Where did the expression "panic anxiety" come from? Panic fear: causes, symptoms, treatment
In order to understand the origin of the expression "panic fear", it is necessary to turn to mythology. According to their beliefs, the god of agriculture, fertility, and cattle breeding lived on Mount Olympus. He was also considered the patron saint of all forest dwellers. This god was called Pan. As soon as he was born, he immediately scared his parents terribly. The fact is that the deity turned out to be a small horned man with a small goat. In addition, the baby did not even have time to turn a day old, he began to run, laugh loudly, cheerfully and make noise. Everyone who saw it was very scared.
However, in spite of everything, the gods of Olympus were glad to appear, because in any case, he was one of them - he was also a god. Moreover, Pan turned out to be a very cheerful, intelligent and good-natured kid. He was very talented and even the flute, played it beautifully, giving out beautiful melodies.
But the gods knew about it. And ordinary shepherds, hunters and trappers, having heard in the forests or plantings an indistinct strange noise or rustle, whistling or unexpected crackling. Started to experience inexplicable fear. They were sure that Pan made all these sounds. As a result, people were afraid of something that in fact was not scary at all.
This is where the term "panic anxiety" comes from. It expresses causeless, all-encompassing, sudden and inexplicable horror.
About panic fear
This fear arises suddenly and unexpectedly, without any obvious and visible reasons. And therefore it becomes a real stress, which is very difficult to cope with. A person is always afraid of everything inexplicable, and this feeling of fear remains in memory for a long time.
Some people even experience a panic attack. In this case, the feeling of fear arises absolutely suddenly and has no apparent reasons. It can be very difficult to cope with such an attack on your own. Under the influence of fear, the autonomic nervous system is activated. This is manifested by pallor skin, trembling, numbness of the hands, difficulty breathing, drying of the mucous membranes in the mouth, indigestion and other unpleasant symptoms.
In order to get rid of the state of panic, you need to calm down, take a deep breath and switch your attention. For example, drink tea, take depressant, talk to a loved one. But the main thing is to try to understand that there is no threat to life and health.
panic fear is a pathological condition that occurs suddenly. It is characterized by uncontrollability, may be associated with somatic and psychological disorders. Symptoms of panic fear are often compared with manifestations of a vegetative crisis, cardioneurosis. Any panic attacks are associated with a violation of the activity of the autonomic nervous system. Treatment of the disease involves the use different methods, the key of which is psychotherapy. When choosing therapeutic tactics the doctor takes into account the intensity panic attacks, frequency and causes of their occurrence.
Why does a panic attack occur?
Panic attacks have real or fictional causes. Real, as a rule, are associated with experiences, mental disorders. If a person has been under severe stress, he may experience panic fears. Unlike true, fictional reasons can be associated with some kind of internal fear.
Sometimes a panic fear can occur in a person who is on the subway or other place. large cluster of people. Attacks of this type appear spontaneously, they are characterized not only by panic, but also physiological symptoms. In any case, you need to deal with panic. Untimely or illiterate treatment leads to chronic disorders. Serious illnesses arise from such disorders.
Mental disorders associated with panic attacks are treated by a psychotherapist. If the treatment is successful, anxiety symptoms disappear and no longer bother. Panic attacks need to be overcome on your own. You should regain control over the activity of your own psyche. In the fight against mental disorders helps not only psychotherapy, effective breathing exercises, moderate exercise stress. Different methods are used in the treatment, the purpose of their influence is to calm the patient, to inspire him that attacks of fear are not life-threatening.
Fight Panic different methods! Should be lead healthy lifestyle life, give up all bad habits. It is important to avoid stress: they are the main predisposing factors for such disorders.
Clinical picture
The manifestations of panic are different. Symptoms of a psychiatric disorder may resemble heart attack. It is worth noting that due to frequent fears and panic attacks, the functioning of the central nervous system is disrupted. A disorder accompanied by fear is characterized by a feeling of inner tension.
Such a state can be expressed as follows:
- There is tachycardia, shortness of breath.
- Chills appear, the body may feel hot.
- The manifestations of the disease include tremor of the limbs.
- Due to impaired respiratory function, suffocation is observed.
- There may be pain in the heart.
- Attacks lead to diarrhea or constipation.
- Some patients experience abdominal pain.
- Possible urinary incontinence, frequent urination.
- A symptom of a panic attack is fainting, it occurs in severe cases.
- The condition is characterized by jumps in blood pressure.
The symptoms of this disorder should not be ignored! panic state leads to psychological disorders. A person is lost in space, does not recognize acquaintances, relatives.
One of the manifestations of the disease is depersonalization. This means that the patient does not want to be aware of what is happening to him. He seeks to abstract from the attack, but attempts are unsuccessful. Panic is accompanied by disorientation, in which the patient does not recognize his tenant, at home around. Some people experience a fear of schizophrenia.
Manifestation of an attack
Panic fear is accompanied by fear of death, the fear is so strong that a person may lose consciousness. Fear lethal outcome in most cases unreasonable, i.e. there are no life-threatening factors.
