianans are a social people, and being alone during a pandemic isn’t natural.
“You can go into a grocery store in New York and not have five people shaking your hand or asking you how you’re doing,” Spriggs said, “but you can go into a grocery store in Louisiana and you’re likely to come out having spoken to at least three people and giving them a smile.”
of Louisiana Department of Health All 64 parishes in Louisiana Areas of shortage of mental health professionals based on geography (shortage of health care workers) or low-income populations (lack of access to existing care).
What’s the next step?
You can always consult a telehealth or crisis hotline to get help getting through a panic attack.
Panic attacks, panic disorders, and mental health crises are a spectrum, Spriggs says, and no matter what level of severity your symptoms are, it’s okay to seek professional help.
“This is one of the biggest misconceptions that a lot of people have,” Spriggs says. “No matter when you’re feeling it, it’s okay to get therapy.”
If anxiety or panic starts to interfere with your daily activities or symptoms get in the way of your well-being, Spriggs encourages reaching out for help from peers, family and people outside your community.
If you need help or are experiencing mental distress, anxiety or a panic attack, please call or text 988. Louisiana 988 HelplineThis free and confidential service is administered by the Louisiana Department of Health and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
