Am I Having a Panic Attack?

When it comes to patients who suffer from panic attack disorder, therapy and prescription medications can be highly effective in treating the disorder. However, there are also effective self help techniques that a person can engage in as well.

• Learn about the disorder. – Educating one’s self about the different aspects of the condition can allow a person to learn how to deal with each of them as they arise. The multiple sensations and experiences that a person feels during an attack can be rather disorienting. Furthermore, as the individual begins to perform research, he or she will learn about the resources that are available for individuals with this condition.

• Avoid the use of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine products. – Because they serve as stimulants, tobacco and caffeine products can antagonize the symptoms of a panic attack. They also serve to keep the central nervous system in a heightened state of alert, which may make an individual more susceptible to a panic attack. Caffeinated beverages include carbonated sodas and coffee. There are also certain medications, like diet pills and cold medication, which also contain stimulants. Alcohol is actually considered a depressant for the human body, but many individuals who suffer from panic attacks use alcohol to self medicate. This can allow alcohol to become a physical or psychological coping technique, which encourages dependency.

• Breathing techniques. – During a panic attack, hyperventilation often occurs. This form of irregular breathing can intensify the symptoms that a person feels during an attack, like light-headedness and the tightness of the chest. On the other hand, deep breathing techniques can force a person’s body to relax. This coping technique can allow an individual to relax their body in a variety of situations when they begin to feel stress.

• Practice relaxation techniques. – Certain forms of exercise, like yoga and meditation, can actually strengthen the body’s ability to relax, which is essential in combating the negative symptoms that a panic attack produces. In addition to promoting relaxation, these techniques can also increase a person’s overall well being if they are incorporated into a person’s daily routine.

The most common forms of medication that are used in the treatment of panic attack disorder are tranquilizers and benzodiazepines. The calming effect that they have upon the central nervous system has made them highly popular within the medical community. These medications may also be prescribed for sleeping pills or muscle relaxers. Of the two medications, benzodiazepines are the most common medication, and the most popular brands of benzodiazepines include Xanax, Valium, and Ativan. This class of drugs is rather fast acting, and they generally begin to take effect within thirty to sixty minutes of being ingested. Even though most panic attacks do not exceed thirty minutes in length, benzodiazepines can work quickly to alleviate the more severe symptoms.

For all of their beneficial properties, there are some drawbacks to the use of tranquilizers and benzodiazepines. In order to achieve their calming effects, these drugs temporarily reduce the amount of brain activity that is occurring at that moment. The higher the dose of the medication, the more pronounced its side effects would become. About half of the patients that use these drugs experience periods of sleepiness, fogginess, and a lack of coordination. These symptoms could potentially interfere with a person’s ability to do their homework, their work at their place of employment, or the performance of everyday activities, like driving. The most common symptoms displayed by a person who uses benzodiazepines include drowsiness, disorientation, blurred vision, and nausea.

Benzodiazepines are not designed to be used by individuals who are over sixty five, pregnant or nursing mothers, or individuals that have a history of substance abuse. There is also a small risk of dependency with the use of these drugs. In order to determine if the use of these medications are right for an individual or not, then he or she should examine the pros and cons of the medication with their primary care physician. It should also be borne in mind that most doctors prescribe the use of this medication in conjunction with different forms of therapy. The medicine is generally taken for a period of three months or less in order to alleviates the worst of a person’s panic attack symptoms. This period of time allows the individual to have the time to master the finer points of the techniques they will be taught in therapy.

Complementary or supplementary medicine is highly popular in the United States, as well as abroad. It has been estimated that as much as 40% of the U.S. population uses this form of medicine, and it is often used to treat panic attack disorder and its symptoms. This form of therapy includes herbal supplements, concentrated vitamins, amino acids, and fish oils. Some of the most common herbal medicines used to treat this particular disorder include:

• St. John’s Wort – This is the most popular form of alternative medication. The chemicals it contains, hyperforin and hypericin, are thought to contain anti depressive effects. Its effectiveness lies in the fact it promotes the maintenance and well being of key neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin, dopamine, and GABBA. The maintenance of these neurotransmitters is necessary to control mood fluctuations.

• Valerian Root – This naturally occurring supplement has a direct sedative effect on the central nervous system of the body. It is also commonly used to treat headaches and those who have difficulty sleeping. According to the results of clinical trials, when taken for thirty days or more, Valerian Root is effective at decreasing feelings of nervousness or anxiety.