Panic fear is also accompanied by phobic anxiety disorders, which can lead to reactive depression. Feelings accompanied by fears lead to the release of adrenaline. Then panic anxiety sets in. As a result of this reaction, the adrenal glands produce even more adrenaline, eventually causing panic attacks.
Different specialists are involved in the treatment of such conditions, depending on the situation, the help of a cardiologist, psychologist, psychiatrist may be required. The goal of treatment is also the normalization of sleep. People with mental disorders usually cannot sleep. Some patients have interrupted sleep. Patients who get rid of similar states, claim that therapy helps to overcome nightmares.
If the effect of "panic without panic" is observed, you need to contact a neurologist and a psychologist. If attacks appear emotional disorders you should consult with a psychiatrist. These episodes last in different ways. average duration- 20 minutes. Depending on the nature of the psychological disorder, an attack can occur from 1 time per day to 2 times a month.
A panic attack often occurs in a person who is in a closed room. There are times when the cause of the disease is a performance in front of an audience. Psychological disorder manifests itself once or stably. When a person experiences an attack for the first time, a feeling of expectation is formed in the subconscious.
The subconscious mind can sense danger signals and trigger a psychological restructuring that results in psycho-emotional stress. This condition, regardless of its cause, disrupts normal activities. Need to apply productive methods which would help in the fight against anxiety. If mental health Normally, a person tries to protect himself from such disorders. He does not appear in places where a seizure could occur, does not ride in an elevator, etc.
If a person can overcome panic fear, then he is able to control himself, his behavior and mental health. The ability to overcome anxiety will help you get rid of panic attacks.
Predisposing factors
Causes panic disorder not fully explored. There are many predisposing factors:
- Mental disorders may be related to genetics. If a close relative had mental illness their hereditary transmission is possible.
- The acquired reasons include improper upbringing, for example, increased demands on the child by the parents.
- The reason may be tensions in the family.
- A predisposing factor is frequent quarrels with peers.
- Overly sentimental and receptive people are more prone to this kind of disorder. If a person dwells on specific situation and cannot abstract, he is more subject to mental disorders, including panic attacks.
- An attack can occur against the backdrop of a significant event that left a negative imprint (loss of a close relative, natural disaster).
- Psychological disorders occur after operations, infectious diseases.
- A possible cause of the disease is the fear of neurasthenia.
- Panic attacks often occur with vegetovascular dystonia.
Therapeutic activities
Treatment depends on the cause and nature of the panic attack.
Panic is eliminated by methods of hypnosuggestive psychotherapy, which is based on hypnosis and suggestion. The goal of the doctor is to form in the patient attitudes that would allow him to look at life in a different way. It is important to ensure that the patient responds correctly to somatic manifestations. When a person is in a hypnotic trance, the doctor has a verbal and non-verbal effect. The patient receives certain information that allows him to control his own behavior. If a person got rid of the fear of death during an attack, then he took a step towards recovery.
Treatment involves the use of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. What it is? This method often used in therapy panic attacks. Its goal is to correct the thought pattern and behavioral habits. It is important to eliminate the factors triggering the mechanisms of such states. After the session, the subconscious mind fixes a belief model that allows you to better endure the pathological attack. Thus, a person thinks that the crisis will pass and will not lead to dangerous consequences. Pathological conditions cause less fear. If you properly treat the disease, purposefully fight it, you can completely eliminate its symptoms.
Drug therapy involves the use of drugs to stop the attack. Medication must be combined with psychotherapy. It is important to say that medications alone will not allow you to cope with the problem. Needed in treatment A complex approach. What are tranquilizers? These are instant tools. If a person has taken tranquilizers, the effect of them lasts for 30 minutes. So much, as a rule, the attack lasts. These tools can reduce the severity of panic. Drugs are addictive, so they should not be taken regularly.
Phraseologism "Panic fear" origin:
Phraseologism "Panic fear" comes from the name of the Greek god Pan. This is the god of cattle breeding and shepherding, fertility and wildlife. Pan is considered the son of Hermes, there are several variants of myths about the mother.
Pan was born with goat legs, horns and long beard, and immediately after birth began to jump and laugh. The mother of the child, frightened by the extraordinary appearance and character of her son, fled in horror, but Hermes wrapped the baby in hare skins and took him to Olympus. Here the child amused all the Olympian gods, and especially Dionysus.
The god Pan lives in the shady forests of Arcadia. There he grazes herds, playing the sonorous flute. When the hot afternoon comes, Pan, tired from his studies, falls asleep, and not a single shepherd dared to disturb his sleep by playing the flute. Pan is quick-tempered, unexpectedly appearing, he can frighten the traveler who has disturbed him. He can also send such horror when a person rushes to run headlong, not making out the road. It happened that Pan inspired a whole army with such fear, and it turned into an unstoppable flight.
This is the fear, named after the god Pan, and began to be called panic.
Phraseologism "Panic fear" meaning:
Panic fear, panic - sudden. senseless, unaccountable, reckless and irresistible fear.
