What causes panic attacks, and how can you prevent them? - Cindy J. Aaronson
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0:07 - 0:10The body becomes its own corset.
-
0:10 - 0:14Past, present, and future
exist as a single force. -
0:14 - 0:18A swing without gravity soars
to a terrifying height. -
0:18 - 0:22The outlines of people and things
dissolve. -
0:23 - 0:26Countless poets and writers
have tried to put words -
0:26 - 0:29to the experience of a panic attack—
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0:29 - 0:34a sensation so overwhelming, many people
mistake it for a heart attack, stroke, -
0:34 - 0:37or other life-threatening crisis.
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0:37 - 0:40Though panic attacks don’t cause
long-term physical harm, -
0:40 - 0:44afterwards, the fear of another attack
can limit someone’s daily life— -
0:44 - 0:47and cause more panic attacks.
-
0:47 - 0:49Studies suggest that almost a third of us
-
0:49 - 0:53will experience at least one
panic attack in our lives. -
0:53 - 0:55And whether it’s your first,
your hundredth, -
0:55 - 0:58or you’re witnessing someone else
go through one, -
0:58 - 1:01no one wants to repeat the experience.
-
1:01 - 1:05Even learning about them can
be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary— -
1:05 - 1:09because the first step to preventing
panic attacks is understanding them. -
1:10 - 1:13At its core, a panic attack
is an overreaction to the body’s -
1:13 - 1:17normal physiological response
to the perception of danger. -
1:17 - 1:20This response starts with the amygdala,
-
1:20 - 1:23the brain region involved
in processing fear. -
1:23 - 1:25When the amygdala perceives danger,
-
1:25 - 1:27it stimulates
the sympathetic nervous system, -
1:27 - 1:30which triggers the release of adrenaline.
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1:30 - 1:33Adrenaline prompts an increase
in the heart and breathing rate -
1:33 - 1:37to get blood and oxygen
to the muscles of the arms and legs. -
1:37 - 1:42This also sends oxygen to the brain,
making it more alert and responsive. -
1:43 - 1:44During a panic attack,
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1:44 - 1:48this response is exaggerated
well past what would be useful -
1:48 - 1:50in a dangerous situation,
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1:50 - 1:55causing a racing heart, heavy breathing,
or hyperventilation. -
1:55 - 1:58The changes to blood flow
cause lightheadedness -
1:58 - 2:01and numbness in the hands and feet.
-
2:01 - 2:04A panic attack usually peaks
within 10 minutes. -
2:04 - 2:07Then, the prefrontal cortex
takes over from the amygdala -
2:07 - 2:11and stimulates
the parasympathetic nervous system. -
2:11 - 2:14This triggers the release of a hormone
called acetylcholine -
2:14 - 2:19that decreases the heart rate
and gradually winds down the panic attack. -
2:19 - 2:22In a panic attack, the body’s
perception of danger -
2:22 - 2:27is enough to trigger the response we would
have to a real threat— and then some. -
2:27 - 2:30We don't know for sure
why this happens, -
2:30 - 2:33but sometimes cues in the environment
that remind us -
2:33 - 2:37of traumatic past experience
can trigger a panic attack. -
2:37 - 2:40Panic attacks can be part
of anxiety disorders -
2:40 - 2:47like PTSD, social anxiety disorder, OCD,
and generalized anxiety disorder. -
2:47 - 2:50Recurring panic attacks,
frequent worry about new attacks, -
2:50 - 2:53and behavioral changes
to avoid panic attacks -
2:53 - 2:57can lead to a diagnosis
of a panic disorder. -
2:57 - 3:00The two main treatments
for panic disorder -
3:00 - 3:05are antidepressant medication
and cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. -
3:05 - 3:09Both have about a 40% response rate—
-
3:09 - 3:12though someone who responds to one
may not respond to the other. -
3:12 - 3:16However, antidepressant medications
carry some side effects, -
3:16 - 3:20and 50% of people relapse
when they stop taking them. -
3:20 - 3:26CBT, meanwhile, is more lasting,
with only a 20% relapse rate. -
3:26 - 3:30The goal of CBT treatment for panic
disorder is to help people learn -
3:30 - 3:34and practice concrete tools
to exert physical, and in turn mental, -
3:34 - 3:40control over the sensations and thoughts
associated with a panic attack. -
3:40 - 3:45CBT begins with an explanation of the
physiological causes of a panic attack, -
3:45 - 3:49followed by breath and muscle exercises
designed to help people -
3:49 - 3:52consciously control breathing patterns.
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3:52 - 3:54Next comes cognitive restructuring,
-
3:54 - 3:57which involves identifying
and changing the thoughts -
3:57 - 3:59that are common during attacks—
-
3:59 - 4:03such as believing you’ll stop breathing,
have a heart attack, or die— -
4:03 - 4:06and replacing them
with more accurate thoughts. -
4:07 - 4:12The next stage of treatment is exposure
to the bodily sensations and situations -
4:12 - 4:15that typically trigger a panic attack.
-
4:15 - 4:18The goal is to change the belief,
through experience, -
4:18 - 4:22that these sensations and situations
are dangerous. -
4:22 - 4:28Even after CBT, taking these steps
isn’t easy in the grip of an attack. -
4:28 - 4:32But with practice, these tools
can both prevent and de-escalate attacks, -
4:32 - 4:36and ultimately reduce the hold of panic
on a person’s life. -
4:38 - 4:39Outside formal therapy,
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4:39 - 4:45many panickers find relief from the same
beliefs CBT aims to instill: -
4:45 - 4:50that fear can’t hurt you,
but holding on to it will escalate panic. -
4:50 - 4:53Even if you’ve never had a panic attack,
-
4:53 - 4:57understanding them will help you identify
one in yourself or someone else— -
4:57 - 5:01and recognizing them is the first step
in preventing them.
- Title:
- What causes panic attacks, and how can you prevent them? - Cindy J. Aaronson
- Speaker:
- Cindy J. Aaronson
- Description:
-
View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-causes-panic-attacks-and-how-can-you-prevent-them-cindy-j-aaronson
Countless poets and writers have tried to put words to the experience of a panic attack— a sensation so overwhelming, many people mistake it for a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening crisis. Studies suggest that almost a third of us will experience at least one panic attack in our lives. So what exactly is a panic attack, and can we prevent them? Cindy J. Aaronson investigates.
Lesson by Cindy J. Aaronson, directed by Aim Creative Studios.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 05:02
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