Panic attacks during pregnancy: what to do and who to turn to

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Published: 01/27/2020

1 First attack during pregnancy
2 What is a panic attack?
3 Symptoms of the disorder
4 First attack during pregnancy
5 Fears during pregnancy
6 What to do for experienced patients
7 How to cope with a panic attack
8 Are panic attacks dangerous for a pregnant woman?
9 Daily routine
10 Prevention
11 Breathing exercises

Panic attack concept

In medicine, this process is usually called a sudden attack of anxiety, usually inexplicable, literally debilitating to the person under attack.
A feeling of fear, turning into panic, is often accompanied by various psychosomatic symptoms, aggravating an already painful condition. The duration of such states varies from several minutes to several hours. Panic attacks during pregnancy are not uncommon. In this state, the expectant mother experiences an inexplicable feeling of fear, which is sometimes simply impossible to cope with. The body of a pregnant woman is subjected to a severe test, and when panic attacks are added to poor physical well-being, existence becomes unbearable.

Among the terms that define unexplained anxiety states, you can hear the following: cardioneurosis or vegetative-vascular dystonia with a crisis course. However, all these are just definitions of panic attacks.

Conclusion

Today, PA has many different names - vegetative crisis, VSD with a crisis course, cardioneurosis, which are used in modern medicine. But no matter what the disease is called, a pregnant woman will still be subjected to excruciating fear and anxiety states that she cannot overcome on her own.

The right decision in this case would be to contact a specialist (psychologist or psychotherapist) and perform a set of breathing exercises, because just a few minutes of breathing exercises will help relieve tension and, if they do not prevent panic completely, will soften it.

Every pregnant woman undergoing PA should receive only positive emotions, engage in her favorite hobby, and think less about various dangers and complications. This will help not only the mother to avoid seizures, but also your baby to be born strong and healthy.

For a long time, panic attacks were classified as so-called vegetative crises and associated with vegetative-vascular dystonia. At the end of the 20th century, the situation was completely revised. In the International Classification of Diseases, they are assigned a separate code, but VSD itself is not even mentioned in it. We are dealing with an anxiety disorder that manifests itself over a short period of time and has vivid symptoms. They cause a lot of trouble and significantly reduce the quality of life of patients. In this regard, a separate topic is panic attacks during pregnancy, an already difficult condition. The main problem is that it is necessary not only to prescribe the correct course of treatment, but also to do this taking into account the possible effect on the fetus.

Panic attacks in pregnant women cannot be ignored, as they are very dangerous.

There is both good and bad news waiting for us here. Let's list everything in one list.

If doctors say something about vegetative-vascular dystonia, then smile. This is inertia, a consequence of a special medical tradition that arose back in the Soviet years and stubbornly maintains its position.
Keep smiling and leave the office to see the sign on the door again. With a high degree of probability we can say that it says “Neurologist”. There is nothing wrong with this, but still try to understand how broadly he views the problem. Test a specialist. Ask him something about cognitive psychotherapy or psychoanalysis. If he makes a skeptical expression on his face, then seriously think about changing the specialist as soon as possible.
All over the world, panic attacks are treated by psychotherapists. In Russia too, but, unfortunately, not everywhere. If a neurologist looks at the problem comprehensively and can at least reason like a neuropsychiatrist, then everything is in order. If he is not a psychologist, then think about it. In the end, it's your health, not ours. This problem relates to the psyche and needs to be treated using appropriate methods.
Antidepressants are often included in the treatment regimen. Some of them do not bring anything dangerous to the fetus. But here you need to take into account certain factors. First and second generation antidepressants have gained negative fame. The third, which belongs to the type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, is quite suitable in cases where panic attacks appear during pregnancy. We need those that have an anti-anxiety effect.
It is better to focus on psychotherapy. Practice shows that certain techniques have a positive effect when applied in practice. They don’t provide it when they don’t use it. All patients are divided into two types. Some are ready to practice something themselves, while others only hope for outside help. Since the psychotherapist cannot give them a new head, that is, a higher nervous system, there is nothing left except medications.

