Sudden feeling of anxiety causes. Causes of constant feelings of anxiety and fear. Drug therapy for causeless anxiety and anxiety

In the 21st century, a person is exposed to many constant stressors. Attack with negative news from the mass media, interpersonal problems, global military conflicts, it is easy to get out of balance. Poor nutrition, ecology, complementing psychological difficulties, can cause a state of depression, depression, causeless feelings of fear, severe anxiety.

Anxiety is accompanied by symptoms:

Sudden feeling of panic anxiety, as if something is about to happen.
A constant state of discomfort, diffuse pain throughout the body, slight nausea.
An attack of unreasonable fear of death, a growing danger without a visible source of threat.
Anxiety that intensifies in the evening. Depressed, bad mood. Mental confusion, not leaving melancholy.
Obsessive fears, bad thoughts about the sudden possibility of death.
Deterioration in the morning after drinking coffee - increased tremor, excitement. Breathing becomes difficult, nauseated, there is inexplicable anxiety, panic.

Psychology, psychiatry describes the increasing phenomenon of panic attacks. An unconscious defensive reaction is provoked by prolonged stressful situations, an oppressive feeling of control, defenselessness in society. Psychotherapist Walter Cannon in 1932 described the specific state of the body: "fight or flight."

The term implies the inclusion of defense mechanisms present in the genes from the moment the Homo sapiens species appeared. The explainable phenomenon shows that panic attacks occur for no reason, without real threats, provoke flight, a defensive attack.

Symptoms of causeless fear, panic attack:

The sudden attack was not provoked by anything. There is a feeling of growing anxiety, panic.
Unpleasant "excitement" in the chest, abdomen.
Impaired respiratory function: rapid, superficial can lead to DHW syndrome (hyperventilation of the lungs). The result is dizziness, faintness.
Nausea, "trembling", trembling in the whole body.

The feeling of panic is caused by the constant overexcitation of the sympathetic, nervous system, which is controlled by the spinal cord. The peripheral system is responsible for the physiology of the body, which is not controlled by the will of man.

Anxiety causes acute signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia:

Paleness of the skin, coldness of the extremities, weakness, feeling of a "lump" that constricts the throat.
Tremor, internal trembling, which cannot be appeased on its own.
Hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating of the feet, hands, or entire body.
Cardioneurosis - unreasonable excitement provokes an abnormal heartbeat, tachycardia, a pulse rate of up to 150 beats per minute.
A common cause of panic is an irrational, obsessive fear of death, numbness of the body, tingling in the hands, feet.

The condition is caused by constantly growing negative experiences, strong stressful situations of a physical and neuro-emotional nature. At an unconscious level, the human brain begins to perceive the body as a source of danger, constantly in the mode of waiting for a threat.

At this stage of the reactionary struggle, there is an increased production of the hormone adrenaline, cortisol by the adrenal glands. They provoke unmotivated aggression, auto-aggression, nervousness, rudeness. The period does not last long, followed by a depressed state of boredom, indifference, lethargy.

Regular attacks of causeless panic provoke:

Insomnia, insomnia, on the basis of causeless fear. Nightmarish dreams associated with constant anxiety, fear of falling asleep, frequent awakenings.
Constant lack of appetite, emotional apathy, anorexia, frequent irritation. Drowsiness, increased tearfulness, causeless mood swings.
Psychogenic pain in the region of the heart, which is the cause of the fear of sudden death. Headaches, dizziness.
Obsessive phobias, vague mystical fears, increased nervous excitability.
Derealization is a sudden state of blurred perception of reality. A sign of prolonged overstrain of the psyche.
Sudden panic attacks are the cause of psychosomatic illness. Feelings of anxiety provoked by bad thoughts increase blood pressure.

The causes of panic attacks are diverse, often present in a complex, rarely represented by a single factor. The prerequisites for a possible disorder of the nervous system can be observed already from the age of 7-8 years, and become more noticeable by the age of 18.

A person who has begun to perceive himself as a person falls under a complex of adverse influences that injure the psyche. In young people, the elderly, the symptoms and panic attacks proceed similarly.

The underlying causes of an attack of fear, inexplicable anxiety

Emotional deprivation: insufficiently realized psycho-emotional needs, feelings. It is observed in single men and women of different ages, small children from dysfunctional families. Manifested by a lack of support, acceptance. Panic syndrome is provoked by constant emotional, tactile hunger, lack of energy exchange with parents, loved ones.
Prolonged latent or untreated depression, diseases of the internal organs. Disorders of the organs of the endocrine system have a special effect on the emotional state. An imbalance of hormones secreted by the thyroid gland, adrenal glands is one of the causes of bouts of incomprehensible anxiety that rolls over feelings of panic.
Toxic, harmful interpersonal relationships according to scenarios: accusations, increased demands, manipulation. The exclusion of the opportunity to talk, to restore justice. The loss of a loved one is a frequent factor in long-term neurosis.
Hormonal restructuring of the body in adolescence, menopause. Pregnancy, early postpartum period. Seasonal lack of sunny day, autumn melancholy.
Intentionally created conditions where a person constantly feels powerless over the situation, for example, the school curriculum, emotional tyranny in the family, persecution. Prolonged stay near the source provokes panic attacks, inexplicable anxiety.

