Panic disorder

Panic disorder

Panic disorder is characterised by episodes of intense fear, often perceived as an imminent catastrophe.

● Prevalence: It is estimated to affect 2 to 3% of the population, with twice as many women as men.

● Symptoms: palpitations, trembling, a feeling of suffocation, dizziness, hot or cold flushes, numbness, tingling, and sometimes depersonalisation (feeling estranged from oneself) or derealisation (feeling that the world is not real).

● Course: within seconds, the person feels as though they are losing control or dying. These attacks can happen anywhere — at home, on a train, on a plane, or for no apparent reason. Their frequency varies from person to person.

● Isolation: fear of another attack often leads to avoiding certain situations and withdrawing into oneself.

● Solutions: several treatments and therapies are effective, including dietary adjustments, breathing exercises and meditation.

Meditation for better sleep

Meditation is a valuable tool for calming the mind and making it easier to fall asleep:

1. Learning to relax the mind: let your thoughts pass by without judging them.

2. Returning to the past: briefly visualise significant memories (emotions, frustrations), acknowledge them, then let them fade.

3. Counting exercise: count backwards from 100 to 1, pausing for five seconds at each multiple of ten. Gradually slow your pace until sleep arrives.