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"What are panic attacks; exactly?"
Anxiety attacks, panic attacks and phobic attacks are not three different
names for the same condition but each is a totally different condition,
stemming from a completely different thought process. Yet amazingly,
when a person is experiencing bouts of 'frenzied panic' and seeks
help, rarely are their thoughts investigated enough to determine which
of the three conditions they are suffering. Therefore, as this is
one area of ‘panic attacks’ that is often misunderstood,
even the term ‘panic attacks’ is habitually bantered around
and used (or misused) for a multitude of reasons other than actual
‘panic attacks.’ I now offer my own definition between
the three conditions, as, to the true panic attack sufferer, understanding
this difference can be extremely useful and occasionally crucial.
‘Panic attacks' are a condition of self-perpetuating waves
of seemingly uncontrollable frenzied panic, of which, to the sufferer,
there seems no obvious cause, prevention or means of stopping.
‘Anxiety attacks' are individual waves of seemingly uncontrollable
frenzied panic which, after the attack, the sufferer is able to directly
connect to them experiencing stress. Therefore this sufferer knows
the cause of the attack and does not live in fear of another one striking
again.
‘Phobic attacks’ are individual waves of frenzied panic
which the sufferer is able to directly connect to their inappropriately
high degree of fear towards a specific, identifiable stimuli; other
than the body sensations attached to fear itself.’ This sufferer
also knows the cause of their attack. And whilst they might live in
fear of experiencing or being confronted with the thing they fear.
They don’t live in fear of the fear itself; because they know
the cause, they know how to prevent it and they know how to stop it.
If you are not a true panic attack sufferer then the difference between
the above definitions may not seem that significant. If however, you
are a true panic attack sufferer then the significance will probably
be profound. Indeed, If you have received or are currently receiving
therapy for your panic attacks but are sill not recovering, then I
suspect that you are actually receiving the wrong therapy for your
condition. Therefore..
- If you identify yourself as suffering either ‘anxiety attacks’
or ‘panic attacks’ then my programme is for you. For
it was purposefully devised for you.
- If you identify yourself as suffering ‘phobic attacks’
then again, read this book for it will significantly help you to
understand stress, the effects of stress, how to calm yourself and
how to protect yourself for the future. But in addition, please
consult your doctor as soon as possible to discuss your symptoms
further where, hopefully, you will be referred to an appropriate
therapist.
- If you cannot identify yourself as suffering with any of the
above conditions then please go to your doctor to discuss your condition
further.
"Is suffering panic attacks a sign or symptom
of insanity?"
Absolutely not! Whilst the condition of panic attacks,
when at its worst, is recognized as being one of the most debilitating,
distressing and terrifying conditions known. You suffering panic attacks,
even if at their worst, is not a sign or symptom of insanity. Suffering
panic attacks is however the result of you experiencing stress, nothing
more!
Furthermore, if you are suffering panic attacks severely, even to
the point of nervous breakdown, your condition is still one from which
you can completely recover and not require ongoing management or medication.
This being so, you suffering panic attacks is far removed and must
never be confused with conditions such as schizophrenia, mania, manic
depression, clinical depression, delusion, paranoia or any psychotic
illness which, even when stabilised, does require ongoing management
and more often medication.
“During a panic attack I feel that I’m
going to die or go mad; could I?”
As you will see in the programme, your body and mind are actually
built to experience frenzied panic. And whilst you might think that
no physical body or mind could ever withstand such strong ongoing
symptoms of terror as those you experience during a panic attack,
I assure you, such symptoms are commonplace. Indeed, during my 35+
years involvement with panic attacks and despite the millions of people
who suffer them, I don’t know one person who has gone insane
or died during a panic attack. Nor do I even know a person who knows
a person, who has gone insane or died during one. In fact, as far
as I know, a person going insane during a panic attack is completely
unheard of. And a person dying during a panic attack, unless also
suffering with a serious life-threatening medical condition such as
chronic heart disease, emphysema or similar is also completely
unheard of.
'Do many people suffer from Anxiety
/ Panic Attacks?'
