Why Sleep Panic Attacks Can Be Harmful
Sleep panic attacks, when they occur, are extremely intense and frightening.
The sense of helplessness, surprise and raw fear that accompanies these episodes can be more intense than when experienced during the hours you are awake, partly out of the added element of surprise which frequently is part of it.
The most common, immediate symptoms of sleep panic attacks is an accelerated heart rate, sweating and breathlessness.
Being awakened by these symptoms, often with heart palpitations as well, is extremely frightening and will cause many to believe they are having a heart attack.
Most sleep panic attacks are symptomatic of a form of anxiety disorder and are not related to any physical anomaly or cause.
When this disorder is experienced during wakefulness, it generally comes on progressively, perhaps starting with a sense of general unease.
It can then escalate until it becomes a full fledged panic attack with all the irrationalities, fears and physical discomforts which are associated.
But when it occurs while you are sleeping, you are suddenly awakened after it has reached full throttle and this suddenness intensifies the feelings, making a totally awful situation even worse.
And that is isn't the worst part of it.
Panic attack disorders generally are repetitive in nature; that is they will reoccur without much notice.
One of the most insidious aspects of the disease is that part of its persistence depends on it becoming habitual.
This habitualization is further strengthened by the individual's fear of the panic attack itself reoccurring.
There is an unfortunate irony in this, but it just makes it more difficult to overcome.
Sleep panic attacks can worsen this situation because once one occurs an individual may well fear sleep and consequently deprive themselves of required rest while adding force and substance to the attacks.
What the individual does to deal with the attacks is extremely important and a misstep at the start can lead to a worsening of the situation instead of its improvement.
Medications, for example, can be very dangerous and a poor choice unless prescribed by a competent physician.
There is a wide range of choices from beta blockers to narcotics and anti-depressants, but choosing the wrong one by yourself can be very dangerous.
All drugs will have side effects, including addiction, and ultimately these may make the condition more intractable.
Seeing a licensed practitioner immediately after having a sleep panic attack or any, for that matter, is a primary recommendation.
The sleep panic attack will occur during the early stage of REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
Dreams occur during the later stages, Therefore, dreams are not what precipitates these attacks, as many people will believe.
In fact, once these episodes begin, it will be the fear of their repetition which will most likely pave the way for their continuation.
It is very important to understand some basic premises concerning panic attacks, in general.
First, although we could call it a disease, the fact is that having them does not mean you are physically or even mentally ill.
It's like the difference between not being able to breathe (inability), and simply not breathing (incapability) even though you are actually able.
It is not a mental illness which is causing the incapability but a combination of habitualized reactions usually derived from poor coping mechanisms of one's daily life.
Of course this is not the case for all people.
Some people have physiological problems and others have serious psychological conditions.
But just based on the numbers, most sufferers of panic disorders today will not fall into those categories.
That means that in order to recover from having these attacks, most people will need to approach it from the viewpoint of breaking the habitual supports and of looking squarely at what the attack really is, not letting it fool you into thinking it can actually harm you, and thereby weakening it until it no longer is an issue.
This can be accomplished with a combination of medication and therapy, or just therapy, but not just medication.
While lessening the power of these sleep panic attacks and making them disappear, one can find immediate improvement, even while still experiencing them, by simply remembering that they (the person) are not the panic attack; that the attack is a lie, that they are not sick or dying.
Practicing and developing some mind control will have additional benefits.
Not only will it eventually relieve one of this particular anxiety disorder, but it will strengthen your self confidence and enable you to learn better how to cope with other aspects of your life that need you to take firmer control.
The sense of helplessness, surprise and raw fear that accompanies these episodes can be more intense than when experienced during the hours you are awake, partly out of the added element of surprise which frequently is part of it.
The most common, immediate symptoms of sleep panic attacks is an accelerated heart rate, sweating and breathlessness.
Being awakened by these symptoms, often with heart palpitations as well, is extremely frightening and will cause many to believe they are having a heart attack.
Most sleep panic attacks are symptomatic of a form of anxiety disorder and are not related to any physical anomaly or cause.
When this disorder is experienced during wakefulness, it generally comes on progressively, perhaps starting with a sense of general unease.
It can then escalate until it becomes a full fledged panic attack with all the irrationalities, fears and physical discomforts which are associated.
But when it occurs while you are sleeping, you are suddenly awakened after it has reached full throttle and this suddenness intensifies the feelings, making a totally awful situation even worse.
And that is isn't the worst part of it.
Panic attack disorders generally are repetitive in nature; that is they will reoccur without much notice.
One of the most insidious aspects of the disease is that part of its persistence depends on it becoming habitual.
This habitualization is further strengthened by the individual's fear of the panic attack itself reoccurring.
There is an unfortunate irony in this, but it just makes it more difficult to overcome.
Sleep panic attacks can worsen this situation because once one occurs an individual may well fear sleep and consequently deprive themselves of required rest while adding force and substance to the attacks.
What the individual does to deal with the attacks is extremely important and a misstep at the start can lead to a worsening of the situation instead of its improvement.
Medications, for example, can be very dangerous and a poor choice unless prescribed by a competent physician.
There is a wide range of choices from beta blockers to narcotics and anti-depressants, but choosing the wrong one by yourself can be very dangerous.
All drugs will have side effects, including addiction, and ultimately these may make the condition more intractable.
Seeing a licensed practitioner immediately after having a sleep panic attack or any, for that matter, is a primary recommendation.
The sleep panic attack will occur during the early stage of REM (Rapid Eye Movement).
Dreams occur during the later stages, Therefore, dreams are not what precipitates these attacks, as many people will believe.
In fact, once these episodes begin, it will be the fear of their repetition which will most likely pave the way for their continuation.
It is very important to understand some basic premises concerning panic attacks, in general.
First, although we could call it a disease, the fact is that having them does not mean you are physically or even mentally ill.
It's like the difference between not being able to breathe (inability), and simply not breathing (incapability) even though you are actually able.
It is not a mental illness which is causing the incapability but a combination of habitualized reactions usually derived from poor coping mechanisms of one's daily life.
Of course this is not the case for all people.
Some people have physiological problems and others have serious psychological conditions.
But just based on the numbers, most sufferers of panic disorders today will not fall into those categories.
That means that in order to recover from having these attacks, most people will need to approach it from the viewpoint of breaking the habitual supports and of looking squarely at what the attack really is, not letting it fool you into thinking it can actually harm you, and thereby weakening it until it no longer is an issue.
This can be accomplished with a combination of medication and therapy, or just therapy, but not just medication.
While lessening the power of these sleep panic attacks and making them disappear, one can find immediate improvement, even while still experiencing them, by simply remembering that they (the person) are not the panic attack; that the attack is a lie, that they are not sick or dying.
Practicing and developing some mind control will have additional benefits.
Not only will it eventually relieve one of this particular anxiety disorder, but it will strengthen your self confidence and enable you to learn better how to cope with other aspects of your life that need you to take firmer control.
