Panic Disorder Does Not Come "Suddenly"—Warning Signs and the Root Cause of Autonomic Nervous System Issues
"One day, a panic attack happened suddenly."
I think many people feel that way. But in reality, there is no such thing as a "sudden" panic disorder. There are always signs that the body has been sending before an attack.
The true cause is a "disrupted lifestyle"
Panic disorder is a state within autonomic ataxia where the sympathetic nervous system continues to be overactive.
The root cause is not mental weakness or a lack of stress tolerance, but rather the collapse of your daily life cycle.
"I was too busy to eat."
"I stayed up late because I was having fun."
"My work shifts caused my day and night to be reversed."
Each of these things starts to disrupt the autonomic nervous system, and eventually, the body signals that it has reached its limit in the form of a panic disorder.
The illness does not come first; the collapse of your lifestyle comes first. This is how Cure House views the root cause.
Are you missing the warning signs?
There are always precursors before a panic attack occurs.
Starting to cut back on sleep time ("I'll just finish this by this time today")
Eating even though you just ate
Skipping meals for long periods of time
Starting to let things slide with a "well, it's fine" attitude even when your life rhythm is disrupted
These are the very causes of medically unexplained physical symptoms. They are signs that your body is saying, "I'm reaching my limit."
Thinking from the perspective of the autonomic nervous system
There are two types of autonomic nerves: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.
The sympathetic nervous system is the nerve for "moving and being active."
The parasympathetic nervous system is the nerve for "calming down, sleeping, and recovering."
The human body lives by moving back and forth between these two. If it continues to lean too far toward one or the other, the balance will collapse.
In terms of eating, a set of 'eating (sympathetic nervous system) → time for digestion and absorption (parasympathetic nervous system)' is necessary. Both eating continuously and going for endless periods without eating disrupt the balance of the autonomic nervous system.
**Whether you notice the imbalance and restore it, or create a new cycle while maintaining a disrupted lifestyle.** This turning point determines whether or not you develop panic disorder.
The pattern where trying to build physical strength backfires
Some people start strength training to try and improve their panic disorder. However, there is a pitfall here.
The more muscle you build, the more energy is required to move it. If you only increase muscle mass without accompanying improvements in breathing quality and flexibility, the burden on your body actually increases.
Building physical strength and building muscle are two different things. People who are prone to high levels of mental energy are more likely to fall into this pattern, so caution is required.
'I noticed it, but I didn't want to admit it'
There is a phrase I often hear in clinical settings.
'I had noticed it, but I didn't want to admit it.'
If something comes to mind, please start by acknowledging it. The body is honest. It keeps sending you signs.
Panic disorder is not a mental issue, but a problem of the autonomic nervous system and lifestyle habits. Once you understand the root cause, the direction for improvement becomes clear.
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