06. Feeling Out of Control, a 21 Year Old Learns to Manage Panic Disorder
Keyla Torres is 21 years old and studies interior design. She loves painting and watching movies with her family, and she’s passionate about mental health awareness and self-betterment.
When overwhelming anxiety began to pop up for Keyla, she was especially concerned about the physical symptoms. One day, the 17-year-old felt intense worry and dread come over her, as well as nausea and lightheadedness. She didn’t feel in control of her mind and body. These were the first symptoms of a panic attack, something she would grapple with for months, until she learned she was struggling with panic disorder. Now more than 3 years later, she’s learning to manage the condition by understanding what may trigger her, and speaking up about her experience.
Panic attacks can take away our ability to function in the moment. Basically, panic attacks are bouts of intense fear and anxiety combined with physical symptoms such as:
-Choking sensations
-Racing heart
-Numbness and tingling
-Tunnel vision
-Tightness in the chest
-Sweating
-Nausea
-Dizziness
Panic disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder, arises based on the fear of having more panic attacks. This can cause a person to withdraw and isolate, and even stop doing activities or going places where they fear they might have an attack. Essentially it is panic about the panic.
This condition can be disabling, and it can also be managed. Overtime, a combination of medication and therapy can work. Learning about triggers and knowing when a panic attack is coming on can help to manage the condition.
Panic attacks may happen infrequently for some, or just for a period of time in response to stressors. Or it may develop into panic disorder, and require more work to manage. Refer to mental health professional such as psychiatrists, psychologists or other mental health practitioners to tailor your care plan if you are experiencing this.
DISCLAIMER: Keyla and I talk about our experiences with medication and what worked and didn’t work for us. We are not professionals and simply shared what our experiences with medications were like(because I believe that is an important discussion to have). If you need more information about medication, please refer to your psychiatrist or doctor.
More about Panic Disorder from the National Institute of Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms/index.shtml
Follow Keyla Torres on Instagram: @keyla_fk7
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