Who do I go for help on abnormal heartbeats that I can't help but focus on at night?

Doctor's Answers 1

You can approach a general practitioner or a psychiatrist for an evaluation of your condition. Possible causes include stress, anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disorder, and thyroid problems.

Nocturnal Panic Attacks

Nocturnal panic attacks are known to occur with no obvious trigger and awaken a person from his sleep.

Symptoms:

There could be other symptoms like sweating, rapid heart rate, trembling, shortness of breath, heavy breathing (hyperventilation), flushing or chills, and a sense of impending doom. These alarming signs and symptoms can mimic those of a heart attack or another serious medical condition. Although panic attacks are uncomfortable, they are not dangerous. Nocturnal panic attacks usually last only a few minutes, but it may take a while to calm down and go back to sleep after having one.

What Causes Panic Attacks?

As to what causes panic attacks, underlying factors may include genetics, stress, and certain changes in the way parts of our brain work. In some cases, an underlying condition, such as a sleep disorder or thyroid problem, can cause panic-like signs and symptoms.

Similar Questions

How is anxiety and depression diagnosed in Singapore?

In Singapore, psychiatric conditions are diagnosed using a face to face interview and an assessment of the mental condition (what doctors called mental state examination). Many of the doctors here use the DSM 5 diagnostic criteria. For patients thought to have anxiety or depression, the psychiatrist may also order a blood test to exclude abnormalities in the thyroid hormone level. Given your problem of going to new places and fears of social situations, the first diagnosis that comes to my mind is that of social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia).

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Answered By

Dr Beng Yeong Ng

Psychiatrist

How do I get my child’s teacher to understand that ADHD is not a mental illness?

Hi, it seems that you have a lot of questions to ask. The best person to answer all of your questions would be a child clinical psychologist. In any case, one of the greatest pain in life is (falsely) thinking that we can actually change someone else's mind. We can first try by befriending them. Try to be in the good books of your child's teacher. Then you can explain, in various forms and formats and with different people. Some times, our clinical psychologists have to go down to schools to talk to teachers. But even that is not guaranteed success.

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Answered By

Dr Paul Ang

General Practitioner

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