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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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Cinema has long been notorious for its portrayal of mental illness, often driving further stigmatization of those who suffer from it. On-screen, we often see caricatured and exaggerated versions of people suffering from various mental illnesses that are simply inaccurate. Sadly, for so many people out there, movies are the only source of information they get about these issues, leaving them unable to show understanding and compassion to those who suffer from them.

The best way to combat the stigma and misrepresentation is through education and that’s exactly the course some people have decided to take. After realizing how romanticized panic attacks are in movies, one Twitter user decided to call them out in a tweet. The woman then clearly explains what panic attacks actually look like and why they are far from romantic.

Recently, a Twitter user brought attention to the unrealistic portrayal of panic attacks in movies

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

Image credits: smthgreatlou

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

Image credits: smthgreatlou

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

Image credits: smthgreatlou

After reading her explanation, many people out there who have been dealing with the same issues responded in agreement. To highlight her point, they started describing how panic attacks feel to them and how it differs from what they are used to seeing in movies.

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While she agrees that it’s fine for filmmakers to show people having panic attacks on-screen, it’s important that they do it correctly

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

Image credits: RossKimb

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

Image credits: smthgreatlou

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, around 6 million adults, or 2.7% of the U.S. population, suffer from panic attacks that are caused by a panic disorder. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, however, only 36.9% of those who suffer from it receive treatment.

People responded by sharing what panic attacks actually feel like

After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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After Someone Says That The Way Panic Attacks Are Portrayed In Movies Is Nonsense, People Start Sharing What They Actually Look Like

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What do you think ?

A.M. Pierre 4 years ago

Another common one to be over-simplified/trivialized in movies and even real life is OCD. "I always put my pens neatly in a line on my desk. Ha ha, I'm so OCD!" No, no you're not. I'm not saying I think people who say that have malicious intent, because I don't. But the trend of using the name of a mental illness to describe someone's appreciation of neatness makes it seem like OCD is more of a "cute quirk" and not the horribly debilitating disease it is.

33points

Cat Nip Gal 4 years ago

Ikr, it's not that!

11points

Load More Replies...

Viviane 4 years ago (edited)

One of my former colleagues has a son who was diagnosed with OCD around age 10. Yes, it was hell for a while. She consulted specialists, who gave her advice (such as keeping calm and giving him breathing exercises) that led to significant improvement.

7points

DC 4 years ago

Same with addictions. "Haha, im a CHOCOHOLIC!" is among the dumbest. You're not, you just like to eat choclate.

3points

Kady Maree Mcgrath 4 years ago

And like social media accounts sometime they say like "My whole room has to be neat tidy and perfect because I'm so OCD"

1point

professorx 4 years ago

A.M. Pierre what

-3points

les 4 years ago

I've had many panic attacks. My first was on the bus to work and it was terrifying. I thought i was taking my last breaths and it took all my effort to say i cant breathe before i collapsed onto the floor. The people on the bus were all staring and that made me even more embarassed. When the ambulance arrived they were very good and i have to give my thanks to he bus driver too, he made sure i was as comfortable as he could get me and kept opening and closing the doors as i was going from roasting hot to freezing cold in a split second and when some of the other passengers complained he said tough luck,. I have emphysema on top of it so it took me days to recover from it. I've had many more since then and the best way i can describe one is all the symptoms of a heart attack except for the pain. Even when you know its a panic attack, you seem to forget you've had this before and its like a new experience every time. The emebarassment from my first one was awful.

14points

les 4 years ago

my doc has told me that when they are really bad i'll pass out but thats never happened to me, i can feel everything that happens the whole way through.

6points

Load More Replies...

Raine Soo 4 years ago

Many years ago, I had a panic attack that resulted in me landing myself in the emergency ward of the hospital. I honestly thought that I was having a coronary. The symptoms that Kath describes are true.

11points

osgood-george 4 years ago

Raine Soo yes

0points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

A.M. Pierre 4 years ago

Another common one to be over-simplified/trivialized in movies and even real life is OCD. "I always put my pens neatly in a line on my desk. Ha ha, I'm so OCD!" No, no you're not. I'm not saying I think people who say that have malicious intent, because I don't. But the trend of using the name of a mental illness to describe someone's appreciation of neatness makes it seem like OCD is more of a "cute quirk" and not the horribly debilitating disease it is.

33points

Cat Nip Gal 4 years ago

Ikr, it's not that!

11points

Load More Replies...

Viviane 4 years ago (edited)

One of my former colleagues has a son who was diagnosed with OCD around age 10. Yes, it was hell for a while. She consulted specialists, who gave her advice (such as keeping calm and giving him breathing exercises) that led to significant improvement.

7points

DC 4 years ago

Same with addictions. "Haha, im a CHOCOHOLIC!" is among the dumbest. You're not, you just like to eat choclate.

3points

Kady Maree Mcgrath 4 years ago

And like social media accounts sometime they say like "My whole room has to be neat tidy and perfect because I'm so OCD"

1point

professorx 4 years ago

A.M. Pierre what

-3points

les 4 years ago

I've had many panic attacks. My first was on the bus to work and it was terrifying. I thought i was taking my last breaths and it took all my effort to say i cant breathe before i collapsed onto the floor. The people on the bus were all staring and that made me even more embarassed. When the ambulance arrived they were very good and i have to give my thanks to he bus driver too, he made sure i was as comfortable as he could get me and kept opening and closing the doors as i was going from roasting hot to freezing cold in a split second and when some of the other passengers complained he said tough luck,. I have emphysema on top of it so it took me days to recover from it. I've had many more since then and the best way i can describe one is all the symptoms of a heart attack except for the pain. Even when you know its a panic attack, you seem to forget you've had this before and its like a new experience every time. The emebarassment from my first one was awful.

14points

les 4 years ago

my doc has told me that when they are really bad i'll pass out but thats never happened to me, i can feel everything that happens the whole way through.

6points

Load More Replies...

Raine Soo 4 years ago

Many years ago, I had a panic attack that resulted in me landing myself in the emergency ward of the hospital. I honestly thought that I was having a coronary. The symptoms that Kath describes are true.

11points

osgood-george 4 years ago

Raine Soo yes

0points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

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