Treatments to Help You in Overcoming Panic
While panic attacks were once derided as being due to nerves
, today they are a recognized medical condition. The formal definition of panic attack is an abrupt episode of intense fear or anxiety with no apparent cause and which also triggers severe physical symptoms. While the majority of people may experience these attacks only one or two times in their lives, for others they are a regular reality. Fortunately, like a lot of other previously unrecognized medical conditions, effective treatments are already available to help you in overcoming panic.
How do you know if you're having one? Here is a list of some symptoms that should be present for a diagnosis: trembling, sweating, hyperventilation, a sense of impending disaster or death, rapid heart rate, chills, hot flashes, headache, faintness and trouble swallowing. They typically happen without warning, peak within 10 minutes and last around 30 minutes, leaving you often feeling exhausted and spent. If you have had several attacks and don't get treatment for them, your fear of getting another one may be so intense that you may even end up not leaving your home for fear of encountering a situation that triggers an attack, a condition called panic disorder because panic has begun to affect the sufferer's ability to function normally.
Before seeking treatment to help you in overcoming panic you should seek a doctor's advice, particularly since many of the symptoms of these attacks may actually be indicators of a more serious medical condition such as a heart attack. Among the tests you may take for an evaluation of your condition include a general physical exam, lab exams such as an electrocardiogram and blood tests, as well as a psychological evaluation, to determine the possible causes of your condition.
There are a number of treatments you can be prescribed for severe or chronic attacks, ranging from medication to psychotherapy or a combination of both. Medications include antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, as well as mild sedatives such as benzodiazepines. Psychotherapy treatments include psychodynamic therapy that helps the patient to identify subconscious emotional conflicts that could be behind your attacks and cognitive behavioral therapy that helps you change certain patterns of thinking that may trigger anxiety attacks. While psychotherapy treatments may take some time to become effective, they are safer than medications, which carry the risk of side effects and may not be recommended for pregnant women.
Traditional treatments may be supplemented by alternative therapies that may also help in
overcoming panic. For example, you can learn relaxation therapy, which involve disciplines such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, or take the nutritional supplement inositol, which may help reduce the severity and frequency of attacks. And you can make some lifestyle changes that may help you control attacks, such as avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and illegal drugs, eating a more balanced diet rich in Omega-3 fish oils and B-complex vitamins and begin a regular exercise program that could help you get calmer.
Treatments to Help You in Overcoming Panic
By: Jared D. Ingram
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