Feelings of sudden fear can occur against the background of relative emotional health, at a time when the stressor has ceased to act. The feeling of anxiety appears unexpectedly, tends to increase negative symptoms in the body, the mind of a person.

How to beat chronic anxiety - what to do at the very beginning?

Seek the advice of a psychotherapist.

Before prescribing therapy, the doctor must exclude diseases: diabetes mellitus, cervical osteochondrosis, the presence of oncological tumors. Assign a comprehensive biochemical blood test, check the balance of trace elements, vitamins.

Do not use drugs on your own that remove the symptoms of sudden panic fear, severe anxiety.

It is forbidden to drink pills without eliminating the cause. Anxiolytics, antidepressants, tranquilizers will help for a short period of time, constant use will provoke addiction. Often after cancellation, there is an increase in feelings of panic, constant anxiety, unjustified fear of death.

It is necessary to undergo daily monitoring of the ECG, undergo an ultrasound of the heart.
Get rid of diets that have caused a lack of useful trace elements and vitamins. Prolonged veganism, vegetarianism, raw food diet, exclusion of glucose quickly leads to frequent panic attacks.

A balanced diet is a paramount factor in the treatment of depression, panic attacks. The constant presence in food of the proper combination of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates can prevent most of the sudden anxiety conditions provoked by hunger.

Before treatment, it is necessary to undergo an examination by narrow specialists, to exclude morphological, structural diseases of the organs. The last examination is carried out by a psychiatrist. Panic attacks can only be part of another pathological psycho-complex.
Drug treatment of panic attacks is prescribed after the ineffectiveness of working on the emotional state, eliminating the source of stress.

Psychotherapist Yevgeny Batrak regards panic attack syndrome as a borderline condition. At this stage, the disease did not manifest itself in full force, but the symptoms that signal violations of the nervous system are already pronounced.

How to prevent an unreasonable attack of anxiety in advance?

Prevent panic attacks by regular exercise in the fresh air. Running, swimming, any outdoor sport, breathing practices.
Self-regulation of the emotional background. Feeling suddenly that an attack is coming, you should learn to distract yourself: it hurts to pinch, stop thinking about an approaching panic attack, interrupt negative thoughts with memorized phrases from auto-training.
Physical, emotional overload, all causes of panic attacks - to exclude. Plan time in advance, perform safe work that does not cause anxiety or fear.
Sudden, causeless anxiety is often the cause of short sleep, work without vacation, emotional overload. You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day, with frequent stress, exhaustion of the nervous system is observed, if possible, take a long vacation.
Eliminate constant sources of anxiety, negative experiences, change jobs, or end a harmful relationship. Do not hold back emotions, find a suitable way to express them: dancing, sports, drawing. Any creative activity distracts from bad obsessive thoughts, excitement.

The state of an unbalanced nervous system returns to normal rather slowly. It is necessary to treat yourself with patience, to observe the regularity of autogenic soothing workouts, daily routine.

How to deal with a sudden anxiety attack on your own?

Provide yourself with access to a large space, fresh air. To overcome sudden panic, anxiety, helps to spread your attention around. Fixing the cause of internal anxiety exacerbates the situation.
Control the depth, frequency of respiratory movements. Make breathing rare, moderately deep, avoid hyperventilation. It will help dull the feeling of anxiety, reduce emotional stress.
Ask for help, or feel free to refuse it. Depending on the reasons, dealing with bouts of emotional anxiety on your own can be easier.
With a sudden night attack of panic, internal trembling, fear - urgently get up to eat, drink warm, weak tea. Sweets are optional. The process is a distraction, will gradually increase the level of glucose in the blood, reduce the feeling of anxiety.
During frequent, constant panic attacks, remove additional irritants - restless music, movies, books, TV, limit Internet use as much as possible.

A mistake in helping people who are experiencing bouts of sudden fear, panic is the immediate use of drugs that block emotions. This causes exhaustion of the nervous system, emotional insensitivity, dependence on the therapy received. Emotional lability, anxiety, suggest the exclusion of a negative irritating factor.

For two months, you can exclude viewing all potentially dangerous things, avoid situations that provoke unreasonable excitement, panic. Observe a clear regime of work and rest, eat a balanced diet in order to avoid a lack of trace elements necessary for a healthy nervous system.

Anxiety and fear, how to get rid of these unpleasant sensations. Inexplicable stress, expectation of trouble, mood swings, in which case you can handle it yourself, and when you need the help of specialists. In order to understand how dangerous it is, how to get rid of them, why they arise, how to remove anxiety from the subconscious, it is necessary to understand the causes and mechanisms for the appearance of these symptoms.

