Understanding panic attack triggers and how to counter them.

Panic attacks seem to blind-side you out of nowhere, but most of the time there is a trigger. So understanding panic attack triggers and how to counter them is important.

If you can understand what triggers your panic attacks, you can learn to anticipate them, and work towards countering them.

But first things first.

The symptoms of a panic attack.

Panic attacks can feel like a heart attack because the symptoms are similar:

• Shaking.
• Nausea.
• Tingling in your fingers.
• Quick irregular heartbeats.
• Sweating and dizziness.
• Breathlessness.

Panic attacks can last anywhere from a few minutes up to twenty minutes, and the experience is caused by your body going into fight, flight or freeze mode, a primordial response hardwired into our brains eons ago, to help the survival of our species.

What triggers a panic attack?

There are so many triggers for setting off panic attacks, and sometimes the trigger itself isn’t clear. Unfortunately, the exact medical cause of panic attacks is as yet, unknown.

What is known, is that suffering from panic attacks can run in families (learned behaviour). However, typical triggers for panic attacks include (but are not limited to):

1. Worry

If you’re a worrier, and somebody who seems to spend their time imagining all the things that can possibly go wrong in life, this may tip over into panic attacks.

2. Stress.

Stress has so much to answer for. Daily stressors such as running late for a train or going to a job you don’t like, can really take their toll. And long-term stress can lead to severe anxiety which in turn can really impact other areas of your health. It might be beneficial to seek professional advice from a therapist when tackling stress, to help you understand your triggers and find ways to cope better with them.

3. Social Engagements.

If you are a naturally shy or introverted person, large social events can trigger feelings of anxiety. You can counter these by either taking someone along with you or speak to a professional about coping mechanisms you can adopt in social situations, in order to help alleviate social anxiety.

4. Underlying health issues.

Panic attacks have been linked to medical conditions such as:

• Mitral valve prolapse
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypoglycemia – don’t skip meals because if your blood sugar drops, it can trigger anxiety. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help keep your energy levels up and your blood sugars stable.
• Stimulant use – stimulants such as caffeine, amphetamines or cocaine are all known triggers of anxiety.

If you do suffer with panic attacks regularly, check in with your doctor just to make sure you don’t have an underlying medical condition.

5. Side effects of ill health.

If you suffer with a chronic condition or you’ve recently been diagnosed with a health issue that is upsetting, this can trigger a panic attack. You can reduce your anxiety levels by better understanding what it is you’ve been diagnosed with. Speaking to your doctor or talking through your condition with a therapist can both help turn around any negative thinking.

6. Certain Medicines.

There are a few prescriptions and over the counter medicines that can cause you to feel anxious, because they contain active ingredients that can make you feel unwell.

Known medicines that have triggered anxiety include:

• Birth control pills
• Cough medicines
• Weight loss medicines.

Understanding panic attack triggers and how to counter them.

Talk to your doctor or GP about alternatives that won’t leave you feeling anxious as a side effect so you can have a better understanding panic attack triggers and how to counter them.