Overcoming a panic attack may shallow breaths. Due to a smaller amount of air during a panic attack, you can deal more effectively with the state. When a person is very nervous, usually crawling around with tips like: "Breathe deeply". However, this only exacerbates the situation.
The fact that one of the symptoms of a panic attack is hyperventilating - increased allocation of lungs of carbon dioxide. Lack of carbon dioxide leads to dizziness and stupor, and the person creating the illusion that he had difficulty breathing. However, the flow of air as a result of deeper and more frequent puffs only accelerates the release of CO2.
To counteract this has developed a special treatment, which was called "breathing exercises using carbonometer» (capnometry-assisted respiratory training, or CART). Her description published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
A team of researchers led by Alicia Mevre from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, U.S. conducted an experiment with four dozen patients suffering from panic disorder and agoraphobia. Some of them are treated with psychotherapeutic techniques, and the rest were taught to control their breathing with the help of Capnometr - instruments for measuring carbon dioxide concentration in expired air.
Both methods gave a positive result. However, if those who are taught to cope with panic thoughts, stopped only general symptoms (palpitations, trembling, sweating), then used the CART also returned to normal breathing.
Moreover, therapy with carbonometer requires appropriate instruments only at the stage of training. In the future the patient will be able to avoid hyperventilation alone. A new way to help deal effectively with panic disorder suffer from the disease.