The main causes of anxiety and fear

Anxiety has no real background and is an emotion, a fear of an unknown threat, a fictitious, vague premonition of a danger. Fear comes into contact with a particular situation or object.

The causes of fear and anxiety can be stress, anxiety, illness, resentment, troubles at home. The main manifestations of anxiety and fear:

physical manifestation. It is expressed by chills, palpitations, sweating, asthma attacks, insomnia, lack of appetite or inability to get rid of hunger.
Emotional condition. It is manifested by frequent excitement, anxiety, fear, emotional outbursts or complete apathy.

Fear and anxiety during pregnancy

The feeling of fear in pregnant women is associated with anxiety for future children. Anxiety comes in waves or haunts you day after day.

The causes of anxiety and fear can be caused by various factors:

Hormonal restructuring of the body of some women makes them calm and balanced, while others do not get rid of tearfulness;
Relationships in the family, financial situation, experience of previous pregnancies affect the level of stress;
The unfavorable medical prognosis and the stories of those who have already given birth do not allow getting rid of excitement and fear.

Remember Every expectant mother has a different pregnancy, and the level of medicine makes it possible to achieve a favorable outcome in the most difficult situations.

Panic attack

A panic attack comes on suddenly and usually occurs in crowded places (large shopping malls, metro, bus). There is no threat to life or visible reasons for fear at this moment. Panic disorders and related phobias plague women in their 20s and 30s.

An attack is provoked by prolonged or one-time stress, imbalance of hormones, diseases of internal organs, temperament, genetic predisposition.

There are 3 types of attack:

Spontaneous panic. Appears unexpectedly, for no reason. Accompanied by intense fear and anxiety;
Conditional panic. It is provoked by exposure to chemical (for example, alcohol), or biological (hormonal failure) substances;
situational panic. The background for its manifestation is the unwillingness to get rid of the expectation of problems or a traumatic component.

The most common symptoms include the following conditions:

Pain in the chest;
Tachycardia;
VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia);
High pressure;
Nausea, vomiting;
Fear of death;
Headaches and dizziness;
Flushes of heat and cold;
Shortness of breath, feeling of fear and anxiety;
sudden fainting;
unrealized;
uncontrolled urination;
Hearing and vision impairment;
Impaired coordination of movements

Anxiety neurosis, features of appearance

Anxiety neurosis occurs under the influence of prolonged mental stress or severe stress, is associated with a malfunction in the autonomic system. This is a disease of the nervous system and psyche.

The main symptom is anxiety, accompanied by a number of symptoms:

causeless anxiety;
Depressed state;
Insomnia;
Fear that you can't get rid of;
Nervousness;
Intrusive anxious thoughts;
Arrhythmia and tachycardia;
feeling of nausea;
Hypochondria;
severe migraines;
Dizziness;
Digestive disorder.

Anxiety neurosis can be both an independent disease and a concomitant state of phobic neurosis, depression or schizophrenia.

Attention! The disease quickly turns into a chronic disease, and the symptoms of anxiety and fear become constant companions, it is impossible to get rid of them if you do not contact a specialist in time.

During periods of exacerbation, attacks of anxiety, fear, tearfulness, irritability appear. Anxiety can gradually degenerate into hypochondria or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Features of depression

The reason for the appearance is stress, failure, lack of fulfillment and emotional shock (divorce, death of a loved one, serious illness). Depression is a disease that mainly affects residents of large cities. Failure of the metabolic process of hormones responsible for emotions causes causeless depression.

Main manifestations:

Sad mood;
Apathy;
Feelings of anxiety, sometimes fear;
Constant fatigue;
Closure;
Low self-esteem;
Indifference;
Unwillingness to make decisions;
Lethargy.

hangover anxiety

Intoxication of the body appears in everyone who takes alcoholic beverages.

To get rid of it, all organs come into the fight against poisoning. The reaction from the nervous system is manifested in a person's feeling of intoxication, accompanied by frequent mood swings, from which one cannot get rid of, fear.

Then comes the hangover syndrome, accompanied by anxiety, manifested as follows:

Mood swings, neuroses in the morning;
Nausea, discomfort in the abdomen;
Tides;
Dizziness;
Memory losses;
Hallucinations accompanied by anxiety and fear;
Pressure surges;
Arrhythmia;
Despair;
Panic fear.

Psychological techniques to help relieve anxiety

Even calm and balanced people periodically experience anxiety, what to do, how to get rid of anxiety and fear in order to regain peace of mind.

