What Transpires During A Panic Attack
What we usually perceive as a possible threat or danger brought
about by a panic attack actually starts from the brain.
>From the brain, signals are sent to the nervous system of our
body.
It is the nervous system that is responsible in preparing our
body to face or to escape the threat.
It is also responsible in returning our body to its original
state of equilibrium or tranquility once the threat has gone
away or has subsided.
In layman terms, there is this independent region of the nervous
system responsible for the rise and fall of our nervous feeling.
This rise in feeling is responsible in preparing our body to
face or to flee the danger.
The fall in feeling or subsiding feeling works to restore
balance and equilibrium, bringing our body back to its normal
state.
Let us use our example earlier about graduating top in class.
Before the valedictory speech, the rising feel goes to work.
After the speech, the subsiding feel is responsible for the
bodys equilibrium.
The rising feel is the controversial section of the nervous
system which starts the anxiety (or possibly panic attack),
while the subsiding feel is the one that brings our body to its
original comfortable state.
You might ask: Exactly what part of our body is activated during
a panic attack?
In medical terms, just above the kidney are the adrenal glands
that release adrenaline (a hormone) when we are in a state of
anxiety. The adrenaline is responsible in keeping our anxiety
going.
Remember that anxiety within controllable levels is here to
protect and not to harm, which is why a continued anxious
feeling can be beneficial to the body. Once the excitement is
done with, the subsiding feel takes over to return our body to
relaxation mode.
What can we do to control anxiety to a tolerable level? We can
engage in some coping techniques or strategies to diffuse or
control anxiety.
Coping techniques are actually a means of activating the
subsiding feel even before the perceived danger is over. Whether
we will it or not, this feeling will be called into action at
one point or another as the body cannot continue to stay in an
ever increasing state of anxiety.
It would be interesting to note that our body is an ingenious
work of art.
We need not fear that anxiety will reach an uncontrollable level
because our body cells are wise enough to protect themselves
from any potential harm.
We may even think negatively and perceive the worst scenario;
yet our bodys ingenuity will still prevail and protect us. Even
modern science is baffled with the way the human body works,
which is why new discoveries develop as time passes by. Whatever
situation we find ourselves into, we can be sure of our bodys
aim to keep us away from harm.
To sum up what we have discussed so far, anxiety or panic
attacks are actually products of our mind; and to a certain
extent, they are due to body chemistry.
Entertain yourself by visualizing a caricature of two persons -
one representing your mind and the other one, your body. While
the mind keeps on doing all sorts of stuff to bring the body to
its worst condition (typifying anxiety), the body keeps its
ground - confident and barely moving.