An anxiety attack consists of the fact experience, for a relatively short period, significantly higher levels of anxiety than normalto the point that in certain circumstances it can be a problem.
And on the other hand… what is anxiety? It is a set of physiological symptoms (that is, related to the automatic and unconscious biological mechanisms of our body, closely linked to the secretion of hormones) and psychological symptoms (that is, belonging to our emotions, thoughts and behavioral patterns) that It predisposes us to be alert and to have the ability to react quickly to the first signs that something is not going well or that we may miss a key opportunity for us.
Although we normally associate anxiety with an unpleasant experience, the truth is that it is part of the normal functioning of the human body; For hundreds of thousands of years it has helped us survive and adapt to the environment, and today it continues to do so even if our way of life keeps us away from the predators of the animal kingdom and we do not expose ourselves too much to the danger of being physically injured; It guides us towards solving urgent problems, it makes us have important aspects of the social interactions in which we participate on our “radar”, etc.
However, no product of biological evolution is infallible, and this is also the case with anxiety. Sometimes this gives rise to problematic behavior patterns that we internalize without realizing it, and can even lead us to generate additional problems to those that are affecting us. For example, if certain circumstances occur, anxiety can contribute to us not studying enough for an exam, by postponing study sessions so as not to have to think about the day of the test.
Something similar usually happens with anxiety attacks. Sometimes, our anxiety levels are triggered for several hours, causing us to have to deal with an added challenge to the one that produced that emotional reaction.
To this we must add that Sometimes we get very anxious without there being a specific trigger or an easy-to-identify cause.. And this predisposes us to continue reinforcing the anxiety attack, as we find it difficult to direct our actions towards the resolution of a specific problem regardless of how bad we feel. By obsessing about stopping feeling bad, we pay more attention to anxiety, and in this way we perpetuate these types of situations. making it difficult for us to return to a “resting” psychological state.
Is it the same as a panic attack?
An anxiety attack is not exactly the same as a panic attack, although both phenomena involve a series of common physiological and psychological symptoms and it is common to confuse them with each other.
In short, a panic attack is part of a psychopathologywhile an anxiety attack is one of the ways in which we can feel anxious, something completely natural and that does not have to lead to the fact of having developed a diagnosable psychological disorder.
Furthermore, while panic attacks last several minutes and produce very intense discomfort that goes hand in hand with radical alterations in the way the person thinks and perceives their surroundings, the anxiety attack is more variable in terms of its duration, although it usually develops over a longer period of time and does not produce such intense symptoms, nor does it give rise to such obvious cognitive distortions.
Which brings us to the other big difference between panic attacks and anxiety attacks. In the former, the most common thing is that the person fears for his own life and is afraid of dying, even if there are no objective reasons to assume that he is in danger. For example, the person may believe that he is going to choke or have a heart attack even though he does not have symptoms.
So, for a few minutes, the panic attack induces us into a psychological state in which we believe that what we do can make the difference between life and death, and we perceive our body as something separate from us, which we cannot control. and that is unpredictable (what is known as derealization occurs). Anxiety attacks, on the other hand, are more of a quantitative alteration of anxiety levels. that we experience on a daily basis, and not so much a qualitative alteration of these; Although it may be part of psychopathology, this is usually not the case.
What to do in the event of an anxiety attack?
If at any time you notice that you are starting to develop the symptoms of an anxiety attack, keep these tips in mind.
1. Excuse yourself or go to a quieter place
You don’t need to obsess over finding a site that offers you complete privacy and is totally silent, simply go to a space that offers more calm than the one you are in.
When we feel a lot of anxiety, it is important not to let our mind lurch, because in this way our feeling of loss of control will increase and we will feed psychological rumination, which exposes us time after time to a whole series of recurring thoughts that generate anxiety. stress.
To achieve this, something that It is usually useful to focus attention on how we breathe, taking deep, slow inhalations and exhalations, without rushing.. This repetitive task will help you “readjust” your emotional state, and will also prevent anxiety from leaving you with a lack of blood oxygenation.
3. Focus on the sensations of the here and now
during an anxiety attack It is recommended that you direct your psychological activity towards the physical sensations linked to the stimuli of the present., instead of getting lost in complex psychological processes associated with abstract thoughts. In this way you will “reset” and, by accepting the here and now, you will be able to think clearly again without giving in to the inertia of fear, obsessions, etc.
That is precisely the purpose of objects such as elastic anti-stress balls, although you do not need to carry an object with these characteristics with you. Simply focus on what you touch, what you listen to, etc.
Are you looking for professional psychological support?
If you notice that you suffer from anxiety problems too often or experience problems managing your emotions, contact us.
In Cribecca Psychology We serve people of all ages and offer psychotherapy both in our center located in Seville and online by video call.
