Despite how they make you feel sometimes, panic attacks are not fatal. However, research shows they may cause a number of health complications down the road if left untreated. Like with any prolonged anxiety disorder, panic attacks can take a physical and mental toll on you, and in as short as a couple of years, these attacks may begin to wreak havoc upon a number of different systems in your body.
All too often, people make distinctions between their emotional and physical health, when in reality the two are very much connected. When we stub our toe, for example, we feel pain or anguish, and our mood is quickly transformed from pleasant to grumpy. Similarly, when we feel anxiety or stress, our bodies react to this emotion in the form of pain or fatigue. This interconnectedness is especially apparent in panic attacks. The irrational fear and feelings of impending doom associated with these attacks are often accompanied by a whole host of physical symptoms, from chest pains to hyperventilation, as our body reacts to the stressful situation.
Over time, repeated or chronic panic attacks, just like everyday stress, can begin to exact mayhem on the body. When anxiety is constant and unyielding, the immune system's ability to fight disease is lowered, making us more vulnerable to disease. Everything from colds to cancer could be the result of this lowered immune system capacity.
Migraine and tension headaches can also be caused by panic attacks. When stress and anxiety is particularly high, the muscles in the scalp and neck involuntarily contract, causing pain. Over time prolonged stress and anxiety, such as the perpetual fear associated with panic attacks, will cause a constant state of tension and discomfort.
Muscle contractions associated with panic attacks are not just manifested in headache pain. Back, neck and shoulder pain may also begin to develop, as will pain in some of the smoother muscles of the digestive organs. Contractions in the stomach and intestine can cause cramping, diarrhea, heartburn and bloating.
The circulatory system is not immune to chronic panic attacks either. Prolonged stress and anxiety has long been linked to hypertension and heart disease. A frequent rise in blood pressure, a common occurrence in panic attacks, can eventually lead to sustained hypertension and a heart that has to work harder. Also, stress releases fatty acids into the system which may clog arteries and lead to heart disease.
Many panic attack sufferers turn to alcohol or tobacco for a temporary relief from their symptoms, but prolonged use of these substances can eventually lead to both addiction and disease, ultimately causing more problems than their worth.
To combat the long-lasting health effects of panic attacks, those suffering should try to avoid as much stress as they can. Unfortunately, due to the nature of panic disorder, that task is usually easier said than done. But while it may be difficult to eliminate panic attacks, and the immediate stress they cause, people can practice techniques and strategies which can help to manage the stress indirectly caused by these episodes. Relaxation and breathing techniques, such as yoga and meditation can be quite effective to this end, as can a healthy diet and regular exercise.
All too often, people make distinctions between their emotional and physical health, when in reality the two are very much connected. When we stub our toe, for example, we feel pain or anguish, and our mood is quickly transformed from pleasant to grumpy. Similarly, when we feel anxiety or stress, our bodies react to this emotion in the form of pain or fatigue. This interconnectedness is especially apparent in panic attacks. The irrational fear and feelings of impending doom associated with these attacks are often accompanied by a whole host of physical symptoms, from chest pains to hyperventilation, as our body reacts to the stressful situation.
Over time, repeated or chronic panic attacks, just like everyday stress, can begin to exact mayhem on the body. When anxiety is constant and unyielding, the immune system's ability to fight disease is lowered, making us more vulnerable to disease. Everything from colds to cancer could be the result of this lowered immune system capacity.
Migraine and tension headaches can also be caused by panic attacks. When stress and anxiety is particularly high, the muscles in the scalp and neck involuntarily contract, causing pain. Over time prolonged stress and anxiety, such as the perpetual fear associated with panic attacks, will cause a constant state of tension and discomfort.
Muscle contractions associated with panic attacks are not just manifested in headache pain. Back, neck and shoulder pain may also begin to develop, as will pain in some of the smoother muscles of the digestive organs. Contractions in the stomach and intestine can cause cramping, diarrhea, heartburn and bloating.
The circulatory system is not immune to chronic panic attacks either. Prolonged stress and anxiety has long been linked to hypertension and heart disease. A frequent rise in blood pressure, a common occurrence in panic attacks, can eventually lead to sustained hypertension and a heart that has to work harder. Also, stress releases fatty acids into the system which may clog arteries and lead to heart disease.
Many panic attack sufferers turn to alcohol or tobacco for a temporary relief from their symptoms, but prolonged use of these substances can eventually lead to both addiction and disease, ultimately causing more problems than their worth.
To combat the long-lasting health effects of panic attacks, those suffering should try to avoid as much stress as they can. Unfortunately, due to the nature of panic disorder, that task is usually easier said than done. But while it may be difficult to eliminate panic attacks, and the immediate stress they cause, people can practice techniques and strategies which can help to manage the stress indirectly caused by these episodes. Relaxation and breathing techniques, such as yoga and meditation can be quite effective to this end, as can a healthy diet and regular exercise.