For panic attacks, consult a doctor

Most often, anxiety and panic attacks are a consequence of something and are observed in the presence of other mental disorders or neuroses. They can occur on their own, but they always contain a certain information component. This is the result of an internal conflict, the presence of some archetypal debt. Often fear is a way of self-defense. In the case of pregnancy, the body and psyche are under stress, even if the woman herself has a positive attitude towards pregnancy and wants a child.

This fear may also be associated with the fact that a pregnant woman belongs to a certain type of personality and has certain tendencies in thinking. For example, blaming yourself for everything or, in simple terms, a suspicious person. Of course, this does not mean that panic attacks in pregnant women are necessarily associated with this and no other reason. There are no general cases here; each one needs to be studied individually.

A characteristic feature of crises is that they do not allow one to calmly analyze the situation

. An acute feeling of anxiety suddenly arises, which, for lack of a better term, is called panic. Then the heartbeat quickens, the illusion of lack of air syndrome occurs, and others appear - trembling in the hands, profuse sweating, and the like. The important thing to understand here is that there are no real health problems. And to make it easier to understand this, get examined by a cardiologist and a therapist. However, pregnant women are the only type of patients who have something to fear. This is premature birth, which can trigger panic attacks. Therefore, you need to explore methods that can help.

Panic attacks can harm a child's health

What are panic attacks

Girls who experience VSD often think about the dangers of panic attacks during pregnancy. People who intend to plan conception, who are aware of such attacks, as well as those who encounter them for the first time in this state. To understand the impact of fear attacks on the human body, you need to understand the mechanisms of their occurrence.

Some believe that uncontrollable panic attacks are one of the manifestations of VSD. Others consider it an independent pathology, and still others consider it the result of nervous shock and stress. All points of view are reduced to one position. The body experiences a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system in the form of severe anxiety or a feeling of fear, increased heart rate, dizziness, shortness of breath and other bad symptoms.

Panic attacks are not classified as somatic disorders. This may be the result of emotional instability, hormonal changes. Feelings of anxiety and horror are often not based on anything specific. People become afraid of such fear. Patients again do not want to experience such conditions and are afraid of a recurrence of the attack.

Positive emotions

It is not for nothing that our wise ancestors tried to surround a pregnant woman only with those things that are pleasing to the eye and delight the expectant mother. This allowed her to maintain a joyful, balanced state and bear a healthy baby without any problems. To reduce your stress level, you first need to learn how to bring yourself joy.

Determine for yourself what can bring you positive emotions - maybe viewing beautiful paintings, listening to calm meditative music, sounds of nature? Perhaps handicrafts or watching funny comedies? Reading your favorite book, a relaxing bath with aromatic oils or foam - all these are your non-drug helpers in the fight against stress, anxiety and panic.

Make time every day for activities that make you happy - and your nervous system will become more balanced, and negative emotions will visit you much less often. However, it is worth remembering that it is better to choose positive and calm music and films. Even if you used to be very happy with action movies and hard rock, during pregnancy it is better to find a calmer replacement for them.

Muscle relaxation training

It cannot be said that a panic attack is an independent disease. Such phenomena do not arise out of nowhere. The nature of their origin lies not in a physical illness, but in the psycho-emotional state of a woman during pregnancy.

Provoking factors may be:

A woman's natural anxiety. Anxiety about the baby’s health, fear of childbirth, fear of harming the baby (falling on his stomach, getting into an accident and other phobias). All of these fears combined can trigger an attack of severe anxiety.
Characteristics of a pregnant woman. Often, overly emotional, anxious individuals become easy targets. If a woman is naturally accustomed to worrying about every minor issue, then the risk of a vegetative crisis during pregnancy increases several times.
Changes in hormonal levels. In this case, panic attacks during pregnancy are considered as a consequence of a violation of the proper functioning of individual systems and organs of the woman. For example, as a symptom of a disorder in the brain or as a consequence of neurosis-like conditions.
Stress and phobias. A conflict situation, a large crowd of people, or, on the contrary, a too small enclosed space - all this can cause a severe attack of anxiety.

