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Why do abuse survivors so often suffer from panic attacks?
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When people start to deal with abuse issues, or adult rape, the process can be extremely overwhelming at first. People tend to become hyper vigilant, often always on the lookout for danger. This can leave your body in a state of almost been constantly on standby incase something happens. It is this constant state of bodily readiness that leave people so open to panic attacks. One smell, sound, taste or even someone looking familiar from your past, can push the bodies state of readiness just a bit too far and it reacts in an instant without any conscious thought, getting the body ready fro the fight or flight response.
Hyper vigilance and panic attacks very often go hand in hand. Both of these are also some of the common effects that make up rape trauma syndrome (R.T.S.) and post traumatic stress disorder (P.T.S.D.). Not everyone who has suffered from abuse, and who have panic attacks, will have PTSD or RTS but many will.
There are some medications that your doctor can prescribe to ease the panic attacks, and help you stay more relaxed. In the case where the panic attacks are also a part of PTSD / RTS, some research (done by the VA in the USA) also shows that the medication is less effective in males than they are in females.
The most effective treatment for panic attacks (and PTSD / RTS) still remains one of the many talking therapies.
It is thus recommended that you seek the help of a qualified health
professional. Your doctor may be able to arrange for you to see a
qualified therapist, plus may prescribe medication to help reduce the
frequency of the panic attacks. Sadly, some of the medications for
depression can cause increased anxiety as a side effect, in which case
you should discuss with your doctor the possibility of changing
medication if this is the case.
Lack of sleep, stress, too much caffeine or chocolate, and some artificial sweeteners have been shown to increase the frequency of panic attacks.
©
AEST
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