Panic Attack Research Paper

The Calm After the Storm

Everyone deals with stress to a certain extent, some to their breaking point; this breaking point is known as a panic attack. Panic attacks are sudden, unpredictable bursts of overwhelming fear paired with a sense of losing all control. These natural episodes of pure dismay and chaos can affect anyone in any situation and are even reported by the National Institute of Mental Health “[to affect people] during sleep” (par. 4). According to the census report gathered by the National Health Service, “at least one in ten people [if not more,] experience occasional panic attacks” (par. 27). With the conventionality of panic attacks in mind, it is astounding that the majority of people still react to these events in two erroneous

When comforting someone going through a panic attack, it is crucial to validate his or her fears and worries. An essential factor in understanding panic attacks, is being aware that absolutely no one would willingly submit themselves to such terror. Blaming someone for having a panic attack is the equivalent to condemning someone for being raped; it is not their fault. When also being compared to physical injuries and diseases, panic attacks are often perpetuated as trivial cries for attention while victims are painted as excessively emotional or dramatic, which is truly despicable. Even though the panic attack is generally over quickly—about ten to thirty minutes—those moments of pure fear can affect an individual for the rest of their day (Robinson, Segal, and Smith par. 12). Continuing to comfort them and making them feel safe will assure the victim that they have someone there for them. As stated by Melinda Smith and Dr. Jeanne Segal—senior editor and founder of HelpGuide.org, an informative website devoted to mental health—it is common for victims to have anticipatory anxiety in between panic attacks. This long-lasting feeling derives from the fear of having another breakdown and can ultimately be debilitating (par. 13). This anxiety is at its peak in the hours immediately following a panic attack so staying with the victim to

In most cases of panic attacks, the mental health of the victim is damaged due to poor comforting techniques. These more common denouements are utterly heartbreaking and consist of detrimental influences on a victim’s mental health. Poor comforting can give a victim the impression that what they are feeling is not legitimate. This illegitimacy can lead to a constant fear that their uncontrollable panic attack is perceived as a cry for attention. The negation of their fears and worries can eventually drive them to separate themselves from any source of support because they feel as if they are burdening their friends or family with unsubstantiated emotions. These poor-comforting methods can also lead to the development of depression because of an increasingly adamant feeling of “hopelessness and helplessness” as reported by Melinda Smith, Joanna Saisan and Dr. Jeanne Segal (par. 5). This is one of many reasons as to why validating a victim’s fears and worries is so excruciatingly