In addition to the inexplicable and uncontrollable feeling of fear during an attack, women experience other discomforting symptoms, including:

tachycardia (fast heartbeat);
chills;
feeling of heat (sometimes with increased body temperature);
increased sweating (sudden release of cold sweat on the skin);
hand trembling;
suffocation (feeling of lack of air);
disorders of the digestive system, expressed in constipation or diarrhea;
attacks of nausea (sometimes with vomiting);
frequent urination;
feeling of numbness in the limbs;
dry mouth (inability to swallow due to a feeling of a lump in the throat);
disorientation;
imbalance;
dizziness;
changes in blood pressure;
cramps in the limbs (especially before childbirth).

If a pregnant woman experiences at least a few of the above symptoms, she needs specialist advice and help. Pregnancy with VSD and panic attacks is carried out under the supervision of not only a gynecologist, but also a psychotherapist.

If the attack has already begun, it is quite difficult to cope with it. The main problem is that it is impossible to reliably determine when the body will undergo another attack. However, you can learn to avoid such conditions if you establish the cause of the autonomic disorder. Treatment of panic attacks during pregnancy is possible, the main thing is to consult a specialist in time.

First, you should contact your gynecologist and rule out the somatic nature of the occurrence of disorders (bodily diseases). If none are found, it is important to find a qualified psychotherapist and consult with him about your fears. A specialist will help you identify factors that provoke anxiety and learn how to avoid them.

For severe panic attacks during pregnancy, the psychotherapist prescribes medications (gentle antipsychotics Sertroline, Fluoxetine) that help relieve psychological tension. Such therapy can last up to several months before a woman feels confident. Taking medications prescribed by your doctor should be gradually stopped no later than two months before giving birth.

It is important to understand that tranquilizers and antidepressants are contraindicated for women carrying a child. Therefore, the main direction in treatment comes down to eliminating the causes of their occurrence and teaching a woman what to do during panic attacks during pregnancy, which consists of methods of self-help for the body during an attack.

This method helps prepare the body for the next attack. The essence of the method is the ability to completely relax. As a rule, in stressful situations, including during an attack, muscles spontaneously tense. To avoid the negative consequences of such tension, it is necessary to teach the body to relax. This can be achieved through training based on alternately tensing and relaxing muscles.

Regular classes consist of the following exercises:

Tighten and clench all your fingers into a fist.
Bend your wrists as much as possible (training the muscles of the forearms).
Raise your arms bent at the elbows to shoulder level and spread them to the sides.
Move both shoulder blades towards the center of your back as much as possible, and then move them downwards.
In a sitting position, raise your legs straight.
Pull your toes up and towards you, and your heels down (without spreading your toes to the sides).
Keeping your feet tense, curl your toes.

Initially, each exercise should alternate with complete relaxation. Then you can combine several exercises before the next relaxation. As a result, the body gets used to the tension of all muscles, followed by a sharp relaxation, accompanied by a deep exhalation. It is important to learn how to breathe correctly while performing tension and relaxation exercises. Breathing should be nasal, smooth and without delay.

The first training sessions will not be easy. You need to constantly monitor your breathing. As you get used to it, the body will learn to work in a coordinated manner, the goal of which is to be able to completely relax without preliminary tension. To obtain lasting results, it is recommended to repeat relaxing gymnastics several times a day.

To distract from anxious thoughts and reduce the frequency of panic attacks, experts recommend treatment methods such as:

acupuncture (acupuncture);
light therapy (a healing technique that involves exposing the body to light waves);
art therapy (creative activities);
aromatherapy (impact on the body using odors);
infrared radiation (healing electromagnetic radiation);
herbal medicine (treatment using medicinal plants).

The next panic attack is the right moment to test your knowledge in practice. If a woman has already learned to completely relax, then this is the first thing to try during an attack. At the same time, it is extremely important to maintain even, calm breathing (deep inhalation and longer exhalation).

