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what are they?
Panic and anxiety are natural, although unpleasant, emotional and physical responses to real danger, such as realising that your car is out of control or the building you are in is on fire. However panic and anxiety can also strike when there is no external threat, for instance, if you feel trapped in a lift or crowded train.
Anxiety and panic attacks may be part of an underlying anxiety disorder such as phobias (irrational fear of, for example, crowds or spiders), obsessive compulsive disorder (recurrent thoughts and repetitive behaviour), post-traumatic stress, depression or other psychological problems. More rarely they can occur in a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia.
Symptoms include:
- Rapid heart beat, palpitations (awareness of your heart beating), raised blood pressure
- Feeling of tightness in the chest
- Breathlessness and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing)
- Sweating, pallor
- Chest pains
- Feelings of light-headedness and dizziness
- Shaking and trembling
- Pins and needles (caused by hyperventilation) — usually in hands or feet
- Feeling of intense fear and/or impending doom
- Headaches and muscular aches and pains
- Insomnia, irritability, nightmares
- Fatigue
- Digestive disturbances, eg, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and/or vomiting
- Feeling cut off from yourself and other people.
Although these symptoms are real and worrying, it's important to recognise that they are in fact harmless and transient.
what causes them?
- Some people's nervous systems appear to be more easily aroused physiologically and they find it more difficult to adapt to new situations. This can lead to the release of the stress hormone, adrenaline, which causes physical symptoms such as trembling, overbreathing and rapid heartbeat. These in turn reinforce feelings of anxiety and panic.
- Biochemical factors such as low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) can lead to more adrenaline being produced, which in turn produces the physical symptoms of anxiety.
- Stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine or recreational drugs like amphetamines, cannabis and cocaine raise levels of stress hormones.
- Nutritional practitioners think that food intolerances and poor nutrition may trigger symptoms such as palpitations.
- Psychological traits — for example people who are introverted, pessimistic and perfectionist by nature seem to be more prone to anxiety.
- Learnt behaviour patterns — reacting to stress with anxiety (perhaps originally learnt from a parent who reacted in the same way) may become a habit.
- Related conditions such as depression.
how complementary therapies may help
Each therapy has been coded from 1 to 5 depending on the amount of scientific evidence there is for its effectiveness. The higher the number the stronger the evidence, so 5 = definitely, 4 = probably, 3 = possibly, 2 = opinion, and 1 = rumour. (There is more detail about these in the 'does it work?' section of 'before you start'.)
Having said this, the codes aren't meant to be cast in stone or to put you off trying a particular therapy or therapies if you feel they might be helpful to you.
Go to therapies for a full description of each individual treatment, plus information on how to find practitioners.
aromatherapy
(code 4)
Calming essential oils such as lavender, clary sage, sandalwood, geranium, neroli and chamomile — either in massage or in the bath — can help relax the muscles, calm the mind and lift the spirits, although the benefits tend to be short-term.
herbal medicine
(code 4)
A herbalist may advise a number of herbs reputed to be calming and restorative to the nervous system such as hops, oats, chamomile, passiflora (passion flower), valerian and lime flowers.
Research on the herbal remedy kava kava, traditionally used by islanders in the South Pacific to induce calm, has shown it has sedative and muscle relaxing effects. Recently however studies from Germany and Switzerland have suggested the herb may cause harmful side effects on the liver. Although no such adverse reactions have been reported in the UK, a number of organisations representing manufacturers, retailers and herbalists have asked members to withdraw remedies containing kava kava from sale pending further investigations by the government's Medicines Control Agency (MCA).
Always let your doctor or complementary therapist know what natural medicines and drugs you are taking, because herbal medicines may occasionally cause a reaction if combined with ordinary medicines.
Never use herbal medicines without consulting a properly qualified practitioner (a member of the National Institute of Herbalists) for children, during pregnancy or breast feeding, or if you have liver or kidney disease.
hypnotherapy
(code 4)
Hypnotherapy may help particularly with phobias and when offered to children who have to undergo painful or stressful medical procedures.
meditation
(code 4)
Meditation seems to be especially effective in alleviating stress and tension in people with anxiety-prone personalities and it is likely that regularly meditating over a period of time can improve symptoms in long-term anxiety disorders.
relaxation and breathing
(code 4)
Anxiety and panic attacks are often associated with shallow, rapid patterns of breathing and respond to the muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that form a part of many complementary therapies.
Relaxation training techniques and self-hypnosis have been shown to work particularly well in anxiety related to specific situations such as having medical treatment or visiting the dentist.
healing
(code 3)
The healing technique known as therapeutic touch healing in which practitioners use touch to help relax the body and soothe the mind may be helpful. In one study the therapy was found to be an effective treatment in children with HIV and burn patients.
massage
(code 3)
Regular massage can help ease muscular tension and stress, both of which can contribute to anxiety, although effects are short-term rather than long-lasting.
nutritional therapy
(code 3)
Although there is little research-based evidence for nutritional therapies in cases of anxiety, attacks can sometimes be triggered by low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). A practitioner may suggest simple self-help steps like eating regular meals and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine. Supplements, for example of B vitamins, which are said to help strengthen the nervous system, and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, may also be advised.
yoga
(code 3)
Regular practice of yoga can help you to gain control over your body and reduce muscular tension. In one study yoga was particularly helpful for a group of people with obsessive compulsive disorder. Meditation and visualisation that are part of yoga practice can help distract you from worries by focussing the mind on something else.
Other physical therapies such as t'ai chi that work on the mind by relaxing the body may also be beneficial.
homeopathy
(code 2)
For long-standing anxiety or panic the therapist may recommend treatment with a constitutional remedy designed to treat the underlying cause. In an acute attack s/he may recommend remedies such as arsenicum, for persistent anxiety with panic attacks, restlessness, insecurity and fatigue; aconite, for panic, shock, fear and feelings of restlessness; or argentum nitricum, for stage fright, fear of crowds or enclosed spaces. However some studies say homeopathy is no better than a placebo for treating anxiety.
» help and info
If you have further questions, why not search the extensive bank of answers provided by our trained advisors? Check out just ask.
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(July 2002)
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