• Rhodiola Rosea – This lesser known natural supplement is quite popular in Russia for its adaptogenic properties. Currently, the FDA is testing it in clinical trials. In preclinical trials, it has been found to support and maintain the major neurotransmitters in the brain. Furthermore, there is anecdotal evidence that is beneficial in promoting and supporting cognitive functions, like memory and attention.

• Bacopa – Bacopa is an all natural agent that is effective at calming and suppressing the negative effects that anxiety and panic disorder can have on a person. Clinical studies have shown that bacopa can also significantly improve insomnia and mental fatigue. By reducing the amount of stress an individual is under, the frequency and severity of their panic attacks are reduced.

• Ginseng – The beneficial properties of ginseng have been known to man for decades. However, recent clinical tests have shown that this supplement may be beneficial in treating panic attack disorder. Ginseng may also increase the effectiveness of cognitive functions, like memory quality and memory improvement.

Although behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy are the most common forms of therapy for panic attack disorder, there are several different forms of lesser known therapies that can be equally effective. For example, literary therapy involves the use books, articles, and writing materials to promote the process of healing. Through their writings, an individual is able to identify patterns that could potentially be harmful to them or antagonize their panic attacks. Once these patterns have been identified, the individual and their therapist can focus upon addressing them. This particular form of therapy is adept at allowing a person to resolve issues that may be causing stress in their lives, which can affect the frequency and the severity of their panic attacks.

In a similar manner, the idea of talk therapy incorporates the idea of healing through communication. A therapist can teach an individual how to seek out and establish a support network when the stress of their condition becomes overwhelming. Talk therapy can also be beneficial in identifying harmful patterns in one’s life and to discuss ideas on how to deal with these patterns. Simply having an individual who has a different perspective on a particular situation can be highly beneficial. This prevents the same issues from continually disrupting a person’s life. This form of therapy has the additional benefit in the fact that it can also improve the manners in which a person relates to another.

If an individual has developed avoidance syndrome or agoraphobia as a result of their panic attack disorder, then a therapist may choose to use exposure therapy as a means of treating their panic attack disorder. In exposure therapy, an individual is gradually exposed to the people, places, or social situations that they avoid under carefully controlled conditions. Through repeated exposure to the negative stimulus, the feared object or situation gradually loses its fearful properties. This allows an individual to gain a greater sense of control over their reactions to panic attacks in different locations. Furthermore, this form of therapy can alleviate the amount and duration of the stress that an individual lives with. Copious amounts of stress are often thought to increase the frequency and severity of a person’s panic attacks.

Although there are a variety of treatment options for panic attack disorder, before an individual engages in one particular form, he or she should consult their physician. Communicating with a doctor about the frequency and severity of their attacks will allow the doctor and the patient to choose the most effective form of therapy. For example, the patient and doctor may wish to first try holistic alternatives. These alternative “medicines” often include supplemental vitamins and minerals or herbal medications. Certain herbs, like St. John’s Wort or Kava Kava, are known to have a relaxing effect on the central nervous system. Specific vitamins, like Vitamin B’s, promote the development of a healthy immune system, which may allow an individual’s body to more ably deal with the physical effects of panic attacks.

Therapy is the second most common form of panic attack disorder treatment. For example, behavioral therapy is designed to loosen the connections between a troublesome situation and how an individual physically reacts to the stimulus. A common example would be the fact that when a person has a panic attack, their first instinct is generally to run from the site of the attack. Rather than immediately fleeing the site, behavioral therapy would teach an individual techniques to calm their mind and their emotions, rather than giving into impulsive behaviors. When an individual can think clearly, he or she can make more rational decisions about their courses of action.

Cognitive therapy, which is another common form of therapy treatment for panic attack disorder, differs from behavioral therapy in that it teaches a person how certain thinking patterns can enhance and antagonize the symptoms of their disorder. Because these emotions are distorted, they provide an individual with an irrational manner of thinking. Gaining control over the cognitive aspects of a panic attack can lead to an increased amount of confidence, a more positive outlook, and a less frequent occurrence of the panic attacks. Cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy are often merged together to form a hybrid of the two types, which is known as cognitive behavioral therapy. This hybrid form of therapy is often used in conjunction with short-term medications to achieve the most effective results for sufferers of panic attacks. The short-term medications alleviate the immediate symptoms of the attacks, which allows a person to have time to master the finer techniques used in the therapy.