dlou84
09-03-08, 13:17
So I've long suffered from panic attacks and was fine for 22yrs of my life. Then I had ONE panic attack which put me in hospital then since I have the ability to have more. Yet before that first panic attack, I never had anything like it!
I studied human physiology and took a keen interest in human evolution.
It has helped me to understand what a panic attack is and why we have them.
We have all heard of the fight or flight in relation to panic attacks but im guessing most people dont understand the connection.
Firstly you have to forget about your life. Forget about your house. Forget about everything we use in this civilazation.
Because its important to note that we are the same human beings that once lived in caves. We have evolved socially medically scientifically and mentally (languages/knowledge etc) but our genetic makeup is the same.
Our bodies are setup and programmed for a life that we no longer live.
This is why we have these problems in the first place.
For example go to any tribe in africa or the like and you will not find any suffers of what we commonly share.
This is because everything we now suffer from is actually suvival techniques set in place to keep us alive.
When a human being is put in danger, our brain makes an instant change in our physiological state. Its instantanious and it cant be stopped, BUT THE TRIGGER OF IT CAN!!
If i was in the jungle now, and a lion was chasing my ass you bet your dam self im going to be running my ass off!!!!
So what happens to our bodies when faced with this situation?
Our puples dilate allowing us to take in and view more of the environment around us.
Oue hands sweat to give us more grip.
Adrenaline is released into the blood stream to give the body instant energy to escape the situation we are in.
Due to the above our heart race goes to its maximum setting (btw you body will only go to its maximum heart rate. Imagine a ford fiesta, it has a top speed of 100MPH. IT CANNOT GO ANY FASTER.. But it will drive within its capabilities) so heart race in relation to a panic attack shouldnt worry you. Your body will not over sell itself.. if your a ford fiesta.. it knows you are haha..
Blood Pressure is increased to force the blood carrying the oxigen to the muscles.
And if we the human could not escape the lion or whatever threat. We would be sick this is to spoil the meat in order to stop the "threat" from eating us.
So that is what a panic attack should be. But of course you are not running from a lion (or I hope you're not!)
Many of the symptoms we develop are simply because we arent using them for there purposes!
Most of us when having a panic attack are unlikey to be running at this point. The Adrenaline being released is not getting used. and the oxigen thats being fed to our muscles are not being used..
So our muscles twitch we go light headed because of the sudden surge of energy and all the other symptoms.
But there is a common link between the two.
They BOTH triggered a natural defence instinct built into us.
You can not stop this natural defence for obvious reasons (why would you want to stick around with a lion chewing on your ass)
But you can stop the TRIGGER..
So lets look at both situations, the lion is the obvious trigger in that senario.
And I garentee you will find common triggers for your Panic Attacks as and when they happen.
I noticed that mine was when I said in my head "im going to die"
Now if that was true.. You would probably trigger that mechanism in order to stop you from losing your life.
So get a pen and paper and each time you have one write down what you did 5mins prior.
It could be simply taking your pulse (I suffer from this one)
Or commonly its the fear of the attack itself..
You wont have a heart attack from a panic attack.
A heart attack is caused by blockages of the arteries.
Your body will always work within its limits when in danger.
Next time you have a panic attack USE what your body is giving you.
Run up and down the stairs and use up that extra oxigen the reason why you have so much of it is because its not getting use and its the reason you go all "funny" and light headed.
so just pace up and down the stairs and breath in for 3 secs and out for 5 secs.
The key point to remember is you cant stop it once its been triggered, but you can REMOVE the trigger from your life.
Your body thinks its life is in danger and activates your suvival mechanisms.
TO KEEP YOU ALIVE!
I would like people to reply as much as poss, with thanks/questions/responses.
Dan
I studied human physiology and took a keen interest in human evolution.
It has helped me to understand what a panic attack is and why we have them.
We have all heard of the fight or flight in relation to panic attacks but im guessing most people dont understand the connection.
Firstly you have to forget about your life. Forget about your house. Forget about everything we use in this civilazation.
Because its important to note that we are the same human beings that once lived in caves. We have evolved socially medically scientifically and mentally (languages/knowledge etc) but our genetic makeup is the same.
Our bodies are setup and programmed for a life that we no longer live.
This is why we have these problems in the first place.
For example go to any tribe in africa or the like and you will not find any suffers of what we commonly share.
This is because everything we now suffer from is actually suvival techniques set in place to keep us alive.
When a human being is put in danger, our brain makes an instant change in our physiological state. Its instantanious and it cant be stopped, BUT THE TRIGGER OF IT CAN!!
If i was in the jungle now, and a lion was chasing my ass you bet your dam self im going to be running my ass off!!!!
So what happens to our bodies when faced with this situation?
Our puples dilate allowing us to take in and view more of the environment around us.
Oue hands sweat to give us more grip.
Adrenaline is released into the blood stream to give the body instant energy to escape the situation we are in.
Due to the above our heart race goes to its maximum setting (btw you body will only go to its maximum heart rate. Imagine a ford fiesta, it has a top speed of 100MPH. IT CANNOT GO ANY FASTER.. But it will drive within its capabilities) so heart race in relation to a panic attack shouldnt worry you. Your body will not over sell itself.. if your a ford fiesta.. it knows you are haha..
Blood Pressure is increased to force the blood carrying the oxigen to the muscles.
And if we the human could not escape the lion or whatever threat. We would be sick this is to spoil the meat in order to stop the "threat" from eating us.
So that is what a panic attack should be. But of course you are not running from a lion (or I hope you're not!)
Many of the symptoms we develop are simply because we arent using them for there purposes!
Most of us when having a panic attack are unlikey to be running at this point. The Adrenaline being released is not getting used. and the oxigen thats being fed to our muscles are not being used..
So our muscles twitch we go light headed because of the sudden surge of energy and all the other symptoms.
But there is a common link between the two.
They BOTH triggered a natural defence instinct built into us.
You can not stop this natural defence for obvious reasons (why would you want to stick around with a lion chewing on your ass)
But you can stop the TRIGGER..
So lets look at both situations, the lion is the obvious trigger in that senario.
And I garentee you will find common triggers for your Panic Attacks as and when they happen.
I noticed that mine was when I said in my head "im going to die"
Now if that was true.. You would probably trigger that mechanism in order to stop you from losing your life.
So get a pen and paper and each time you have one write down what you did 5mins prior.
It could be simply taking your pulse (I suffer from this one)
Or commonly its the fear of the attack itself..
You wont have a heart attack from a panic attack.
A heart attack is caused by blockages of the arteries.
Your body will always work within its limits when in danger.
Next time you have a panic attack USE what your body is giving you.
Run up and down the stairs and use up that extra oxigen the reason why you have so much of it is because its not getting use and its the reason you go all "funny" and light headed.
so just pace up and down the stairs and breath in for 3 secs and out for 5 secs.
The key point to remember is you cant stop it once its been triggered, but you can REMOVE the trigger from your life.
Your body thinks its life is in danger and activates your suvival mechanisms.
TO KEEP YOU ALIVE!
I would like people to reply as much as poss, with thanks/questions/responses.
Dan