Judging by the reviews, during panic attacks it is no less important to provide an influx of fresh air (open a window or go outside from a stuffy room).

If your blood pressure is low during an attack, it is advisable to lie down so that your legs are higher than your head. If your blood pressure is low, you can drink a cup of not too strong coffee or strong, sweetened tea.

If you have high blood pressure, it is better to drink chilled water. It is advisable to sit or lie down in a comfortable position and apply a cool compress to your forehead.

If the attack is accompanied by weakness, suffocation, slow heart rate, sweating or a feeling of heat, you can drink twenty drops of valerian tincture.

In case of rapid heartbeat, you can take Corvalol (thirty drops) or Valocordin.

The main thing during a panic attack during pregnancy is not to aggravate your condition. If possible, you need to distract yourself and switch your attention to something more important than your own fears.

In pregnant women, panic attacks should be quickly eliminated. It is easier to deal with the physiological manifestations of seizures. To do this, you need to learn to achieve a state of relaxation. Training involves doing exercises to tense and relax certain muscle groups, then you need to tense the whole body.

You need to repeat the exercise of increased tension and relaxation while taking a deep breath. To this end, to quickly combat a seizure, you need to master breathing exercises and other procedures that help relieve stress.

During pregnancy, panic attacks can be treated with little or no medication. Pregnant women are not prescribed medications: tranquilizers, antidepressants, since they negatively affect the fetus. And their use is stopped several months before pregnancy. However, in case of severe disorders in pregnant women, the psychotherapist prescribes mild antipsychotics.

The following methods are practiced during the sessions:

art therapy;
phototherapy;
acupuncture;
reflexology.

Aromatherapy and herbal medicine are good, provided that the pregnant woman is not allergic to odors and herbs.

To relax your muscles completely, you first need to tense them very hard. You need to start training with alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles, first the hands, forearms, shoulders, adding contractions of the muscles of the feet, legs, thighs, then the back muscles. Then gradually combine the tension of the muscles of different groups until you can tense all the muscles of the body at once. The next action will be: after a deep breath, you need to tense all your muscles, mentally count to ten, exhale sharply and relax them.

This exercise with sudden tension and then complete relaxation should be repeated several times a day.

If your blood pressure is low during a panic, you should lie down comfortably so that your legs are higher than your head. It wouldn't hurt to drink sweet tea or coffee.

If your blood pressure rises during an attack: sit in a comfortable, relaxed position, place a cool compress on your forehead, and drink water at room temperature in small sips.

Symptoms of the disorder

All symptoms can be divided into two groups: vegetative (manifestations of dysfunction of internal organs) and emotional.

The following vegetative symptoms of a panic attack are distinguished:

cardiac (rapid heartbeat, irregular heart rhythm, increase or decrease in blood pressure);
respiratory (shortness of breath, suffocation, lack of air, simply difficulty breathing);
disorders of the gastrointestinal and vestibular functions (digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, belching, dry mouth, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness, unsteady gait, etc.);
violations of thermoregulation (decrease or increase in temperature) and sweating.

There are a lot of emotional symptoms. The most characteristic of them is a feeling of unreasonable fear, often turning into panic. Sometimes this fear turns into a specific form - for example, a person is afraid of getting sick, falling, going crazy, or somehow disgracing himself in front of others. Sometimes attacks occur without a feeling of fear, but the patient experiences depression, melancholy, or, conversely, irritation that develops into aggression.

In atypical cases of panic disorder, the patient complains of various pains - in the abdomen, spine, headache, sensations of heat, a lump in the throat, problems with voice and speech, weakness in the arms or legs, muscle tension and vomiting.

Against the background of all these symptoms, depressive disorders develop - interest in the environment disappears, social activity decreases, the patient constantly feels tired, weak, loses his appetite, sleep is disturbed, and sexual problems arise.

Doctors distinguish several types of panic attacks, each of which has its own characteristic symptoms.

