Helping Your Loved One with COPD Fight Panic Attacks

Elderly Care in Malibu CA

Anxiety is a really common side effect of COPD and it can lead to the ultimate in anxiety displays: The panic attack. Panic attacks are scary enough for people who don’t already have trouble breathing, but for someone with COPD it can feel as though they are in a life-threatening situation. It’s important to learn the ins and outs of panic attacks so that you can help your loved one to cope with them.

What Are Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks are a sudden onset of fear, sometimes without any reason or cause whatsoever. They can also be brought on by your loved one encountering a situation that she does genuinely fear. People suffering from panic attacks have a variety of symptoms that range in severity from mild to severe. The attacks usually last far less than a minute, but they feel much longer to the person who is having the panic attack. Some of the physical symptoms of a panic attack include:

• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing and shortness of breath
• Pounding pulse
• A feeling of faintness or lightheadedness

Panic Attacks and COPD

Some of the symptoms of panic attacks, particularly shortness of breath and chest pains, can mimic the effects of an exacerbation that your loved one with COPD might experience. This can cause some difficulty with diagnosing panic attacks in your loved one because the symptoms can overlap. Often people with COPD have panic attacks because they fear being unable to breathe. Then the panic attack makes that fear feel all too real. It’s very important to talk with your loved one’s doctor so that you can develop a plan to cope with panic attacks.

Diminishing the Effects of Panic Attacks

Your loved one’s doctor may recommend medications to help with panic attacks. In some cases, your loved one may not want to take another medication, so it’s important to have another plan in place. One tactic that can help is to help your loved one focus on another activity during the panic attack. You can try describing a happy memory to your loved one or repeat a phrase that your loved one chose as a reminder that the panic attack won’t last. Whatever plan you come up with, make sure that you share it with other family members and with elderly care providers as well so they are ready if a panic attack strikes when you’re not around. Also, don’t forget to ask the advice of your loved one’s home care providers for other ideas. They often have experience with this exact situation.

Once you have a plan in place, you can help your loved one to beat the panic attacks and live a more normal life with COPD.

If you or an aging loved one needs elderly care in Malibu, CA, call Livewell Private Care at (310) 933-4986.  Servicing Los Angeles, CA and the surrounding areas.

Source
http://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/tc/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd-overview

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/basics/definition/CON-20020825