If you have ever experienced a panic attack, you know only too well how frightening and uncomfortable it can feel. An estimated 5% of people will experience at least one panic attack during their lifetime and although they are seldom dangerous or harmful, a series of repeated attacks can often indicate depression, panic disorder or other anxiety based conditions. Twice as many women as men suffer from panic attacks and they are most common during the late teens.
One of the reasons panic attacks are so frightening is that they can occur at any time and often without any warning, and without any apparent trigger. They generally don’t last long – a few minutes or less – although they have been known to last for hours, even an entire day in extreme cases. To a panic attack sufferer, one of the worst things about them is the immediate and irrational fear that they will suffer another panic attack soon after.
To someone who has never suffered a panic attack, it can perhaps be difficult to try to describe how it feels. A person experiencing a panic attack can often feel as though they are about to die, or can have a strong sense of impending terror; the symptoms are also very similar to those of a heart attack. And because many of the symptoms are similar to those of life-threatening conditions, it is essential to always seek medical help if you do experience a panic attack.
Specific symptoms can vary and somebody that is suffering from a panic attack won’t necessarily experience all the associated symptoms. Typical symptoms can include chest pains, difficulty in breathing and a feeling of nausea or lightheadedness, as well as a more rapid heart rate. Panic attack symptoms can also include hot flashes or chills, headaches, an upset stomach, chest pain or abdominal cramping and a tingling feeling or numbness of the hands.
Panic attacks can be treated, both with medication and psychotherapy; in general, a combination of the two tends to bring the best results and around 80% of those suffering from panic attacks notice an improvement. Traditional medication that has been proven to be effective in treating panic attacks includes antidepressants such as Zoloft, Cymbalta and Prozac; and mild sedatives, such as Xanax and Ativan which target the body’s central nervous system.
Psychotherapy, in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy, can also be beneficial. The treatment works by identifying the often irrational behaviors and thoughts that bring on a panic attack and can include relaxation techniques, as well as exposure to situations or circumstances which may have triggered the attack. The goal of psychotherapy is to change the way a panic attack sufferer reacts to potentially stressful situations as well as to better cope with some of the symptoms.
Unfortunately, most people who suffer from panic attacks don’t bother to seek help, often for fear of ridicule. If you are one of those people, don’t suffer in silence – there are treatment options available to you.
I’ve done extensive research on the subjects of panic attacks and anxiety disorders and their treatment because I suffered with severe panic attacks for years. Because I experienced firsthand how panic attacks can have such a crippling effect on someone’s life I decided to share what I have learned. If you would like more information about anxiety disorders, their symptoms and treatment then visit my web site at http://www.anxietydisordersinformation.com.
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