A sympathoadrenal attack is characterized by pain in the heart or headache, increased heart rate, increased pulse, blood pressure and body temperature. The face turns red or pale, the person shudders. There are attacks of unreasonable fear. After an attack, excessive urination is observed - this happens due to increased work of the kidneys with high blood pressure.

A vagoinsular attack manifests itself through a feeling of nausea, dizziness, and a feeling of lack of air. A person sweats, his blood pressure and pulse rate drop, and his body temperature decreases. Sometimes problems arise with the gastrointestinal tract - abdominal pain, flatulence, rumbling, etc. Attacks become more frequent due to stress, anxiety or overwork. After the attack, the patient feels unwell, weak and weak for several days.

When faced with such an attack for the first time during pregnancy, a woman should be prepared to recognize the attack in time. This is where knowing the symptoms of this disorder will come to the rescue:

pressure change;
dyspnea;
headache;
tachycardia;
nausea and vomiting;
dizziness;
disorientation;
confusion;
increased sweating.

These symptoms are subdued by an overwhelming feeling of fear and panic. The physical manifestations of the disorder are different for each patient. An increase or decrease in blood pressure is often observed. Many complain of headaches, and some patients note complete disorientation in space and dizziness.

Vegetative-vascular crises

During pregnancy, the situation is complicated by the fact that girls often increase their anxiety, listen to their own condition and assess the probable danger in the environment.

Against this background, seizures can become more frequent and severe. Often, girls during pregnancy have the right to face fears or some kind of anxiety. This situation is unpleasant for her too. In addition to difficult feelings, there is a logical fear for the well-being of children.

Panic attacks and pregnancy are never mutually exclusive. Such seizures cannot be characterized as a direct contraindication to childbirth and conception, since they do not affect the girl’s body. However, they have the potential to worsen the development of the fetus as it is affected by the health of the mother.

A sharp decrease in blood pressure is manifested by a lack of oxygen in the circulatory system. The release of large amounts of stress hormone ultimately leads to excessive stress on the muscles. Hypertonicity of the uterus can cause miscarriage.

The likelihood of a miscarriage

Panic attacks are a common occurrence in pregnant women and are not serious. Panic attacks can cause muscle tension. This ultimately causes uterine hypertonicity.

Therefore, you need to try to monitor your own mental state. This can be dangerous for the healthy development of the fetus.

During pregnancy, girls worry about the condition of their children. This is a normal reaction. Sometimes during pregnancy a state of anxiety occurs. The palms become cold and sweaty, breathing is interrupted. Such conditions can be described as panic attacks. At such moments, it is difficult for expectant mothers to concentrate and think logically.

Preparation

The main and most effective methods of combating panic attacks are:

Psychotherapy.
Relaxing gymnastics.
Correct breathing.

Such methods are considered acceptable for pregnant women. You need to get rid of difficulties caused by panic attacks, you need to prepare for pregnancy, bring your psyche to a normal state, remove the causes of anxiety, and improve stress resistance.

Difficulties caused by panic attacks can be avoided if you prepare for pregnancy, put your nerves in order, eliminate the causes that cause neurosis and anxiety, increasing stress resistance. Fight insomnia. as it can cause panic attacks.

With regular work on yourself and the participation of a psychotherapist, recovery can be expected within a year. Qualified help from such specialists is considered the main way to eliminate panic attacks.

There is also pharmacotherapy, for which antidepressants are used, but their participation in the healing process is secondary. It should be borne in mind that such drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy, since they can have a negative effect on the gestating fetus, causing malformations.

Expert help and independent skills

Specialists who provide assistance with panic attacks: psychiatrist, psychotherapist (sometimes psychologist), neurologist. A psychiatrist mainly provides only medication assistance to the patient, so it is better to entrust panic attacks in pregnant women to a psychotherapist (after all, the choice of medications approved for pregnant women is very small). Do not be upset that medication treatment is not available to you. Yes, they quickly cope with panic conditions, but the result is rarely sustainable. For long-term results, you will still need to work with a therapist and use self-help techniques.

In addition, auxiliary specialists can also provide assistance - for example, a massage therapist or chiropractor, but remember that their assistance must be agreed upon with the specialist leading you.