Many panic attack sufferers go to great lengths trying to keep their
‘attacks’ a secret, as a consequence, no one really knows
the true number of people who actually suffer them. Even so, recent
estimates suggest that, throughout the western world, one person in
three will, at sometime in their life, suffer a ‘panic related
disorder’ of one type or another, one person in seven will suffer
actual ‘panic attacks.’ and of those who do suffer panic
attacks, one sufferer in twenty will experience them to the point
of debilitation. That’s a lot of people!
" I know that stress has its own symptoms but I’m
in such terrible pain, new symptoms develop daily and I feel that I
am mentally ‘loosing it;’ surely all this must be due to
something more sinister than stress; like cancer or a brain tumour?
"
In my book I cover over a hundred of the most likely symptoms
that any stress sufferer can expect to experience. However due to restricted
space on this web site, my coverage has to be limited. I will however
cover the symptoms relating to the head, as these are very common.
Head
Symptoms similar to
- general headache
- feeling as if the top of the head is about to burst open
- a feeling of great pressure at the back of the head
- feeling as if a knife or fist is burrowing into forehead
- feeling as if an ever tightening band of steel is around the
head
- shooting pains in one or various parts of the head
- a thick dull pain in one or various parts of the head
- noises in head when resting, similar to symbols crashing together,
a gun firing, a whip cracking, a piercing whistle or a rumbling
sound.
Cause
Please see Fig 5. The cranium (or skull) is the bony part of the head
that protects the brain and it is formed by a number of bones including
the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital and sphenoid bones.
Please see Fig 6. Surrounding the cranium are numerous muscles including
the occipitofrontalis and the temporalis. The front part of the 'occipitofrontalis'
(anterior) extends across the frontal bone, covering the forehead.
The back part of the 'occipitofrontalis' (posterior) extends across
the occipital bone at the back of the head. Both parts are joined
together by the middle part (aponeurosis) which is a flat tendon that
stretches over the dome of the cranium. The 'temporalis' muscle is
positioned at the side of the head, extending from behind the ear,
passing behind the cheekbone, to be inserted in the part of the upper
jaw that gives attachment to muscles and ligaments.
When stress is experienced, the muscles of the scalp, being similar
to all other muscles of the body, respond by contracting. However
the occipital, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones have immovable
joints. Consequently, when the muscles of the scalp tighten, albeit
comparatively slightly, the tension then caused by the tightened muscles
around the immoveable joints will often cause head pain.
The body is designed for survival. And because the brain is so integral
to life, the protective bones of the cranium are very strong. Therefore
when stress is experienced, although the resulting muscle contraction
(tension) can cause such excruciating pain that the sufferer will
often believe their head pain must surely be indicative of a brain
tumour, imminent brain haemorrhage, imminent stroke or similar, the
muscle contraction itself is only comparatively slight, causing no
short term or long term damage whatsoever.
FIG 5
FIG 6 
Migraine
Whereas stress related headache is of a muscular origin, stress related
migraine is thought to be due to the stress hormones adrenalin and
noradrenalin affecting the blood vessels in the head by encouraging
their constriction and dilation. But again, although stress related
migraine can be very painful (often forcing the sufferer to sit in
a darkened room, rocking backward and forward or lying crouched in
the foetal position with their head in their hands crying in absolute
desperation for someone to please stop the pain) it does not indicate
an abnormality of the brain, nor is any short term or long term damage
done.
For headaches also see senses, blood pressure and neck tension.
Noises in head when resting
When a stress sufferer is in the period between being asleep and awake
they will often hear noises similar to those mentioned above. The
noises can be so loud that the person involved will suddenly wake
up with a jolt, sit up and even get up thinking the noise must surely
be an indication that something in the brain is bursting or snapping.
However, although head noises (similar to those above) can be very
loud and startling, they are merely an indication that tense muscles
are relaxing and sleep is near. Therefore such head noise need not
be feared but can be looked upon as a welcome friend.
"My panic attacks strike suddenly, without
any reason or cause, one moment I’m not in panic then the very
next moment I’m in a full-blown frenzied panic attack. So how
on earth can I ever stop them?"