There are special psychological techniques for anxiety that will help get rid of problems:

Succumb to anxiety and fear, set aside 20 minutes a day for this, but not before bed. Immerse yourself in a painful topic, give vent to tears, but as soon as the time is up, get down to everyday activities, get rid of anxieties, fears and worries;
Get rid of anxiety about the future, live in the present. Imagine anxiety and fear as a plume of smoke rising and dissolving high in the sky;
Do not dramatize what is happening. Let go of the desire to be in control. Get rid of anxiety, fear and constant tension. Knitting, reading light literature make life calmer, relieve feelings of hopelessness and depression;
Go in for sports, get rid of despondency, it improves mood and increases self-esteem. Even 2 half-hour workouts a week will help relieve many fears and get rid of anxiety;
An occupation to your liking, a hobby will help get rid of anxiety;
Meetings with loved ones, hiking, trips are the best way to get rid of inner worries and anxiety.

How to get rid of fear

Until the fear has crossed all boundaries, and has not turned into a pathology, get rid of it:

Do not concentrate on disturbing thoughts, get rid of them, learn to switch to positive moments;
Do not dramatize the situation, really assess what is happening;
Learn to quickly get rid of fear. There are many ways: art therapy, yoga, switching technique, meditation, listening to classical music;
Focus on the positive by repeating “I am protected. I'm fine. I'm safe" until you get rid of fear;
Do not be afraid of fear, psychologists advise you to study it and even talk and write letters to your fear. This allows you to get rid of it faster;
To get rid of fear within yourself, go to meet it, go through it over and over again until you get rid of it;
There is a good breathing exercise to get rid of fear and anxiety. You need to sit comfortably with your back straight and begin to slowly breathe deeply, mentally imagining that you are inhaling courage and exhaling fear. After about 3-5 minutes, you will be able to get rid of fear and anxiety.

What to do if you need to quickly get rid of fear?

There are times when you need to quickly get rid of fear. These can be emergency cases when it comes to life and death.

To get rid of the shock, to take the situation into your own hands, to suppress panic and anxiety, the advice of a psychologist will help:

The breathing technique will help to calm down and get rid of anxiety and fear. Take a slow, deep breath in and out at least 10 times. This will make it possible to realize what is happening and get rid of anxiety and fear;
Get very angry, this will relieve fear and give you the opportunity to act immediately;
Talk to yourself by calling yourself by your first name. You will calm down internally, get rid of anxiety, be able to assess the situation in which you find yourself and understand how to act;
A good way to get rid of anxiety, remember something funny and laugh heartily. Fear will quickly disappear.

When should you seek medical help?

From time to time, everyone experiences feelings of anxiety or fear. Usually these sensations do not last long, and they manage to get rid of them on their own. If the psychological state is out of control and you can’t get rid of anxiety yourself, you need to see a doctor.

Reasons for visiting:

Attacks of fear are accompanied by panic horror;
The desire to get rid of anxiety leads to isolation, isolation from people and an attempt to get rid of an uncomfortable situation by all means;
Physiological component: chest pain, lack of oxygen, dizziness, nausea, pressure surges, which cannot be eliminated.

An unstable emotional state, accompanied by physical exhaustion, leads to mental pathologies of varying severity with increased anxiety.

To get rid of these types of anxiety on your own will not work, medical help is needed.

How to get rid of anxiety and anxiety with medication

To relieve the patient of anxiety and fear, the doctor may prescribe treatment with pills. When treating with pills, patients often experience relapses, therefore, in order to completely get rid of the disease, this method is combined with psychotherapy to achieve a good result.

You can get rid of a mild form of mental illness by taking antidepressants. In order to finally get rid of the symptoms with positive dynamics, a course of maintenance therapy is prescribed for a period of six months to a year.

In severe forms of the disease, the patient is treated inpatiently, being placed in a hospital.

Antidepressants, antipsychotics and insulin are administered to the patient by injection.

Anti-anxiety drugs that have a sedative effect can be bought at a pharmacy in the public domain:

Valerian acts as a mild sedative. It is taken within 2-3 weeks, 2 pieces per day.
Persen drink 2-3 times within 24 hours, 2-3 pieces to get rid of causeless anxiety, fear and anxiety for a maximum of 2 months.
Novo-Passit is prescribed to get rid of unreasonable anxiety. Drink 3 times a day, 1 tablet. The course time depends on the clinical picture of the disease.
Grandaxin 3 times a day after meals to get rid of anxiety.

Psychotherapy for Anxiety Disorders

Panic attacks and unreasonable anxiety are well treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, based on the findings that the causes of mental illness and psychological problems lie in the distortions of the patient's thinking. He is taught to get rid of inappropriate and illogical thoughts, taught to solve problems that seemed insurmountable before.

It differs from psychoanalysis in that it does not attach importance to childhood memories, the emphasis is on the current moment. A person learns to act and think realistically, getting rid of fears. To get rid of anxiety, 5 to 20 sessions are needed.

The technical side of the technique consists in repeatedly immersing the patient in a situation that causes fear and teaching him to control what is happening. Constant contact with the problem gradually allows you to get rid of anxiety and fear.

