“Panic” and life: the nature of a panic attack and risk factors. I will never forget the first panic attack (PA) - sudden clouding of consciousness, dizziness, darkness , I quickly “lean/sit down” somewhere so as not to fall... Uneven pulse, as if the heart is about to break through the chest and roll out through the throat... and burning, impossibly pain in the chest, such that it is painful and hot to breathe. “I’m dying, I have brain cancer” - that’s all that came to mind. I remember how, after repeated such PA, I called an ambulance and the doctor told me that it was a “panic attack.” I didn’t even understand, because there were no panic attacks, this state of the body began suddenly and out of nowhere (at home). Then... then, there was the separation of my daughter (at 16) and a sharp deterioration in my mother’s health - such things began to repeat more often. I remember sitting in a traffic jam while driving and suddenly - bam! Head on the steering wheel. I turned to psychological specialists. They helped me, yes. The state of depression and acute fear of death were relieved. Then, antidepressants suppressed the panic attacks for several years, but they still happened. Having immersed myself in the nature of panic attacks, I realized that they can occur for various reasons, but the panic attacks themselves come unexpectedly - anytime and anywhere. Currently, understanding, that my “panic” is not dangerous, that it is the body’s reaction, perhaps delayed, to stress or due to asthma and hypothyroidism, completely changes my attitude towards it. Yes, I live with PA, but it’s not scary, I’m not dying and they can (!) be “convinced” not to interfere with me. Yes, yes, such are the miracles of the psyche and my attitude. Recently, the PA found me in a water aerobics class: before the start I suddenly felt dizzy, sat down, waited, and decided - “it’s gone.” The desire to engage in aqua overpowered everything. And so, the music is thundering, my beloved trainer is counting the movements, I am inactively (just in case) waving the aqua stick, and suddenly - a sharp rush, my heart is pounding, my head is spinning, it physically hurts to breathe - inhaling and exhaling is as if I am breathing fire, and this burning chest pain. And I have aqua! The aqua stick is in your hands and the trainer sets the pace one-two. “Will some PA really force me to get out of the cage now?” - I even got angry. I slowed down, hung in the water and everything went away. There were about 6 such tides - but I managed. Neither the fear of death, nor the feeling that I was drowning - nothing, rather, annoyance that the PA prevents me from actively waving my arms and legs in the water. “Yes, this is a panic, yes, she is at the wrong time, well, you need to be friends with her!” - I said to myself and finished the workout to my satisfaction. So what am I doing? If you can’t fight the disease, you can try to “make friends” with it. Of course, first be examined, and then research. The most important thing is to understand that a panic attack is not life-threatening - just unpleasant. Understanding that this is a 10-15 minute process allows you to survive it easier. About the nature of panic attacks.1. PA is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of anxiety/sudden episodes of fear - not limited to a specific situation. 2. PA is accompanied by a variety of sensations: pulsation, strong heartbeat, rapid pulse, arrhythmia, sweating, chills, tremors, lack of air, shortness of breath (hyperventilation attack), difficulty breathing, suffocation, “lump in the throat,” burning in the chest, nausea, loss voices, dizziness, unsteadiness, lightness of head, blurred vision/hearing, lightheadedness, feeling of unreality, fear of going crazy, fear of committing an uncontrollable act, feelings of numbness, tingling (paresthesia), heat wave, cold. Important: you can talk about a panic attack speak if at least 4 of the described manifestations are present. Maximum PA manifests itself within a few minutes, on average - up to half an hour, but can be within an hour. Important: PA does not pose a physical danger. Conventionally, panic attacks can be of two types: in a certain situation (on a bus, in a public place where there are a lot of people) - attributive, or without connection with a specific situation - spontaneous. Popular.