Do you often feel fear after remembering any previous life-distressing experience? Do you feel any panic attacks and face difficulty in controlling your situation? You might be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a common mental and behavioral disorder that develops after the individual experiences any traumatic situation in life. Panic attacks are the common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that disrupt normal life functioning.
This article is a comprehensive guide to PTSD panic attacks. After reading this article, you will understand what is post-traumatic stress disorder and the link between PTSD and panic attacks. Moreover, you will also get an idea regarding the best treatment for PTSD panic attacks.
What is PTSD?
PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a common mental disorder that develops after the individual is exposed to any stressful, frightening or distressing situation. Moreover, individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder exhibit a range of symptoms that can affect each phase of their life. They face difficulties in their personal and professional life. Likewise, they do not easily make bonds with their loved ones due to their sense of extreme fear and sadness.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
The symptoms of PTSD are varied depending on the mental condition of each individual. However the following are the major categories of the symptoms of PTSD:
Intrusive memories
Intrusive memories are quite distressing as they include images, sounds and certain sensations. Moreover, they are involuntary and manifest in different ways such as:
Flashbacks
Individuals relieve some aspects of traumatic events and remain in fear that they are happening again.
Intrusive thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are unexpected and unwanted and divert the minds of individuals under stress or anxiety.
Physical reactions
During the episode of panic attacks, several physical changes also appear in the body which include:
- Excessive sweating
- Shaking of hands
Some other major common symptoms of PTSD include:
- Anger outburst
- Sleeping issues
- Emotional detachment
- Irritable behavior
- Avoidance behavior
- Negative beliefs & thoughts
- Lack of interest or passion
- Memory issues
- Emotional numbness
What are the Panic attacks?
When the intensity of fear increases then it comes out as a panic attack. Those individuals who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to exhibit panic attacks when they remember their previous life traumatic experiences. During panic attacks, individuals lose control over their thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Moreover, they lose contact with reality and think that whatever is happening around them is not real.
The duration of panic attacks varies depending on the mental state of individuals. However, in normal cases, panic attacks last for about 5 to 20 minutes. If the immediate preventive measures are not provided then the duration can extend to a few hours.
Symptoms of Panic attacks
- Increased heart rate
- Difficulty in breathing
- The sensation of heart pain
- Dizziness
- Chills
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Sense of choking
- Shaking of hands
What are the causes of PTSD panic attacks?
Pani attacks are intense episodes of fear which are triggered by the following factors:
Trauma triggers
Different trauma triggers can result in the occurrence of PTSD panic attacks such as:
Sensory stimuli
Common sensory signals including sight, smell, taste and touch can also trigger PTSD panic attacks as they remind the individual of the traumatic situation.
Emotional stimuli
There are also certain emotional stimuli which can result in panic attacks such as intense emotions and thoughts.
People or places
Those people, events or places divert the mind of individuals towards the traumatic experiences.
Biological changes
Different brain studies have also reported certain changes in brain structure and function due to PTSD panic attacks. The amygdala and hippocampus are the main regions that are involved in maintaining emotions, thoughts, learning and memory. The abnormality in the structure and function of these brain areas can result in the occurrence of panic attacks.
Hormonal changes
The uncontrolled levels of certain hormones can also result in the onset of PTSD panic attacks such as adrenaline. This hormone is involved in generating the stress response. However, if this hormone is released in an uncontrolled way then excessive stress response is generated even when there is no danger. This then leads to an increased rate of panic attacks.
Hyperarousal response
The brains of those individuals who have experienced any trauma perceive threats and respond in a varied manner. This results in increased anxiety as well as the survival response. Moreover, the body remains in a state of hyperarousal. One of the major impacts of this state is that individuals experience panic attacks even if there is no danger and the person is secure.
Co-curing mental conditions
The presence of PTSD does not mean that the individual can not suffer from other mental issues. Various researchers have reported that individuals suffering from PTSD can also suffer from anxiety depression etc. Moreover, the presence of this mental condition can elevate the severity of panic attacks.
The connecting link between complex PTSD and Panic attacks
There is a significant association between PTSD and panic attacks. Several symptoms usually overlap with each other and co-relate with each other.
Shared symptoms
Both PTSD and panic attacks comprise the intensity of fear response. In addition, the other overlapping symptoms include intrusive memories and hyperarousal.
Physiological response
The body’s physiological response is also a vital element of both PTSD and panic attacks such as hormonal dysregulation and fight or flight response.
Trigger mechanisms
There are also varied triggers of panic attacks in PTSD such as:
- Emotional states
- Trauma reminders
Major differences between PTSD and Panic attacks
| PTSD | Panic Attacks |
| Triggered by traumatic scenarios | Sudden and unexpected episodes of discomfort and fear |
| Most often nightmares, intrusive memories, hyperarousal and negative mood changes | Increased heartbeat, respiratory rate, shortness of breath |
| Traumatic events are the major causes | Genetic as well as environmental factors can trigger panic attacks |
| The PTSD symptoms can persist for months and years | The panic attacks usually last for about 20 to 30 minutes |
| PTSD involves avoidance of trauma | Might result in agoraphobia |
| Panic attacks can occur again experiencing the traumatic situation | This involves the avoidance of panic attack triggers |
Are PTSD and panic disorder the same?
