Fight or flight reaction
Although I've always been the nervous type, it's not until recently that I began to experience panic attacks. I've heard the term "fight or flight" reaction used in relation to panic but I don't really know what it means or how it relates to panic attacks.
The term "fight or flight" refers to how the body automatically reacts to a stressful situation. Back in the time of our caveman ancestors, this reaction was essential for survival. It allowed them to react to a dangerous situation, such as an attack by a wild animal, very quickly. Whether you lived or died depended on how effectively the fight or flight reaction kicked in. When placed under threat, either physical or psychological impulses are triggered towards the adrenal glands that lie just above the kidneys.
These impulses stimulate the adrenals to secrete chemical hormones into the blood stream.
It is these chemical messengers that prepare the body to either fight the threat or run away from it as quickly as possible - flight.
When I have a panic attack I often feel physically under threat. Does this explain my symptoms?
Yes. The chemicals produced by the adrenals act on other parts of the body. They speed up the rate at which we breathe and increase the heart rate, thereby raising blood pressure and pulse. Blood supply is diverted from non- essential organs such as the skin, intestines and kidneys and is instead sent to the heart and brain and muscles.
Cavemen reacted physically to threats and once out of danger the body reverted to normal. However, living in the 21st century we still get the same physical reactions when we feel threatened but we cannot always run or fight our way out of it. Our bodies are flooded with the same chemicals, but with no physical outlet we must instead wait for the reaction to subside. This is why feelings of panic, hyper-alertness and pounding heart rate are experienced during a panic attack.
Is there any way of counteracting the reaction?
The use of relaxation techniques are very useful in combating the anxiety response which so many of us seem to have when put under mild to moderate stress.
Medication may help some in the short term but it is not a long-term solution to the problem.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to be a successful remedy for those who are suffering from anxiety and panic attacks.
Your GP may be trained in the technique or, if not, he or she will be able to refer you to a qualified psychologist specialising in this approach.
Marion Kerr