What is the treatment?

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by a general, persistent anxiety that is not related to specific situations or objects. It differs not very strong, but long exhausting action.

To get rid of the disease, the following methods are used:

Method of exposure and prevention of reactions. It consists in complete immersion in your fear or anxiety. Gradually, the symptom becomes weaker and it is possible to completely get rid of it;
Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy gives very good results in getting rid of unreasonable anxiety.

Fighting panic attacks and anxiety

Tranquilizers are traditionally used to relieve anxiety and panic attacks. These drugs quickly relieve symptoms, but have side effects and do not address the causes.

In mild cases, you can use preparations made on the basis of herbs: birch leaves, chamomile, motherwort, valerian.

Attention! Drug therapy is not enough to get rid of all the problems in the fight against panic attacks and anxiety. Psychotherapy is the best treatment.

A good doctor prescribes not only medications that relieve symptoms, but also helps to understand the causes of anxiety, making it possible to get rid of the likelihood of a return of the disease.

Conclusion

The modern level of development of medicine allows you to get rid of feelings of anxiety and fear in a short time if you turn to specialists in a timely manner. The treatment uses an integrated approach. The best results are achieved with a combination of hypnosis, physical rehabilitation, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and drug treatment (in difficult situations).

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Panic attack (PA) is a factor in an inexplicable and rather disturbing and painful panic attack for the patient, may be accompanied by fear and somatic symptoms.

Domestic doctors for a long period of time used for him the term "vegetovascular dystonia" (" VVD"), "sympathoadrenal crisis", "cardioneurosis", "vegetative crisis", distorting all ideas about disorders of the nervous system, depending on the main symptom. As you know, the meanings of the terms "panic attack" and "panic disorder" were introduced into the classification of diseases and recognized in the world.

panic disorder- one of the sides of anxiety, the main symptom of which is panic attacks and psychovegetative paroxysms, as well as anxiety. Biological mechanisms play a significant role in the development of these disorders.

panic attacks are very common and happen frequently. At any given time, they can reach several million people. Such a disease usually begins to develop between the ages of 27 and 33, and occurs evenly in both men and women. But according to some scientists, women may be more susceptible to this disease, and this may be due to biological factors that have not yet been studied.

Causes of panic attacks

If you find yourself in one of the following situations, you may experience certain panic symptoms. But these symptoms can also come on spontaneously.

Strong emotions or stressful situations
Conflicts with other people
Loud sound, bright light
large crowd of people
Taking hormones (birth control pills)
Pregnancy
Abortion
Prolonged exposure to the sun
Alcohol intake, smoking
Tiring physical work

Such attacks can occur from one to several times a week, or it may even happen that the body does not succumb to such manifestations. Often, after a panic attack, a person experiences relief and drowsiness.

It is important to remember that panic attacks cause severe stress for a person and cause a feeling of fear, but they do not pose a threat to life. Although in general this can drastically reduce the social adaptation of the patient.

It has been noticed that all patients who experience panic attacks most often turn to cardiologists, as they suspect they have heart disease. If you still show signs of panic, then you should consult a neurologist.

Symptoms of panic attacks

A panic attack is characterized by the presence of fear and anxiety in the human body, in combination with four or more symptoms from the list below:

Palpitations, rapid pulse
sweating
Chills, tremors, feeling of internal trembling
Feeling short of breath, shortness of breath
Choking or difficulty breathing
Pain or discomfort in the left side of the chest
Nausea or abdominal discomfort
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or light-headed
Feeling of derealization, depersonalization
Fear of going crazy or doing something out of control
Fear of death
Feeling of numbness or tingling (paresthesia) in the limbs
Insomnia
Confusion of thoughts (decrease in arbitrariness of thinking)

We can also refer to these symptoms: abdominal pain, frequent urination, stool disorder, feeling of a coma in the throat, gait disturbance, cramps in the hands, motor function disorder, visual or hearing impairment, leg cramps.

All these symptoms are presented as a source of stress, and they also carry the subsequent waves of panic attacks. When adrenaline is released, it quickly reacts and at the same time the ability of the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline decreases, after which the panic attack subsides.

Criteria for diagnosing panic attacks

Panic attacks are considered and considered a separate disease, but they are diagnosed as part of other anxiety disorders:

At least four of the above symptoms are observed during an attack;
The attack occurs unexpectedly and is not provoked by increased attention to the patient from others;
Four attacks within a month;
At least one attack, within a month after which there is a fear of a new attack.

For a reliable diagnosis, it is necessary that

several severe attacks of autonomic anxiety occurred over a period of about 1 month under circumstances not related to an objective threat;
attacks should not be limited to known or predictable situations;
between attacks, the state should be relatively free of anxiety symptoms (although anticipatory anxiety is common).