A psychotherapist can use symptomatic or depth psychotherapy methods, in any case, this will help you better understand the causes of attacks. The psychotherapist can also teach you various relaxation methods (muscle relaxation, breathing exercises), which will be useful to you both in everyday life and in case of an attack. In some cases, the psychotherapist uses hypnosis. In general, the method of hypnosis has proven itself well in the treatment of panic disorders, but there are practically no statistics on its use during pregnancy. Although there are some positive reviews from pregnant women about its use.

As for self-help methods, there are quite a few of them. Let us only note the special importance of mastering breathing techniques and muscle relaxation methods. Why them? As already mentioned, the main risk during a panic attack in a pregnant woman is the threat of spontaneous termination of pregnancy (miscarriage). This happens because during an attack, against the background of stress, muscle spasm occurs, including the smooth muscles of the uterus. If you master muscle relaxation techniques, this threat will be minimized. Breathing techniques, in turn, allow you to even out and calm your breathing, and therefore slow your heart rate to normal. All this together will help avoid negative consequences for the fetus that such symptoms can cause.

In addition to the basic techniques listed above, you can use: relaxing massage, baths, aromatherapy, herbal medicine (taking infusions of soothing herbs and herbs). Now there are many new methods - light therapy (another name is phototherapy), chromotherapy (light treatment), vibration therapy and many others. The main rule to remember is that every specialist you contact should know about your pregnancy. Absolutely everyone. Even medicinal herbs can have contraindications. Don't risk your baby's health needlessly.

It is quite possible to carry and give birth to an absolutely healthy child with panic syndrome. Health to you and your children!

Attacks of severe anxiety that cannot be explained, which are accompanied by fear in combination with various vegetative symptoms, have a name familiar to many - a panic attack. It manifests itself not only in weak, unbalanced people. Life in modern society, with its wild rhythm and constant tension, emotional fatigue can become fertile ground for the development of a panic attack in any person.

This condition is not life-threatening, but people who experience regular attacks feel differently.

The disease does not choose when and in whom to manifest itself. A large number of people today experience this condition. It is not uncommon for panic attacks to occur during pregnancy, because at this stage of life women are especially often exposed to worries, worries, and stress about the baby’s health.

Panic attacks during pregnancy: impact on the fetus

Practice shows that anxiety during pregnancy does not pose a threat to the health of the fetus. In most cases, women who suffer from panic attacks during pregnancy give birth to completely healthy children. On the contrary, a woman instinctively tries, despite her fears, to bear and give birth to a long-awaited child.

The so-called nesting instinct gradually replaces the anxious state, forcing the woman to distract from her fears and switch to her future offspring. Experts recommend not focusing on periodically occurring attacks, so as not to provoke frequent attacks. After all, the more a woman thinks about the approach of another attack, the more often anxiety states manifest themselves.

And if this does not affect the baby’s health, it may affect the course of the pregnancy. For example, severe panic attacks in the early stages of pregnancy can provoke spontaneous abortion, and in later stages can cause premature birth.

In addition, overstrain of a woman’s muscles during an attack can lead the uterus to a state of hypertonicity, as a result of which the fetus begins to experience oxygen starvation (fetal hypoxia).

In the desire to get rid of the next attack, the expectant mother becomes less cautious and may take a drug that is strictly contraindicated for use during pregnancy.

This is why it is so important to pay attention to your condition and seek help at the first manifestations of panic attacks.

Expectant mothers who have had panic attacks are concerned about whether these conditions affect the health of their unborn baby. But, fortunately, most women with such disorders give birth to completely healthy children. Instincts for preserving offspring help a pregnant woman focus on caring for her unborn child and distract herself from her own psycho-emotional problems. It happens that after the birth of a baby, such conditions never recur in a woman.

But a pregnant woman who is prone to panic attacks should not worry too much about how panic attacks affect the fetus, since such experiences will only worsen the frequency of the attacks. But you need to learn how to cope with attacks. Since they, although not directly, however, affect the course of pregnancy and, accordingly, the condition of the fetus.

