‘I often get panic attacks – they’re stopping me leading a normal life’

• Is a health issue bothering you, but you can’t talk about it? Dr Dawn Harper, who appeared on Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, is here to answer your problems

‘I often get panic attacks – they’re stopping me leading a normal life’ Joanne, 42

DR HARPER: Panic attacks are common. At least one in 10 people have the occasional attack and they can affect anyone, but they’re twice as common in women as they are in men and they also tend to run in some families. They are often triggered by a stressful event, but if they are occurring frequently, as yours are, there isn’t always an obvious cause.

JOANNE: So what’s happening tomy body?
DR HARPER: We all have a ‘fight or flight’ reflex which is nature’s way of helping us to cope with a frightening situation. In other words, if you were running from a mammoth, your heart would pound, you’d tremble and feel sweaty. The rush of adrenalin makes you more alert and able to react more quickly, so in that kind of scenario it would be a useful reaction. During a panic attack, however, your body’s nervous system goes into overdrive and triggers this response inappropriately. It can make you feel acutely anxious with palpitations, sweating, shaking and even chest pain. People often describe the symptoms as feeling like they are having a heart attack.

JOANNE: It’s scary, and I often get pins and needles in my hands, too…
DR HARPER: During a panic attack you tend to breathe more rapidly which means you blow off more carbon dioxide. This alters the acidity of your blood and can lead to the pins and needles you experience. The whole episode can be really frightening and, of course, the more often they occur, the more anxious you become about having one, which can trigger more attacks so it is easy to get into a bit of a vicious cycle.

JOANNE: I just want them to stop – how can I do this?
DR HARPER: If you feel an attack developing, try to sit calmly and concentrate on your breathing, inhaling and exhaling as slowly and deeply as you can. Tell people around you that you are prone to these attacks so that if they occur, they will know to keep you calm and reassure you. Place a paper bag over your nose and mouth and breathe in and out of it. By doing this you will re-breathe your carbon dioxide, which will correct the acid level in your blood and alleviate some of the physical symptoms. As your panic attacks are happening frequently enough to interfere with your day-to-day life, you should see your GP, who may suggest a course of antidepressants. These work by balancing chemicals in the brain and have been found to work well for panic attacks.

JOANNE: I’m nervous about taking drugs – I don’t want to get hooked!
DR HARPER: Antidepressants are not generally addictive, but if you’d rather avoid medication, ask your GP about cognitive behavioural therapy. This is a talking therapy that teaches you how to control your thought patterns and behaviours. Once you have learned the techniques you can use them at any stage if your symptoms start to recur. Alternatively, try the herbal remedy St John’s wort, which can help with mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

JOANNE: I’m a bit overweight and I drink too much coffee – could that be making things worse?
DR HARPER: Drinking coffee shouldn’t cause a panic attack, but caffeine is a stimulant so having lots on a daily basis won’t help. Try swapping to decaffeinated coffee or, even better, a herbal tea such as chamomile, to help you relax. Similarly, being overweight won’t be the cause of your attacks but regular exercise will help your anxiety so why not start a new exercise regime? Losing weight will also boost your self-confidence.

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