It is absolutely impossible for you to experience fear and terror
without first having a 'related' thought. And I know you are now thinking,
“Well I must be an exception to that rule because I experience
full blown frenzied terror without having any thought. My panic attacks
just come from nowhere. One moment I’m not in panic then the
very next moment I am.” You’re wrong…
Imagine, as you now sit reading this information, a friend of yours
(let’s call him Tom) quietly creeps up behind you then suddenly,
without warning, crashes two cymbals together. What would be your
immediate response? I think it fair to assume that you would jump,
cry out with shock, your heart would beat faster, your mind would
feel dazed, your body would tremble and, in general, you would feel
quite shaken for a few seconds.
But think about it. What really happened? One moment you were quietly
reading then, the next moment, you were experiencing very real mental
and physical sensations of 'high arousal.' Why? You weren't’t
hit. You weren't hurt. You weren't even touched at all. So what had
the power to throw you suddenly, from peace to 'high arousal,'
creating strong mental and physical sensations of fear? I’ll
tell you what happened. You had a thought! Of course you won’t
remember the thought, you won’t even remember having had a thought
at all, it all happened too quickly, but you did! You had a sub-conscious
flash thought of imminent danger, which was enough to
automatically throw your nervous system into high fear.
”So how do I stop that from happening?”
you ask. Well, the full answer to that question takes a whole chapter
in my programme but to show you that there is both an answer and a
way, I will explain the following... You are currently experiencing
panic attacks. Panic attack are moments of high arousal. High arousal
consists of two stages…
1st stage: Flash Seconds
This first stage kicks the whole process of arousal into
action, with the intention to literally throw us out of danger. This
first stage can pass from negative thought to frenzied terror in as
little as 15 hundredths of one second… and will last literally
only a few seconds.
This stage works incredibly fast and below the level of consciousness.
As a result, it is usually over before we know what’s happening.
2nd stage: Sustained Response
Once the ‘first flash seconds’ have passed, this second
stage then comes into play and sustains the whole process of arousal,
with the intention to help us throughout an ongoing threat of danger.
This second stage sustains arousal and frenzied terror…and
will last indefinitely.
During this stage it is possible to work on a conscious level therefore,
it is possible to determine the degree and duration of the state of
arousal.
The key point of this being… your recovery from panic attacks
will not be found by trying to work on the 'first flash seconds' because
a) the thought that triggered it off was probably below the level
of consciousness and b) once begun, this stage will automatically
run its course for literally a few seconds. Your recovery from panic
attacks will however be found by learning how to take control of your
thoughts during the 'sustained responce', as controlling your thoughts
during this stage is controlling the panic attack. Once you can control
panic attacks you lose all fear of them, then stage one just stops
occurring.
“Once a person has suffered panic attacks
can they ever really be free of them?”
‘Freedom’ is such an awesome word, just saying it actually
empowers the soul. Similar to William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson
in the film Braveheart, 'freedom', to most of us, means having freewill
and control over our own choices, it is having the ability to live,
speak, come, go and ‘be all that we can be.’ Freedom is
not only included in the name of this web site, it is also purposefully
included in the actual title of my book; ‘Panic Attacks –
Five Steps To Freedom.’ Just five steps to freedom! And I emphatically
assure you that I only ever consider my work done in helping a person
be free of panic attacks when they have reached the point of knowing
that they can go off into the world, take everything the world throws
at them yet still feel 100% secure in the knowledge that they will
never experience a panic attack again. For anything less is not freedom
but merely a token recovery.
“I’ve always considered myself to
be a strong person but these panic attacks have made me think that I must
be a very weak and silly person; so how can I ever hold my head high again?”
Although this subject is discussed at greater depth in step four
of the programme; by which time you will know how to deal with your
panic attacks. I really do want you to realise, just what an incredible
person you are…
My friend, whether you are trying to fight your panic attacks by drinking,
drugs, staying in bed, heavy medication, sex or whatever simply because
you don’t know how else to survive or whether you are still
managing to fight the panic attacks head-on. Weakness doesn't come
into it in any way, shape or form. How can it when courageously, you
are now choosing to fight your way through one of life’s most
torturous battles with every ounce of courage you possess. And you
are doing it by digging deep within yourself, tapping into the core
of your being and displaying a degree of grit, courage and heart that
belongs only to those who possess the strongest spirit of all.
