Emilie has been in her business for a few months. This morning, she has an appointment with her manager to confirm or not her trial period. The issue is important to her. Shortly before her appointment, sitting at her desk, she suddenly feels her pulse racing. She has more and more trouble breathing, her hands are sweaty and she feels a strong feeling of dizziness, the impression that she is going to faint at any moment. She even comes to think that she is having an asthma attack. She’s actually having her first panic attack.
What is an anxiety attack?
Anxiety attack is characterized by the sudden onset of a feeling of intense fear or terror, the feeling that an impending disaster is about to occur, and physical symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, hyperventilation , tingling or numbness in the body, cold sweats or a feeling of discomfort and nausea. Experiencing an anxiety attack for the first time can be very confusing: you may think you are dying.
An isolated panic attack does not necessarily require treatment. On the other hand, if the crises are repeated, occur spontaneously and are accompanied by anxiety linked to the anticipation of future crises, we speak of panic disorder. If you are in this situation, I invite you to refer you to a health professional who can help you avoid recurrences, thanks to appropriate therapy and/or drug treatment.
These crises are not inevitable and, for this type of problem, the options are numerous. You can opt for treatment by exposure, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or even a psycho-body therapy such as Life Cycle Integration (LCI).
Why am I having a fit?
This is a question that many of my patients ask themselves, sometimes even with anger when they talk about these episodes of crisis. Yet many people will experience at least one anxiety attack in their lifetime. There is nothing shameful or abnormal about that. Don’t blame yourself for this natural physiological reaction.
Indeed, it is important to understand that fear is vital and that it is an emotion that protects us by signaling danger. It drives us to safety. Thus, when we perceive a threat in our environment, our body prepares to react. For this, it will release adrenaline and cortisol. These will cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate and thus release a strong influx of blood to the muscles and vital organs.
But when the threat takes the form of a meeting, an email or a call, we cannot act as our body dictates. Indeed, Emilie cannot run away in sight of her manager or hit her computer screen when she receives the notification of the meeting. Nevertheless, it is a message to which we must be attentive (ve) because the more we try to avoid and push it away, the more it comes back in force. So I recommend that you listen to it and try as much as possible to accept it.
What should I do if I have an anxiety attack at work?
If like Emilie, you feel that the first signs of an anxiety attack are starting to appear when you are at work, here are some tips to help you.
You can immediately go and apply cold to your wrists, your neck or your face using ice cubes, or, if necessary, with cold water. You can also eat a sour candy, bite into lemon or even smell essential oils. If you don’t have any of these handy, try focusing on five sounds, five smells, or five things you hear, smell, or see in your environment, here and now. Describe them in your head with as much detail as possible.
These actions help refocus your attention on the present moment, helping you ground yourself using your senses. This can help disrupt your body’s panic response.
If you can move around: get some fresh air. If you wish, ask one of your colleagues with whom you feel confident to accompany you. There is no shame in having an anxiety attack and contact with a reassuring person can help you calm down.
What if it’s a colleague?
If you are close and your co-worker asks for your presence, I recommend that you accompany him to a quiet and isolated place. For what ? Because the gaze of others could generate even more anxiety and aggravate his symptoms.
Reassure your colleague and stay by his side until the crisis calms down. Generally, anxiety attacks last between twenty and thirty minutes, however some can last up to an hour.
You can suggest this exercise and do it together: first, take a deep breath in through your nose, counting slowly to five. Hold your breath for four seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth in an ‘O’ shape as if you were trying to blow out something. Repeat the exercise until his breathing has slowed down to a normal rhythm.
If you’re not close, find someone you trust for your co-worker and give them some air. Do not hesitate to move away and calm the possible people who attend the scene. Indeed, the stress of others could cause an escalation phenomenon. Also, try to keep calm as much as possible: focus on your own breathing and on creating a safe space for your colleague.
