19 Panic Attack meme.. (laughing at your misery?)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this blog we looked at several panic attack memes and how they can aid us in getting over our panic attacks.
Panic Attack Meme
These memes about panic attack are oh so relatable, and yet so funny!
20 best panic attack memes:
Although panic attacks are not life threatening, they can however be very frightened and intense. They are often caused by the fear that another one might happen.
The Internet brings people together and brings them comfort in the knowledge that they are in fact not alone. Such memes make such intense issues more relatable, joining people in the humour in their collective misery.
Given below are some of such memes on panic attacks from around the internet.
- Can I ask you something?…
- I’m back and how!
- Suspicious!
- Nice advice people..
- Oops!
- Y u do dis brain?
7. That mini panic attack when…
8. Winter is coming? Naahh..
9. Wholesome..!
10. Smh..!
11. It’s called multitasking!
12. The struggle is real!
13. The paradox!
14. Ummm..
15. Y tho?!
16. Brb, dying.
17. I’ve got myself a cheerleader!
18. Well…
19. A circle indeed..
20. What’s it gonna be?
Signs and Symptoms of a Panic Attack
A panic attack deals with feelings of intense and sudden fear and anxiety. They can have physical symptoms like nausea, disorientation, sweating, dizziness, stomachache, rapid and irregular heartbeat, dry mouth, breathlessness, etc.
Although the symptoms are not fatal, they can feel very frightening, and make you fear for your life. The average panic attack can last anywhere from five minutes to half an hour.
They are sudden and intense urges of fear, panic or anxiety, which are characterised by both emotional as well as physical symptoms. Feelings of detachment from reality, chest pain, and sensations similar to that of a heart attack are common.
Panic attacks typically begin without warning, and suddenly. They can strike any time, no matter what activity you might be performing. Their frequency is also variable, while it may occur occasionally for some people, it may be very frequent for others.
Some signs and symptoms are:
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat
- Chills
- Sense of impending doom or danger
- Fear of loss of control or death
- Rapid, pounding heart rate
- Headache
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Feeling of unreality or detachment
- Hot flashes
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramping
- Chest pain
Panic attacks may often occur in response to the intense fear or expectation of having another one.
People with panic disorder may have:
- Sudden and repeated panic attacks of overwhelming anxiety and fear
- A feeling of being out of control, or a fear of death or impending doom during a panic attack
- Physical symptoms during a panic attack, such as a pounding or racing heart, sweating, chills, trembling, breathing problems, weakness or dizziness, tingly or numb hands, chest pain, stomach pain, and nausea
- An intense worry about when the next panic attack will happen
- A fear or avoidance of places where panic attacks have occurred in the past
How to deal with it
If you feel any of the aforementioned symptoms, it is recommended that you seek professional help. Although they aren’t fatal, they can be very frightening and uncomfortable. The symptoms are often hard to manage on your own.
Because of the resemblance of the symptoms of a panic attack with other more fatal issues like heart attack, it is important to get evaluated to ensure that it is in fact a panic attack causing these symptoms.
The causes of a panic attack may range from genetics, to major stress, to anxiety, or temperament that are more prone to negative emotions, and certain changes in the way parts of your brain function.
One way to deal with a panic attack is telling yourself that the symptoms are caused by anxiety, and that they will pass. Try to keep doing things to distract yourself, and confront your fear instead of running from it.
It is often helpful to have someone with you, reassuring you that this will pass, and the symptoms are nothing to worry about.
Some breathing exercises that may be helpful are:
- breathe in as slowly, deeply and gently as you can, through your nose
- breathe out slowly, deeply and gently through your mouth
- some people find it helpful to count steadily from one to five on each in-breath and each out-breath
- close your eyes and focus on your breathing [1].
Other strategies that have been found to be helpful include:
- Practicing mindfulness
- Find an anchoring/ grounding focus object
- Use muscle relaxation techniques
- Picture your happy place
- Use scents like lavender, or chamomile tea
- Engage in light exercise
- Take prescription medicines like benzodiazepines
- Repeat a self affirmative statement
- Take a hot water bath if possible
Conclusion
In this blog we looked at 20 panic attack memes across the internet. Then we discussed the signs and symptoms of panic attack and how to deal with it.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Panic attack meme
What are the symptoms of a panic attack?
Physical symptoms of a panic attack include heart pounding, sweating, chills, trembling, breathing issues, dizziness, numb hands, stomach pain, nausea etc.
Is a panic attack and an anxiety attack the same thing?
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they aren’t the same. While their key characteristics are the same, panic attacks are generally more intense and severe than anxiety attacks.
What does a panic attack mean?
It is characterised as a sudden episode of intense fear that is accompanied by physical symptoms like heart racing, sweating, trembling, chills, numbness, nausea and stomach ache. This panic usually occurs in response to no apparent cause or real danger.
What do you say when having a panic attack?
When someone is having a panic attack, it might be helpful to be there for them without giving advice. Simply holding them, or telling them that you are there for them, and that they can get past it might be helpful.
How do you calm a panic attack?
Relaxation and breathing exercises are often helpful for calming a panic attack. These can be mindful breathing, finding objects to anchor or ground yourself, breathing in slowly, diaphragmatic breathing etc.
How long does it take to recover from a panic attack?
It may take 30 minutes on an average for someone to recover from a panic attack. Its after effects may however last for hours making you feel emotional tired and drained.
References
[1]. How to deal with panic attacks (n.d.) NHS inform. https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/mental-wellbeing/anxiety-and-panic/how-to-deal-with-panic-attacks
[2]. Gotter A., Legg T.J., (2018) 11 ways to stop a panic attack. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-a-panic-attack
[3]. Panic attacks and panic disorder. (n.d.) Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021
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