Please listen, whilst you are temporarily experiencing panic attacks,
especially if you are also suffering ongoing chronic anxiety, extreme
symptoms of stress, utter weariness and debilitation, even though
you are feeling weak, a burden, a nervous wreck, at the end of your
tether and of no use whatsoever. As you are still courageously choosing
not to give in but to fight in the only way you know how. Know that
you have already displayed yourself to be an incredible
person blessed with both sensitivity and an awe inspiring strength
of spirit. If only you knew your potential.
“I know that other people have recovered
from panic attacks but I also know that, in the end, recovery must come
from within myself. But I now feel so exhausted and lost in it all, I
honestly don’t think I have what it takes to do it. So how can
there be hope for me?”
Every element of life must be viewed from the correct perspective,
otherwise our perception of it becomes distorted…
When you initially experienced your first 'attack,' due to your not
knowing where your symptoms had come from, why they
had struck and how you could avoid them in the future, you
developed fear towards them. Once fear got hold, it confused your mind,
clouded your view and distorted your perception to where you then became
too caught up with fear, too overwhelmed by terror, too distracted by
pain, too engulfed in worry, too bewildered by symptoms and too confused
with the whole condition to work out how to free yourself. Hence, the
reason why you have not already found your way out to freedom is simply
because your perspective on what is happening to you has become distorted;
preventing you from working out how to free yourself.
To suffer panic attacks, particularly if severely, feels similar
to being trapped inside a maze – claustrophobic tunnels of fear
- impenetrable walls of terror – potholes of pain – long
dark days of despair – odd shafts of light highlighting rare
moments of hope, only for the light to suddenly disappear, leaving
you scrambling in the dark more frightened than ever – exit
signs which offer 'freedom' yet entice you deeper into panic attacks
– and so called professional tour guides who claim 'all symptoms
of stress this way' but following them only leaves you even more lost,
confused and desolate than ever. So whilst it must be acknowledged
that no book can be ‘all things to all people’, based
on my 35+ years involvement with panic attacks, I honestly believe
that as you gradually move through this programme, you will come to
understand where you are within the maze of panic attacks,
why you developed them, how you developed them,
what you need do to free yourself of them and how
to do it correctly. And from that you will then no longer view panic
attacks from the erroneous position of being lost within them but
rather from the elevated position of being above them, looking down
on them. Then being in such an advantaged position, you will clearly
see the whole maze, from which you will then be able to recognise
your own position within it and simply walk out, thereby freeing yourself
from panic attacks forever.
“Could my panic attacks be due to an
allergy, over breathing or similar?”
This might surprise you but the nature or severity of any illness
or condition is not the cause of your panic attacks! Furthermore,
the frequency or severity of any symptom caused by any illness or
condition is not the cause of your panic attacks! After all, many
people experience extreme symptoms of chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness,
head pain, dizziness, feeling faint and so on, without being thrown
into panic. Therefore for you to experience symptoms and
be thrown into panic, your condition must have an additional element.
That being, along with your symptoms, you are also experiencing the
additional state of 'heightened responses', which registers whatever
symptoms you do have, over responds to them, creates fear, then throws
you into terror and panic attack. So whatever the nature and severity
of your illness, condition or symptoms, whilst they might be distressing
and trigger off your panic attacks, they are not the actual cause
of your panic attacks. Your panic attacks are due to nothing other
than your mind over responding to whatever symptoms you do have.
And yes, hyperventilation and many other conditions cause similar
symptoms to those of stress but even then, those symptoms alone do
not cause frenzied panic. Only when fear and 'heightened responses'
are added to those symptoms do they turn into 'frenzied panic.'
Note: If you don’t understand 'heightened
responses' don’t worry, I cover the matter in far greater depth
in the programme. I simply want those who do understand to be aware
of the fact and hopefully be comforted.
“Are panic attacks hereditary?”
Imagine that one of your maternal or paternal ancestors was an artist
and their talent lay in painting landscapes. As your artistic ancestor
obviously had children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so
on, it is likely that a number of those offspring were also artistic.
That being so, those artistic offspring would not necessarily paint
landscapes, in fact their individual talent might not lie in painting
at all. It might lie in drawing, lettering, sculpting or carving.
In other words, those who inherited an artistic talent would not have
inherited the actual painting style or technique but rather, they
would have inherited the basic artistic talent, the artistic streak,
the artistic nature.
