Panic attacks can affect anyone, from the person who never seems stressed to the person who always seems stressed. It doesn’t matter what sets the attacks off or how long they last – panic attacks are absolutely terrifying and happen when they are least expected.
The thing about panic attacks is that the fear doesn’t end when the attacks stop. You constantly wonder when other ones will come, what will set you off this time, how bad will these be and if you are losing your mind.
I had my first major panic attack this year, while sitting in a restaurant with my family. I felt like I couldn’t breathe; my hands, feet and face were tingling. I was dizzy; nothing felt real. It was like I was watching a movie; and I thought I was going insane. I ended up crouching outside, trying to pull myself together enough to go back inside.
These were all symptoms of a panic attack, and, although it was the biggest attack I’d had, it was not the first. I had experienced minor panic attacks in the past, which were triggered when I felt like I was losing control or when I became overwhelmed and struggled to function. But the circumstances around this one were a little different – I was stressed about new responsibilities, worried about impending midterms, being in an unfamiliar place and had just suffered the loss of someone close to me.
The panic attack scared me more than I ever thought my own mind could, and even then, I was luckier than most. I knew what I was happening, to some extent. But that knowledge came only from hours of stumbling across random topics on the Internet. Far too many people have no idea what panic attacks are, yet experience them.
I’ve realized that people don’t understand panic attacks – or mental health issues, for that matter – which isn’t something I blame them for. It can be uncomfortable, talking about mental health. It feels incredibly intimate to discuss how someone really feels, to not just accept their automatic “I’m fine.” And I’m not expecting random strangers on a bus to delve into each other’s life stories, but between friends or family, we should get comfortable talking about anxiety, depression or other mental ailments. Talking about these issues makes them feel a little less scary, and it makes it easier to cope with. Talking doesn’t always fix them, but being willing to talk openly about these issues can make them a little bit less terrifying.
And more people than you might expect suffer from anxiety disorders – 18 percent of the American population does, with women more likely to be affected than men. There is some evidence that suggests that the illness may be hereditary. Its onset typically occurs at around college age, and is one of the most prevalent mental health problems on college campuses.
But you can get help. You can talk to a professional – at CAPS if you’re a UCLA student, or elsewhere if you aren’t. With midterms and finals constantly around the corner, panic attacks may become more common.