Q: My 24 years old wife feels uneasy and gets panic attacks often. We got married 8 months back and when I was leaving my home country 2 months after our marriage for my job, she cried a lot and was feeling uneasy to breathe; her hands and legs became cold and she fell unconscious for some time. We sprinkled some water on her face after which she was fine. The second time she started feeling uneasy at a marriage due to loud noise. Her body became cool and then she fell unconscious again. She is having this problem since childhood. A third time, she had done something wrong after which she realised that she was wrong so felt sorry and started crying. We told her it is alright and now relax but she continued crying and once again fell unconscious. Why does her body temperature fall leading to unconsciousness? What precautions should I take to avoid such situations?

A:Your wife is suffering from anxiety/panic attacks with fast breathing as a response to stress. This is called hyperventilation as a result of which she gets cramps in her hands and a cool body. She needs to be seen by a psychiatrist/psychologist who can counsel her and prescribe a mild medication to be taken on SOS basis. This is a self-limiting condition and boosting her confidence, helping her settle in the new environment will be useful.