Likewise, the fact that you are now suffering panic attacks does not
mean that you have inherited them or indeed inherited any other stress
related condition. Nor does your inherent predisposition lean toward
you being 'over susceptible' to stress related illness, even though
you might know or know of other family members who have also suffered
stress and even panic attacks. But it does suggest that (just as in
my case) you might have inherited the precious quality of sensitivity.
Let me immediately clarify that statement by saying, “That’s
not an insult but a compliment!” For you being sensitive does
not mean that you are a stupid, neurotic, demented, disruptive, deranged,
certifiable, head banging nutcase. Absolutely not! In fact very much
the opposite! Your being sensitive simply means that your inherent
predisposition may lean more towards you being of a caring, loving,
giving of yourself nature. So whereas the seemingly harder people
of this world find it more in their makeup to be aggressive and unmoved
to pain, suffering and distress, your inherent disposition may lean
more towards you being attentive, empathic and responsive to pain,
suffering and distress. And whether the pain, suffering and distress
is experienced by other human beings, animals, the planet or you,
it is irrelevant. Any pain, any suffering any distress and any disharmony
will touch, move and affect you more than it affects others who are
themselves not of a sensitive disposition.
Also, don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that to be sensitive
is to be soft, a walkover or someone to be taken advantage of. Absolutely
not! For when many sensitive people are forced, through life events,
to block-off their sensitivity, they are outstandingly capable of
taking on the role of the hard man, they are grand masters at taking
command, they are exceptionally capable of driving themselves and
others forward towards what they have been brainwashed into believing
is success and they are notorious for being totally ruthless with
both themselves and others.
Yet despite their ability to be hard, whenever sensitive people do
try to deny their own sensitivity by continuously driving themselves
forward into the more inharmonious, antagonistic and confrontational
way of life, as their true selves then feel in conflict with that
type of lifestyle, all the more it feels suppressed and eventually
screams out to be heard, as perhaps you now know to your cost.
So be comforted - panic attacks are not inherited - they are not something
'in the blood' - you haven’t inherited a stress related illness
- you haven’t inherited a mental disorder manifesting itself
via panic attacks - no one passed panic attacks onto you - you don’t,
can’t and won't pass panic attacks onto your future offspring
- and you are not predisposed to pass any so called 'family weakness'
onto others. Indeed when you eventually come to know sensitivity to
be the precious quality it is. Rather than blaming others for passing
it onto you, you will thank them. And rather than you feeling guilt
or shame for passing it onto your future offspring, you will feel
honored to be able to do so.
“I’m a qualified ‘health worker,’
what could you tell me that I don’t already know?”
If you are a sufferer who is ‘well read’ on medical matters
but has reached the point of thinking that there is nothing left for
you to learn on the subject, I ask you to consider the following…
1 - Don’t make the classic mistake of thinking that things of
value only ever come wrapped in fancy packaging, as often, it’s
the simplest things that eventually prove to be the most valuable.
Make no mistake, the text of this book may be simple but the programme
is the most powerful, effective and successful aid out of panic attacks
that I have ever encountered.
2 - "Are you now 100% free of both panic attacks and all fear
related to panic attacks?" If not, I suspect that along the way,
you inadvertently gathered technical information that is not wholly
relevant to panic attacks, yet the basic information that is relevant,
you either overlooked, dismissed or disregarded, believing it too
simplistic to be of significance. So read my book anyway; you have
nothing to lose yet everything to gain.
“I hear what you say and it all makes
sense but I just don’t feel well enough to read a book, so what
do I do now?”
If you are suffering severely with panic attacks and symptoms of
stress, you will probably be feeling so overwhelmed by pain, fear
and terror that you are hardly able to think straight. You will believe
the task of reading any book will be impossible for you and suspect
that even if you do make the monumental effort to read just a few
lines of text, you would still need to read it many times before understanding
it. I know this! With this in mind, the text throughout my book is
very easy to read, the repetition of key points is in place and nothing
anywhere will frighten you. Who knows, once you do begin to read,
you might surprise yourself by understanding and retaining far more
than you ever thought possible. But irrespective of the speed at which
you are able to read the book or pass through the programme, let it
work around you; read it in your own time, at your own pace, don’t
rush yourself and don’t allow others to rush you. There are
no prizes for being first. The only prize is your full and permanent
freedom from panic attacks.
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