Just last November, I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder which explains the handful of panic attacks I've had. According to the book (pg. 376), anxiety is caused by the increase of transmitters orexin and CCK in the amygdala or hippocampus. Until I read this section, I never thought about looking into what was going on in my brain right before a panic attack ensued.
I found out that when the GABA neurotransmitter is decreased, Orexin, increases. The medicineI was put on was a benzodiazepine called diazepam. It works by binding itself to the GABA receptors and exerts the anti-aniety effects into the midbrain amygdala and hyppocampus. However, I feared becoming addicted to the medicine, so I got off it and since I have been off of it (with approval of my doctor), I have not had any panic attacks in the past 3 months.
Everyone has anxiety and it comes from different things, such as speaking in public, driving by yourself after a car accident, crossing a bridge, etc. The thing is, some people have higher levels of anxiety that causes panic attacks to occur, and sometimes panic attacks happen for no reason at all. It may be a one time thing with no trigger, or it may be reoccurring due to an outside force.
Once you have a panic attack, you will wonder when you will have another one. Wondering about it or thinking about when you will have another one may trigger one. Sometimes you can feel it coming on, but sometimes it will hit you out of nowhere like the woman in this video, and the rest of the short clips how she keeps thinking of it and it triggers another panic attack.
Panic attacks can last up to 10 minutes, or longer. I had one at school and the symptoms helped me leave the classroom and find a place where I could be by myself. Most people who have panic attacks are embarrassed and wish to be left alone. The symptoms are, chest pain that feels like a heart attack, difficulty breathing (just as bad as the chest pain), dizziness, shaking or trembling, you feel like you're about to die and I usually end up crying until I can control the chest pain and breathing.
This video explains anxiety and the stigma of anxiety well. This man explains anxiety and the way people still do not understand panic attacks and how your own family can be cruel and belittle your disorder. People have laughed at my disorder telling me to "just get over it." How can you get over something that puts you in pain and makes you feel like you're going to collapse?
I encourage you all to view the last video I linked to gain a better perspective of panic disorder and how you can help.
