Keys to understand the functioning of the anxiety crisis

A review of the characteristics of the anxiety crisis, and the measures to adopt in the face of it.

Imagine the following situation: you have had a lot of work, this day your boss asks you to deliver a report before the end of the day, then the phone rings and it is one of your clients asking you for an urgent quote, at the same time you remember that today you had to take your family to dinner.

Then, suddenly, a feeling of anguish invades you because you feel that you are not going to be able to cope with everything, you begin to feel short of breath and feel how your Heart begins to beat strongly, suddenly comes an anxiety crisis, also known as a panic attack.

If you are reading this is because maybe at some point you have already had a similar experience, or worse, you recently had a crisis and surely it was not at all pleasant for you to have a feeling that "something bad is going to happen to you".

Anxiety crises are more common than people think. In fact, according to the WHO, more than 260 million people suffer from an anxiety disorder. In this article we will see what an anxiety crisis is, what is its treatment and what you can do to cope with it. to cope with the situation.

How is an anxiety crisis expressed?

The first thing you need to know is that an anxiety crisis is your body's way of telling you "we need to slow down." and it occurs as a response to several factors together that can range from high stress, constant worries, not having regular sleep schedules, among others.

Some of its main symptoms are:

• You are very afraid of not being able to control the situation or you feel that something bad is going to happen to you.
• You have trouble breathing.
• Your heart starts beating very hard, i.e., you have tachycardia.
• You have the sensation of "feeling out of your mind".
• You may feel dizzy and nauseous.
• You have tremors.
• Tingling sensation in some parts of your body.

These are the most common symptoms; however, it is important for you to know that there are other people who may experience it in different ways.

For this reason, it is important that you see a specialist. it is important that you go to a specialist who will evaluate you and make a diagnosis of your level of anxiety, either with a psychiatrist or a psychologist.either with a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. In our psychotherapeutic center we have specialists who interview you and apply the necessary tests so that you have an accurate diagnosis that can help you in it.

Why does the anxiety crisis appear?

While it is true that there is no single cause that originates a crisis, there are factors that lead to a higher risk. For example, some social psychologists attribute our emotional discomforts to a system in which the hustle and bustle and daily demands lead us to be at such a level of alertness and availability that we are under constant stress, which leads to anxiety and all kinds of stress.This leads to anxiety and all its nuances, added to factors such as lack of opportunities, poor access to health services, unemployment... that generate mechanisms of hypervigilance in ourselves.

On the other hand, some research suggests that these factors predispose us to have a crisis:

• Some traumatic event that generated an emotional shock that you have not been able to process.
• A personality that tends to worry excessively.
• A large amount of stress that you have not been able to manage.
• A medical illness or response to certain medications.

The reasons can help us to understand the cause. However, an anxiety crisis is something that could happen to anyone, regardless of the origin.regardless of the origin and it depends a lot on the emotional tools you have to get out of it.

What treatment should I have if I have had a crisis?

If you have already had anxiety crises, it is likely that you will need pharmacological and psychological treatment. The first one will help you to balance your noradrenaline levels, which is one of the responsible for your physical responses, as well as your serotonin, which affects your mood. This treatment should always be under the supervision of a psychiatrist.It can have counterproductive effects.

On the other hand, a psychotherapeutic treatment will help you to have tools to work with your emotions and thoughts. So far, the cognitive-behavioral the cognitive behavioral current is the one that has had the best results.. This type of therapy will help you identify the type of thinking you have and what are the elements that make you prone to a crisis. In this type of intervention the duration of treatment is usually between 12 and 24 sessions when it is a mild to moderate case.

Both treatments, properly carried out, have a high success rate in helping people overcome anxiety crises.

And what can I do while I find a specialist?

We know that the search for a specialist with whom you feel comfortable may take some time; therefore, here are some tips that although they do not eliminate your anxiety crisis, they can help you to reduce the episodes.

1. Keep a diary of emotions

It is one of the first recommendations we make in our office, as it helps you to be aware of what you are feeling. helps you to be aware of what is going through your head and to identify the type of thoughts that are and to identify the type of thoughts that induce you to a crisis.

2. Start practicing Mindfulness

This will help you to put 100% of your attention in the present moment, but above all to better manage the interaction you have with everyday situations.

3. Give yourself time to relax

Everyday life demands a lot from us, so give yourself some time to stop and enjoy the little time to stop and enjoy the small pleasures of life whether it's watching a movie or a good book, or just doing nothing.or just doing nothing. It will help you a lot to reconnect with yourself.

4. Exercise regularly

This is the basic thing you need to integrate into your life. Regardless of your emotional state it will bring you many benefits and helps you release stress.

5. Take care of your diet

For example, reduce the consumption of caffeine and sugarWhen you tend to have anxiety, these foods worsen your situation.

Concluding

In general, when faced with anxiety problems you should try to lead a better lifestyle; we are sure that in combination with a therapeutic treatment, these routines will help you to overcome the situation. In Emotional Astronaut we love to talk about these topics and everything related to mental health, if you need more tips you can listen to our podcast "De Otro Planeta" or follow us on social networks, where we publish illustrations with valuable information for you to take care of your mental health. You can find more information about us on this page.