Clinical picture

The intensity of the main criterion for a panic attack (anxiety attacks) can vary widely: from a pronounced state of panic to a feeling of internal tension. In the latter case, when the vegetative (somatic) component comes to the fore, they speak of “non-insurance” PA or “panic without panic”. Attacks depleted of emotional manifestations are more common in therapeutic and neurological practice. Also, as the disease progresses, the level of fear in attacks decreases.

Panic attacks can last from a few minutes to a couple of hours, and also recur as often as a couple of times a day or once every few weeks. Many patients talk about the spontaneous manifestation of such an attack, not provoked by anything. But if you look deeper, you can determine that everything has its reasons and grounds, and there is a factor of influence for any attack. One of the situations may be an unpleasant atmosphere in public transport, a rumble in a confined space, lack of assembly among a large mass of people, etc.

A person who first encounters this condition is very frightened, begins to think about some serious disease of the heart, endocrine or nervous systems, gastrointestinal tract, can call an ambulance. He begins to go to the doctors, trying to find the causes of "attacks". The patient's interpretation of a panic attack as a manifestation of some somatic disease leads to frequent visits to the doctor, multiple consultations with specialists in various fields (cardiologists, neuropathologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, therapists), unjustified diagnostic studies, and gives the patient the impression of complexity and uniqueness. his illness. The patient's misconceptions about the essence of the disease lead to the appearance of hypochondriacal symptoms that contribute to the aggravation of the course of the disease.

Doctors-internists, as a rule, do not find anything serious. At best, they recommend visiting a psychotherapist, and at worst, they treat non-existent diseases or shrug their shoulders and give “banal” recommendations: relax more, play sports, not be nervous, drink vitamins, valerian or novopassit. But, unfortunately, the matter is not limited to attacks alone ... The first attacks leave an indelible mark on the patient's memory. This leads to the emergence of an anxiety syndrome of "waiting" for an attack, which, in turn, reinforces the recurrence of attacks. The repetition of attacks in similar situations (transport, being in a crowd, etc.) contributes to the formation of restrictive behavior, that is, avoidance of potentially dangerous ones for development PA, places and situations. Anxiety about the possible development of an attack in a certain place (situation) and avoidance of this place (situation) is defined by the term "agoraphobia", since today in medical practice this concept includes not only the fear of open spaces, but also the fear of similar situations. The increase in agoraphobic symptoms leads to social maladaptation of the patient. Due to fear, patients may be unable to leave the house or remain alone, condemn themselves to house arrest, become a burden on loved ones. The presence of agoraphobia in panic disorder indicates a more severe disease, entails a worse prognosis and requires special treatment tactics. Reactive depression can also join, which also “aggravates” the course of the disease, especially if the patient cannot understand what exactly is happening to him for a long time, does not find help, support, and does not receive relief.

Treatment of panic attacks (panic disorders).

Most often, panic attacks occur in the age group of 20-40 years. These are young and active people who are forced to limit themselves a lot due to illness. Recurring panic attacks impose new restrictions, as a person begins to seek to avoid situations and those places where he was caught by an attack. In advanced cases, this can lead to social maladjustment. That is why, the treatment of panic disorders must begin in the early stages of the manifestation of the disease.

For the treatment of panic attacks, modern pharmacology offers a fairly large number of drugs. With the right dosages, these drugs can reduce the frequency of attacks, but all medications have side effects, and therefore their role in the treatment of panic attacks cannot be overestimated.

Panic attacks should be treated on an individual basis. In our clinic, the treatment of patients with panic disorders is carried out comprehensively, taking into account individual characteristics. The treatment takes place on an outpatient basis, which allows the patient not to disturb the usual rhythm of life. It is important to remember that the treatment of panic attacks requires some effort not only from the doctor, but also from the patient. With this approach, it is possible to completely get rid of these problems caused by panic disorders.

Typical complaints of patients with panic attacks

I often get dizzy when walking down the street and lack of breath, as a result, panic sets in and that I am about to fall. Even being at home alone, suddenly, panic began;
panic for no reason. Fear of something. Sometimes it’s even scary to turn my head, it seems that as soon as I do this, I’ll just fall. At these moments, even just to get up from a chair or walk, you have to make an incredible effort of will, keep yourself in suspense;
there were seizures at the beginning of a coma in the throat, then a heartbeat, for any arrival of an ambulance, everyone spoke well and gave sedatives! About two weeks ago there was an attack in the subway - sharp dizziness and palpitations;
constant feeling of fear. Even for little things. It appeared after frequent stress. I try to keep calm, relax, but it only helps for a while;
during attacks, there is a squeeze in the temples, reduction of the cheekbones and chin, nausea, fear, a feeling of heat, legs are cottony. Which ultimately ends in a splash (tears).

A feeling of unreasonable anxiety and anxiety, irrational fear and tension at least sometimes arise in every person. Anxiety is often caused by chronic lack of sleep, overwork and permanent stress, as well as a progressive somatic or mental illness. The patient feels that he is in danger, but does not see the reasons for this condition.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that in addition to everyday situations that can provoke the emergence of unconscious anxiety, there are main reasons - genetic and biological. It is known that a child with a high degree of probability inherits a tendency to an anxiety disorder if one of the parents had it.

