Try a New
Direction with Hypnotherapy !
Stop Panic Attacks
with Hypnotherapy Hypnosis
- St Neots UK- St Ives
UK- Huntingdon UK- Cambridge UK- Bedford UK
Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy. Treatment of Panic attacks
Panic
Attacks
(episodic paroxymal anxiety )
Commonly known as the Panic Attack. These are usually recurrent attacks
not restricted to any particular situation or set of circumstances which
obviously makes the attacks unpredictable and unavoidable , unlike many
phobias.
Best described as beginning with palpitations, chest pains, choking
sensations , dizziness a " nailed to the spot " feeling of total loss of
control. There may also follow a secondary fear of dying or going mad.
What
is a panic attack?
A Panic Attack is a natural
drive to move away from danger or defend ourselves from danger and leaves
us with two simple choices. We could either run or, if desperate enough,
we could fight. In this case, a panic attack is called the 'fight or
flight response'.
The mind can be triggered and a panic
attack occurs fast and unconsciously. This unconscious reaction is
highly important. People who suffer panic attacks often report that "they
come from nowhere" and this is an essential part of the fight or flight
response.
If you are in a
threatening situation either conscious or more often unconscious your mind
reacts in this fight or flight response which is why you can often be in a
situation where all is well and safe or in a place you have been before
without any problem and suddenly experience a panic attack.
What happens during a
panic attack?
Several things happen
as your body alters its priorities from long term survival to emergency
short term survival. In response to the release of hormones such as
adrenaline, your blood pressure increases and breathing speeds up
preparing you for muscular effort.
Your legs may shake as they are prepared
for running; your hands may shake as the large muscles of your arms are
prepared to fight. Your palms and feet may become sweaty to give you
better grip.
Blood is shunted away from the stomach to
the major muscle groups where it will be used during an emergency. This is
why people who experience regular stress often have digestive problems:
blood is constantly being pumped to areas other than the stomach.
Other changes that occur during a panic
attack, or fight or flight response are that the pupils dilate to let in
more light, so we can gain more information about the situation. You may
also feel like vomiting or defecating.
How the mind fuels the fear and anxiety of
Panic Attacks
Although people having panic attacks often
feel as if they are the only ones in the World with the problem, the
thoughts that accompany panic attacks are usually very similar. Here are
the most common ones we encounter.
I might die from a heart attack
Although it may not feel like it at the
time, the heart is designed to react in the way it does during a panic
attack. It can feel unnatural because this type of heart activity is
usually reserved for vigorous activity, when you don't notice it as much.
However, unless you have a heart condition, it is not usually a threat to
the heart. If you are worried about this, see your medical practitioner.
I might die from suffocation
It may not feel pleasant, but you are less
likely to suffocate during a panic attack than at any other time because
you naturally take in more air. The shortness of breath you may feel is
due to your body increasing its demand for oxygen, or because of
hyperventilation.
I'm having a stroke
When you don't understand what is happening
to you, it's perfectly natural to try and explain in it terms you
understand. However, strokes have nothing to do with panic attacks, so you
can relax about that! However, if you are worried about it, see your
medical practitioner.
I'm scared of fainting
Fainting is not an option when being chased
by a wild animal, in fact it could be fatal, so it is highly unlikely that
panic will cause fainting. And what if you did faint? How bad would it be?
The end of the world? Worse than death itself? Probably not. Fear of
fainting often comes about due to the sense of dizziness which accompanies
hyperventilation, sometimes part of panic. We'll look at what you can do
about that in a minute.
I'm having a nervous breakdown, or going
'crazy'
If you were really going insane would you
be aware or worried about going insane? You already know that the anxiety,
panic, or 'fight or flight' response is a natural mechanism, so this one
doesn't even figure.
Losing control
When having an anxiety attack, it can feel
like you have lost control. In fact, all that has happened is that control
has shifted from your conscious to your unconscious mind, so things are
still being regulated, just differently.
Feeling so weak that you cannot move or
might fall down
The feeling of weakness is caused by the
shaking we mentioned earlier. In fact, you are stronger when panicking
than at any other time as your large muscles are being supplied with
plenty of oxygen.
I'm going to be embarrassed or humiliated
How many times have you actually been
humiliated or embarrassed by a panic attack? If you ever have been, was it
really that bad? During an attack, it is very common and quite natural to
worry that your body can't take what is happening. The fact is that panic
is a short-term response.
The worst part of a panic attack only lasts
a few minutes although unpleasant anxiety feelings can persist for longer.
It is similar to a fire or emergency drill for the body. If you have panic
attacks then at least you know that your anxiety or fight or flight
response is in good working order.
A major part of any Panic Attack is
Hyperventilation (over breathing) and
other panic attack symptoms
We've covered several panic attack symptoms
in the course so far. Now we're going to take a look at hyperventilating
(or over breathing), which causes, or makes many panic attacks worse. It
can be counted amongst panic attack symptoms, or amongst causes,
as one 'feeds' off the other.
About 60% of attacks are accompanied by
hyperventilation and many panickers over breathe even whilst relaxed.
The most important thing to understand
about hyperventilation is that although it can feel as if you
don't have enough oxygen, the opposite is true. It is a symptom of
too much oxygen.
With hyperventilation, your body has too
much oxygen. To use this oxygen (to extract it from your blood), your
body needs a certain amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
When you hyperventilate, you do not give
your body long enough to retain CO2, and so your body cannot use the
oxygen you have. This causes you to feel as if you are short of air, when
actually you have too much. This is why the following techniques work to
get rid of hyperventilation.
Some hyperventilation and panic attack
symptoms are:
- Light headiness
- Giddiness
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Numbness
- Chest pains
- Dry mouth
- Clammy hands
- Difficulty swallowing
- Tremors
- Sweating
- Weakness
- Fatigue
So how can Hypnotherapy help with Panic
Attacks?
Using relaxation techniques Hypnotherapy
can be used to help control the symptoms of Panic Attacks within the
structure of a stress management system
Learn more about
stress management
Please read about Hypnosis, Stage Hypnosis
Learn how
Clinical Hypnotherapy can help with Panic Attacks
Analytical Hypnotherapy finds the cause of
the unconscious associations with Panic Attacks and removes the triggers
for good.
Learn
more about Analytical Hypnotherapy
Booking an Appointment
is easy
Why not take
advantage of a free initial consultation to understand how Pure
Hypno-Analysis can help you to overcome your problems. Learn how some
of the more common habitual
problems can be removed in a single session using the power of
hypnosis and positive suggestion.
Many of
Matthew's clients come to him from GP referral and personal
recommendation from previous clients but if you have just found him
via the internet or seen an advert in a local paper just give Matthew
a call or email him and he will be happy to arrange an appointment for
you.
So if you want
to make some positive changes in your life contact Matthew Now
N.B.
Please note that all calls are confidential and private - If Matthew
does not answer directly please leave your name and preferred contact
details and he will get back to you as soon as he possibly can.
Practice Contact
Details are:
Telephone 01933
620 924
Mobile
07940029383
Email
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St Neots
Hypnotherapy Clinic, Town Centre, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 2AJ
Openpalm Hypnotherapy in St Neots is easily accessible from
Huntingdon, St Ives, Peterborough, Cambridge, Bedford via the A1 Train
services are regular to and from St Neots station which is a 10 minute
walk to St Neots Town Centre.