No. Both post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder are different. They are the types of mental disorders that interfere with normal life functioning. Moreover, affected individuals experience the symptoms of an extreme sense of fear, sadness and anxiety. Most of their symptoms exhibit resemblance but still, there are some major differences between them.
If any individual is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and suddenly experiences a panic attack then it does not mean that he or she is suffering from panic disorder.
Who is at more risk of developing PTSD panic attacks?
Any individual who has been the victim or witness of any traumatic situation in previous life phases can get this mental illness. However, the following are more prone to suffer from PTSD panic attacks.
Children
Children are more susceptible to developing PTSD panic attacks in their teenage or adulthood stages. Childhood is the stage at which things are imprinted on the mind and then their effects are shown afterwards in their adulthood stages. Moreover, the most common symptoms of PTSD in children include emotional intensity and instability, flashbacks, nightmares and avoidance behavior. Therefore parents should take care of the mental health of their child. Whenever they feel that their child is showing unusual symptoms then they should immediately take professional help to help their child early and prevent the future consequences.
First responders
Those individuals who are directly exposed to stressful situations at increased PTSD panic attacks such as emergency care providers, police officers firefighters etc. Although their job is to deal with emergencies somewhere they can also get a strong impact on their mental health.
How to diagnose the PTSD panic attacks?
If you ever feel that you are suffering from a PTSD panic attack then first perform the self-diagnosis. However, if you feel that you can’t help yourself then you can get professional help. Mental health experts can better diagnose PTSD panic attacks. They first perform a complete psychological evaluation to identify the mental disorder and then they develop the treatment plan that suits the mental requirement of each individual.
During the psychological evaluation, they ask different questions of the affected individuals. Moreover, they also determine the previous medical history and family history to make the appropriate decisions for further treatment plans. Other than psychological evaluation, they also perform physical testing to identify if is there any underlying physical condition that may be causing the symptoms. However, always remember that you should be open in front of your mental health experts so they can make an accurate diagnosis and develop the most effective strategy for treating PTSD panic attacks.
Read More Article About:
What are the best ways to improve Mental health?
What are the treatment options for PTSD panic attacks?
Experts utilize different therapeutic approaches to treat PTSD panic attacks which are as follows:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most commonly used type of psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD and panic attacks. During the cognitive therapy sessions, mental health experts guide the individuals that how they can overcome their panic attacks and other PTSD symptoms. First experts teach the individuals to identify their triggers and then the coping strategies for panic attacks. After a few successful therapy sessions, individuals learn to implement the strategies to prevent PTSD panic attacks.
Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy
Exposure and response prevention therapy is also a major component of CBT. This involves the exposure of an individual to situations that can trigger panic attacks. Initially, the therapist asks the individuals to list down their fears and then face them without exhibiting any response. Individuals feel some difficulty in doing this but with time, they learn to adapt their behavior according to the situation and face the situation with a calm mind.
Medications
Medications are used to manage the severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Experts mostly recommend antidepressants which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
SSRIs are a type of antidepressant that is used to manage the levels of anxiety and panic attacks. The most common SSRIs include:
Paroxetine
Sertraline
What are the top preventive strategies for PTSD and panic attacks?
Although PTSD symptoms affect the quality of life, with the help of some preventive strategies, you can improve the quality of your life.
Self-care
Healthy routine: Make a schedule of your entire day that you have to do to maintain your mental health.
Healthy diet: Take a balanced diet which comprises fresh fruits, vegetables and low-fat products.
Sleep: Try to sleep and wake on time if you want to remain mentally fresh and active.
Avoid substance abuse: The excessive intake of alcohol and drugs can worsen the symptoms of PTSD and panic attacks.
Mindfulness techniques
Experts also recommend mindfulness techniques to calm the mind and soul. Whenever you feel panic, take a deep breath and then exhale out your entire stress to relax your muscles and free yourself from the state of anxiousness.
What you can do to help someone having a panic attack?
If you see anyone having some panic attacks then the first thing that you should do is to calm him by showing your support and encouragement. Ask the individual to sit down and start deep breathing more slowly to relax the nerves. Tell him that you are not alone and I’m with you and here for your support. Even if he tells you to go out then in that case, you have to stay with him. After ending the panic attacks, you can guide him that what are the best ways you can use to prevent the re-occurrence of panic attacks.
Last thoughts
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a complex mental illness that occurs in those individuals who have experienced any traumatic, shocking or dangerous event. Moreover, when they remember that scenario then their mood gets altered and their nightmares and intrusive memories affect their mental stability. Therefore, they face difficulties in different areas of their life. However, if the condition gets severe then individuals experience panic attacks.
If you know anyone who is battling with post-traumatic stress disorder then Brainpower can provide professional assistance. Brainpower Wellness Institute is a renowned platform that offers mental health services for individuals suffering from PTSD, panic attacks and other common mental issues. Our mental health experts provide the best mental health assistance. They first evaluate the mental condition and then provide tailored mental health solutions. So if you want to initiate your mental health journey then reach out to Brainpower experts and schedule a consultation to treat your mental illness today. Our experts provide the best therapy for PTSD panic attacks and other common mental issues including anxiety disorders. With the help of our mental health solutions, you can experience rapid trauma recovery.
So why are you waiting now? Get our mental health support and live a stress-free and happier life.