Under the influence of severe stress in the cerebral cortex, certain areas are activated. When the fear passes, all changes disappear and the brain returns to normal functioning. However, in some cases, everything is different, and the reverse changes do not occur. Under the influence of constant stress, the cerebral cortex forms new neural fibers, which include a peptide that has the ability to increase anxiety.

This proves the fact that, thanks to the excellent adaptive properties of the human body, the brain tries to fight unaccountable anxiety and on its own. But not always a person manages to get rid of the problem on his own, because fear constantly nests in the head, and grows in any stressful situation.

Diseases associated with anxiety

The state of anxiety is characteristic of many mental and somatic diseases. So, for example, sudden anxiety for no reason can be accompanied by hormonal imbalance during menopause, pregnancy, or hyperthyroidism. It can also indicate an incipient myocardial infarction or a hypoglycemic crisis in diabetes.

For many mental illnesses, constant internal anxiety is characteristic, which can occur at one stage or another of the disease. So in schizophrenia, an anxiety disorder is often a harbinger of an exacerbation or happens in the prodromal period. The clinical picture of neurosis is also characterized by an increase in anxiety and restlessness at the very beginning of the disease. An anxiety disorder is often associated with sleep disturbance, depression, nervousness, phobias, delusions, or visions.

The list of diseases in which anxiety and anxiety can occur is quite extensive:

schizophrenia and others;
myocardial infarction;
diabetes;
thyrotoxicosis;
cardiogenic pulmonary edema;
inflammation of the meninges;
withdrawal syndrome;
Parkinson's disease and others.

If severe anxiety and restlessness persists for more than 3 days and is accompanied by general ill health, you should consult a therapist. He will write out directions for laboratory and instrumental examinations, as this is necessary to clarify the diagnosis. If any deviations in the state of health are detected, the therapist will refer the patient to an additional consultation with a specialist of the appropriate profile.

In a state of depression, the patient does not always understand how to cope with such a state on his own and how to relieve an unbearable feeling of anxiety and anxiety without the help of a specialist. Often such experiences lead to suicide.

In the case when anxiety and nervousness are accompanied by even a single loss of consciousness, tachycardia, cold sweat, shortness of breath or hand tremor, it is necessary to accompany the patient to a medical facility. This condition may indicate the onset of a hypoglycemic coma or heart attack. It may also indicate the progression of psychosis. In psychosis, the patient is a danger to himself and those around him.

Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

If somatic pathologies are not identified, then with a high degree of probability the patient will need to consult a psychotherapist or psychologist. The specialist will determine the factors that caused the appearance of anxiety. A patient who, in addition to anxiety, has depression, inappropriate behavior, delusions or visions, should be promptly referred to a psychiatrist.

In most cases, an anxious condition of a person does not need drug therapy. In this case, sessions of a professional psychologist are enough to identify the internal causes that led to the occurrence of this symptom.

A conversation with a psychologist should help the patient overcome anxiety and phobias by rethinking behavior and identifying the factors that caused them. And only in the case of a severe course of the disease, treatment of anxiety may include the following means:

Antidepressants. In the case of a severely depressed patient, a specialist may prescribe mood-enhancing medications. It can be: Atarax, Prozac or Anafranil. With severe irritability, the appointment of neuroleptics (Tioxanthen, Sonapax, Haloperidol) is indicated.
Nootropics. In addition to sedatives, patients are advised to take medications that improve blood circulation to the brain and increase efficiency. These include: Nootropil, Pantogram, Piracetam.
tranquilizers(Phenazepam, Relanium, Rudotel, Mezapam). These sedatives reduce the patient's anxiety. Some of them have a pronounced hypnotic effect. This makes it possible to use them against insomnia, which often accompanies anxiety. However, the use of tranquilizers excludes activities that require concentration and attention (for example, driving). If the patient's work is related to such activities, then you should ask your doctor about the possibility of using daytime tranquilizers (Grandaxin, Rudotel). These tablets do not cause drowsiness, but relieve the patient of anxiety.

As an auxiliary treatment, you can use folk remedies. Herbal preparations cannot provide a lasting result, but in mild cases they are quite applicable. The undeniable advantage of using such fees is that they practically do not cause side effects.

Pharmacological treatment can help only in combination with psychotherapy sessions. The specialist will help the patient to master breathing and relaxing techniques. Subsequently, the patient will be able to use them independently to overcome emotional excitement.

Psychotherapeutic methods

To fully take control of their emotions, the patient needs to rethink a lot. And maybe change your lifestyle. A strong personality is able to overcome anxiety on its own, but there are no general recipes. Prayer will help a believing patient in moments of anxiety. A person of an esoteric warehouse can apply the technique of repeated repetition of affirmations.

