How to prevent panic
Now let us look at some of the risk factors. Knowing about these might help you prevent panic.
1. Rapid body change
If you have been sitting down for a while, get out of the chair slowly. Don't jump out of bed first thing. You may get a swimming feeling in your head if you do. This can lead to panic in some people.
2. Tiredness
Make sure you get enough rest, as panic is more likely if you are tired.
3. Low normal blood sugar
This is nothing to do with diabetes. You keep your blood sugar level up when you eat every few hours. If you don't eat, the level drops and makes you more prone to panic. Though it slows down while you sleep, you need to eat something first thing to raise your sugar level - a piece of toast is fine. Don't skip meals or go on crash diets. As a rough rule of thumb - eat something every three hours.
4. Alcohol
You may find you panic 'the morning after the night before' even if you have not had a great deal to drink. If you are prone to this, at least in the short term, you should stay away from drink. You can get into a vicious circle where you drink because you panic and you panic because you drink. This is the road to big problems. Watch out for this.
5. Illness
Things like the flu leave you more at risk. As you feel so weak, you are less able to fight panic off. This may be more prone to panic when you are recovering from illness.
6. Caffeine
Too much caffeine can be linked to panic. You get caffeine in coffee, tea, fizzy drinks such as Coke and Irn-Bru, pain killers such as Askits, energy drinks and tablets such as Red Bull and Pro Plus. Try to wean yourself off - use decaff tea and coffee and switch from fizzy drinks to pure juices. Cut down on pain-killers if you can.
7. Pre-menstrual phase
Many women find that they are more prone to panic in the days before their period. This is due to a natural drop in CO2 levels before a period. So HV takes its toll quicker at this time. PMT symptoms may increase stress in any case.
8. Stress
This is the most common risk factor for panic. Control stress and you are on the road to controlling panic.
