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Step 1
Understand what's going on. When a person has a panic attack, his fight or flight system kicks in. This causes his heart to race, his breathing rate to increase, his skin to start sweating and his balance to be thrown off. Some people can feel the attacks coming, while others cannot. The average length of a panic attack is 10 minutes.
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Step 2
Talk to your loved one to see what symptoms she notices. Fearing that she's going to die or feeling that she's going crazy are common signs of a panic attack. She may also experience choking feelings, depersonalization, tingling sensations and jitteriness.
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Step 3
Determine the cause. If it's drug-induced, suggest a detox program. If it's situational, the person will have to learn to deal with it. Agoraphobia is hard to treat, so it's best not to let it start in the first place. To help him cope with situational panic attacks, reassure him that nothing bad is likely to happen and consider tagging along whenever he has to go to the place that sets him off.
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Step 4
Be supportive. This is the best thing you can do. The person experiencing the panic attacks may need to get psychotherapy or medication to help control the disorder. Encourage her to take charge of her anxiety and not let it run her life.
Comments
Temari-san said
on 8/22/2008 Well,here's the deal. I'm twelve and writting a book series, in which one of my characters experiances a panic attack. I've never had one, and I've never seen someone experiancing one. Please tell me how one actaully looks.Thanks ^_^