There are several main methods that are used for such patients:

confrontation method. The principle of this method is to simulate an alarming situation in which the patient feels fear in an environment that does not pose a danger to him. The patient must learn to master their emotions and take control of the situation. Repeated repetition of the situation with a positive outcome increases the patient's confidence, and reduces the level of anxiety.
Psychotherapy aimed at preventing the occurrence of anxiety states. The essence of the method is to rid the patient of negative mental patterns that increase the tense emotional state. To reduce anxiety, an average of 5-20 such sessions are needed.
Hypnosis. It is a long-established and effective treatment for anxiety disorder. It consists of working with the subconscious attitudes of the patient.

In addition, the physical rehabilitation of the patient is important. To do this, use a set of special exercises that help reduce tension, anxiety, relieve fatigue and improve the patient's well-being. Also of no small importance is the regime of the day, a sufficient amount of sleep, healthy food - a source of building materials for restoring the body.

Anxiety is a depressing feeling when a person cannot even accurately describe his feelings. He seems to be constantly tormented by something. In this article, you will learn everything about what anxiety is, the causes of its development, the main signs, symptoms and treatment of the pathological condition.

Why there is constant fear

The causes of anxiety are:

psychological trauma;
features of the human psyche;
unforeseen life situations;
unfavorable heredity;
character traits;
negative emotions about one's own life, health, etc.

Important! People who are prone to anxiety should understand that it is one of the first signs of depression.

The state of anxiety is also manifested in most mental pathologies, including schizophrenia and the initial stage of neurosis. Extremely strong anxiety appears in a person with an abstinence syndrome during the refusal of alcohol. The sensation in question may be combined with:

What does a person feel with increased anxiety

First of all, with internal tension, he feels exhausting unpleasant sensations, in addition to the fact that he is restless in his soul. They are described as a tight feeling in the chest or a lump in the throat. Sometimes, due to a disorder in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, a person begins to noticeably shiver.

With unconscious anxiety, a person feels constantly tired. This is due to the fact that he spends a lot of energy on his negative emotions. And if he forces himself to “not worry”, then this aggravates the situation even more. An anxiety attack can occur at any time of the day.

An internal feeling of a constant feeling of anxiety does not allow a person to engage in habitual activities. Other signs of anxiety in the soul for no reason:

constant or sudden pain in the head area;
cardialgia (sometimes the patient begins to think that he is having an attack and begins to take heart medications);
insomnia;
burning in the chest;
loss of appetite;
anxiety in the morning;
feeling that the heart is beating very fast;
constant trembling and muscle tension;
the emergence of anxiety associated with the need to be active in society (the so-called situational anxiety).

Diagnostics

Before you overcome fears and anxiety, you need a diagnosis from a specialist. He can determine whether generalized anxiety disorder is a natural condition associated with nervous and other overwork, or whether it is still a symptom of a mental illness. It is imperative to diagnose GAD when such dangerous signs appear.

The appearance of dizziness, profuse sweating with unreasonable fear.
Sharp violations of the digestive tract during excitement.
Dry mouth.

Only a psychotherapist can conduct a complete diagnostic examination for anxiety disorder. During the diagnostic process, he will prescribe the following examinations to the patient:

blood and urine tests;
electrocardiographic examination of the heart;
blood tests for hormones, etc.

A patient who is restless at heart needs to take an anxiety test. It will show the causes of feelings of anxiety and worry.

Features of treatment

Very often, to get rid of increased anxiety, causeless fear, panic attacks and nervousness, doctors use tranquilizers, antidepressants (Tiaprid, Chlordizepoxide and others).

Pay special attention! With attacks of fear and anxiety, self-medication with the help of such serious drugs is categorically not allowed. They can cause exacerbations of a depressive state, neuroses and other neuropsychiatric complications.

Such treatment is only symptomatic, that is, it only removes the unwanted symptoms of the experience, but does not eliminate the problem itself. After the abolition of psychotropic drugs and tranquilizers, a relapse may develop, and more difficult for further treatment.

Important! During pregnancy, anxiety can visit a woman very often. But any treatment with tranquilizers and other similar drugs is extremely dangerous for the unborn child.

Anxiety can be treated with psychotherapy. The most commonly used autotraining, breathing exercises.

As folk methods of treatment, infusions and decoctions of mint, lemon balm, motherwort are used. All of them should be used as an adjunct to therapy.

Prevention

As a prevention of anxiety, you can recommend the normalization of lifestyle. It is necessary to reduce the time of labor activity, since a person cannot work to the detriment of his health. You need to eat well and eat well. You should reduce the amount of coffee consumed and stop smoking. Regular exercise can help overcome anxiety.

Careful self-control and introspection will help to overcome the anxiety state. If you determine the cause of anxiety, you can change your thinking and normalize your emotional state. Thus, the pathological condition can be effectively cured.
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