Panic attacks during pregnancy in the early stages provoke the threat of miscarriage, and in later stages – premature birth. Muscle tension during an attack causes the uterus to tone, while an insufficient amount of oxygen reaches the fetus, and fetal hypoxia develops. A pregnant woman in a foggy state is able to take medications that can affect the health of the unborn child.

“Alarmist without experience”: if you are faced with a problem for the first time

Of course, it’s good if you have the opportunity to undergo rehabilitation before pregnancy. But what should those mothers do who were not at all ready for such a development of events? After all, the expectant mother already experiences great anxiety and fear for the health of the unborn baby.

In any case, first you need a comprehensive examination by a number of specialists (therapist, neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist).

Remember that the symptoms of panic are very similar to the symptoms of other physical diseases. Only a doctor can confirm or deny their presence. Do not under any circumstances try to diagnose yourself - after all, in this case, you are responsible not only for your health, but also for the health of your unborn child.

Let's assume that you have been diagnosed with panic disorder. First of all, try to understand that, strange as it may sound, it was your anxiety and fear that provoked the occurrence of such attacks. Panic syndrome, as a rule, affects people of a certain type - with high anxiety, emotionally unstable. They are characterized by mood swings and fatigue. All of the above is typical for pregnant women, isn’t it? Therefore, therapy, first of all, should be aimed at reducing stress levels in general.

Medicines against fear

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the only suitable methods of dealing with panic are:

Psychotherapy.
Breathing exercises.
Different relaxation methods.

Fear is not only an experience; muscle tissue is also in a specific state. As tension progresses, they send data to the brain about fixation and the presence of danger.

Therefore, if you need to get rid of panic attacks, you will have to learn to cope with tension in muscle tissue. To this end, you will have to cope with tension in muscle tissue.

To do this, you need to form the habit of relaxing your muscles. To relax, you have to tense up:

The muscles of the hand tense, the fingers squeeze into a fist.
The muscle tissue of the forearm becomes tense; you need to try to bend your hands at the wrist joints with maximum force.
It is advisable to tense the muscle tissue in the area of the shoulders and forearms, spread the upper limbs in height at shoulder level, and bend at the elbow joints.
You need to tighten the muscles of the shoulder blades, bring them together and pull them down.
Tighten your thighs, raise your legs in a sitting position.
Tighten the muscle tissue on your shins, pull your feet towards you slightly towards each other.
You need to tense your feet, bend your toes as much as possible.

You can learn to perform each exercise separately or combine them. Then you need to try to strain all the above muscle groups as much as possible. You need to count to 10, focus on tension.

After this, you need to relax and take a deep breath. After this, you need to try to relax and focus on this feeling. You need to understand that you are performing such an exercise not for the purpose of tension, but to relax the tissues and form muscle memory.

How to survive panic correctly

During panic attacks you will have to use such simple techniques. They will help you feel better and cope with the vegetative crisis. There are 2 types of panic attacks with high and low blood pressure. Each method has its own characteristics.

The exercises need to be performed 7-10 approaches per day until you can learn to relax voluntarily, sharply and fully without any tension. This often takes from 5 to 10 days of constant training.

The physiology of fear is not limited to tension in muscle tissue. Even our breathing is taken into account. Stressful situations disrupt the rhythm, which negatively affects mental activity.

If we fail to adjust our breathing in a timely manner, we manage to cope with fears. Because physiologically good soil is prepared for them. This technique allows you to harmonize the autonomic nervous system. The exercise is based on the usual mechanism.

When you inhale, many processes in the body are activated. When you exhale, the body calms down and relaxes.

When the emphasis is on exhalation, a feeling of relaxation arises. This breathing exercise involves increasing the time spent exhaling.

Each phase lasts 5 seconds:

Slow breath.
Pause.
Exhalation.

