It was your average busy Monday for Australian meteorologist Nate Byrne when his anxiety crowded in. Giving the morning’s forecast, he pauses, telling viewers that he needs to “stop for a second” because he has just started having a panic attack in video captured by ABC News
Australia’s Instagram page. Byrne collected himself and addressed the audience with, of course, an admission that he was having some trouble. “Now, some of you may know that I occasionally get affected by some panic attacks, and actually, that’s happening right now,” before handing over to Lisa Millar with huge grace.
Millar slipped into professional mode with an ease born of experience, guiding viewers to a piece Byrne had penned about his first panic attack, which also happened while he was live on air. “It’s wonderful that he has been so open and honest about it,” she said. Later in the program, Byrne returned to the studio, where he was smiling and joking with colleagues as he thanked them for their support.
Byrne’s openness brought on a huge online discussion now underway concerning the need for honesty and shared backing in order for the public to confront the all-too-frequent mental health issues. Fans lauded the news team for how they handled the incident live and for bringing a public discussion into the mix regarding panic attacks. “This is the BEST thing I’ve seen in ages,” one commenter sang, with another calling it “gold standard” mental health advocacy.
Although panic attacks are frightening, they also serve as an important learning device for anyone who either has had one or is having their first. There are some important lessons that experts say can be learned from Byrne’s experience.
Understanding a Panic Attack
A panic attack is a short, sharp bout of fear and discomfort, instantly distressing but not life-threatening. “Panic is really the essence of the fear response,” says psychologist Kevin Chapman. “The difference is that a fear response is a ‘true’ alarm; you’re actually in danger, and therefore your body is responding to prepare you to deal with that threat.”
On the other hand, a panic attack is what Chapman calls a “false alarm.” “You’re literally having the fear response when there is, in fact, no threat, but your body’s all-or-nothing system triggers as if you’re in a fire.”
However, Chapman praised the reaction taken by Byrne, his colleagues, and Byrne himself in handling the situation as “masterful.” He said such an incident makes it critical for the public to demystify panic attacks for anyone who has never suffered a panic attack. While making the point, Chapman said, “The way he conveyed himself and the way his colleagues handled it—what they did was reduce the stigma and demystify what’s happening when a person panics.”.
Psychologist Sanam Hafeez echoed this, saying that Byrne and his co-stars are great examples. “The fact that [Byrne] shared it with them and his audience beforehand made the situation easier for him to handle in the discrete moment,” Hafeez said.
What Does a Panic Attack Feel Like?
The symptoms of a panic attack are disparate and jarring. They include a racing or irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, dizziness, shortness of breath, and an upset stomach. You may suddenly feel either all warm or all cold, followed by copious sweating. “Two symptoms that are particularly frightening are depersonalization-an out-of-body experience-or derealization, the sensation that the environment around you is surreal,” Chapman adds. Often it feels like a heart attack, but it is not, and these symptoms can occur singly or in combination.
A panic attack floods the body with cortisol and adrenaline, although this is a very short-term place to be. A panic attack usually peaks within ten minutes—though it feels to most people at the time like it lasts much longer. This is because residual stress hormones tend to linger in the body; however, this residual discomfort is usually far less intense than the initial panic.
While panic attacks do not cause heart attacks, in and of themselves, chronic stress can increase one’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and other potentially fatal health-related conditions, according to Chapman and also the Mayo Clinic.
The Prevalence of Panic Attacks
“Panic is an equal opportunity employer,” says Chapman: Everybody has the same limbic system coping with their emotions and reactions, and yours might go haywire just as much as the same system might go haywire in someone else. Panic attacks alone are a lot more common than people might think: in any given year, as much as 11% of people in the US are estimated to experience one.
Chapman notes that, although women are somewhat more likely to report panic attacks, the incidents may well be equal between men and women; men just don’t like to talk about them. This is what made Chapman particularly pleased that Byrne admitted publicly to the panic.
But panic can only occur if there is previously anxiety. According to Chapman, “anxiety always seeds the ground for panic attacks. You cannot panic unless you are first anxious.”. Panic occurs when anxious feelings explode into an unbearable level of fear.
The Myth of Random Panic Attacks
The Myth of Random Panic Attacks
It’s a culturally reinforced fallacy that panic attacks strike out of the blue. The truth is that more often than not, the episode is usually caused by one of two factors, according to Chapman.
The first is cognitive: thoughts that something might be frightening—like the pressure of being on camera—can subtly set off panic. The second is physical: a sensation like a skipped heartbeat or sudden stomach pain might remind someone of the physical sensations experienced during a previous panic attack, creating a self-fulfilling cycle. She says that focusing on an uncomfortable sensation can increase it, “which leads to more negative thoughts, spiraling into full-blown panic.”
These subtle triggers can make panic attacks seem to occur “out of the blue,” Hafeez says. “That unpredictability is part of what makes panic attacks so jarring, in that people can be overcome with fear and physical symptoms when there appears to be no discernible reason,” she adds.
Getting Out of a Panic Spiral
Panic attacks are unnerving when they’re happening, but they’re not impossible to stop. Chapman recommends two simple techniques:
Breathe: Inhale for four to six seconds through your nose, then exhale through your mouth for another four to six seconds. Do this ten times. “Breathing correctly is a portable tool to help you remain in uncomfortable situations,” such as a crowded place that might trigger panic, Chapman advises.
Redirect Your Focus Panic attacks are a time when the mind tends to focus on personal discomfort and thoughts of fear. Counter this by focusing on something outside yourself to help “ground you in the present moment,” Chapman said. Grounding techniques might involve focusing on something you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch.
If you’re in a situation where you’re with someone having a panic attack, you may want to follow the lead of this ABC News Australia team. “The best thing others can do is stay with the person and keep calm, reminding them that it will pass soon,” psychologist Bunmi Olatunji told Health. “Remember, panic attacks peak at about 10 minutes.
This article was originally published on yahoo. Read the original article.
FAQ
1.What happens if I have a panic attack in public?
If you possibly can, move to a quiet space. Aim to breathe as best you can, and try and ground yourself.
2.How do I help someone at work with anxiety?
Just listen and non-judgmentally offer them professional support if required.
3.Can panic attacks kill you?
No. While not life-threatening in their nature, a panic attack can be most discomforting in nature and require professional help.
4.How could workplaces provide a more enabling environment for mental health?
Setting mental health policies and provision of resources, such as counseling, will help in setting up a supporting environment.
5.How do I talk to someone who has just had a panic attack?
Let them know they are safe and that their feelings are validated, and ask if there is anything you could do to help them moving forward.