Prevention

It should be taken into account that drug therapy during pregnancy is contraindicated. The tablets may harm a developing fetus. Therefore, their use is excluded before conception. Mild antipsychotics may be prescribed in severe situations. Psychotherapy is considered the main way to eliminate panic attacks. The main task is to get rid of the reasons that provoke panic.

Today, pregnant women are trained to provide medical care to themselves when a panic attack begins. Such instructions make it possible to strengthen people’s resistance to stress and determine the possibility of panic attacks.

They are used in conjunction with breathing practices, acupuncture, herbal medicine, art therapy, and the use of aromatic oils. In the fight against panic attacks during pregnancy, such methods have proven their effectiveness.

High-quality prevention has a great impact on people’s condition. The following recommendations should be taken into account:

Stressful situations can have not only psychological, but also physiological effects on the body. therefore, you need to be able to deal with stress so that vegetative manifestations do not occur.
Strengthening stress resistance and relaxation are harmless methods of eliminating the harmful effects of seizures; medications during pregnancy are used in rare cases on the recommendation of doctors.
It will be possible to eliminate tension and prevent the occurrence of PA by maintaining a daily routine, proper nutrition and physical activity. You will have to get rid of negative habits before conception.

In such a crucial period for girls, we need to look for more reasons for joy. Many anxiety states are not well founded. We need to discuss this with psychologists so that in the future it will not be possible to react to certain circumstances.

Panic attacks are not a contraindication for conception and birth of a baby. To reduce their manifestation or completely avoid attacks, it is necessary to carry out a number of preventive measures.

Follow the regime, get tired less, rest for the required amount of time.
Perform light physical exercises and spend more time outdoors.
Completely give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol), and also reduce coffee consumption to a minimum.
To reduce the feeling of fear before childbirth, relax more, this is a great help in dealing with stress.
It is recommended to drink plenty of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduce sugar and salt intake.
Before going to bed, it is advisable to drink soothing herbal infusions.

An excellent method of preventing attacks is to visit a qualified psychotherapist before and after the birth of your baby.

Regime and lifestyle

Panic attacks in pregnant women suggest that all recommendations regarding adherence to the regime (relevant for any patient with panic disorder) are doubly relevant for you, and are absolutely required to be followed. Sleeping and eating should occur at the same time every day, and the duration of night sleep for a pregnant woman should be at least 9-10 hours. If you feel tired in the middle of the day, then a daytime nap will not be amiss. If before pregnancy you were characterized by rapid fatigue and nervous exhaustion, then during pregnancy it is extremely necessary to reduce stress of any kind (physical, mental). You may have to switch to part-time work or give up work altogether while carrying and feeding your child. Any stress is stress for the body, and it is the level of stress that needs to be reduced in order to eliminate panic attacks.

However, a little physical activity is good for the body. Discuss with your doctor what types and amounts of physical activity will be beneficial for you and your baby. Most likely, swimming, walking (walking at a calm pace), and individual yoga exercises will be beneficial.

Of course, the regime involves giving up any stimulating drinks (coffee, strong tea), drinking alcohol and smoking. Most likely, you have already given up this due to pregnancy. If not, then panic attacks are a categorical signal from your body that there is no longer room to delay this.

The diet should be nutritious and contain a sufficient amount of vitamins (especially B vitamins, which affect the state of the nervous system). It is also important to drink enough fluids (dehydration can contribute to anxiety).

Breathing exercises

The point of this method is the ability to increase the duration of exhalation (inhalation should be shorter than exhalation). When performing the exercise, you will need a stopwatch. It is performed as follows:

Sit up straight and roll your shoulders.
Take a deep five-second breath, hold your breath for another five seconds and exhale slowly. The first time the exhalation does not exceed the inhalation in duration.
With the next inhalation, it is necessary to reduce the breath-hold to four seconds, and increase the duration of exhalation to six seconds.
Next, the exercise is repeated with a uniform reduction in the pause (breath holding) and an increase in the duration of exhalation.
The duration of the final exhalation should reach ten seconds with a five-second inhalation.

This exercise, as well as yoga, helps relieve stress and prevent another panic attack during pregnancy.