What Are Panic Attacks
Author: Juliet
Cohen
What are panic attacks?
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Panic attacks are frightening but fortunately physically
harmless episodes. Panic disorder is a common condition in
which a person has episodes of intense fear or anxiety that
occur suddenly. These episodes--called panic attacks--can last
from minutes to hours. They may occur only once in a while, or
they may occur quite frequently. They can occur at random or
after a person is exposed to various events that may "trigger"
a panic attack. Panic disorder sufferers usually have a series
of intense episodes of extreme anxiety, known as panic attacks.
These attacks typically last 10 minutes however can be short
lived- 1-5 minutes as well. Some individuals deal with these
events on a regular basis—sometimes daily or weekly. The
outward symptoms of a panic attack often cause negative social
experiences. As a result, as many as 36% of all individuals
with panic disorder also have agoraphobia. At least 1.7% of
adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have panic
attacks at some time in their lives. Panic attacks are a period
of intense fear in which 4 of 13 defined symptoms develop
abruptly and peak rapidly less than 10 minutes from symptom
onset.
Some people are affected by frequent panic attacks, a condition
known as panic disorder. Panic disorder is thought to be
inherited for the most part. People experiencing panic attacks
may fear they are dying, that they are suffocating, or that
they are having a heart attack. Panic attacks can indicate the
presence of panic disorder, depression, or other forms of
anxiety-based illnesses. About 5% of the population will
experience panic attacks during their lifetimes. A person
experiencing a panic attack may believe that he or she is
having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The fear and
terror that a person experiences during a panic attack are not
in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to
what is happening around them. Panic Disorder can continue for
months or even years, depending on how and when treatment is
sought. There is also some evidence that many individuals may
experience a cessation of symptoms naturally later in life.
Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. Panic
attacks are treated with reassurance and relaxation
techniques.
Most people get better with treatment. Panic Disorder is real
and potentially disabling, but it can be controlled and
successfully treated. People frequently go to hospital
emergency rooms when they are having panic attacks, and
extensive medical tests may be performed to rule out these
other conditions, thus creating further anxiety. Tricyclic
antidepressants such as imipramine and MAO inhibitors such as
phenelzine (Nardil) have also been used, but many individuals
experience side effects that are difficult to tolerate.
Exposure to the phobia trigger multiple times without a
resulting panic attack (due to medication) can often break the
phobia-panic pattern, allowing people to function around their
phobia without the help of medications. Most stimulant drugs
(caffeine, nicotine, cocaine) would be expected to worsen the
condition, since they directly increase the symptoms of panic,
such as heart rate. Stress-relieving activities such as
tai-chi, yoga, and physical exercise can also help ameliorate
the causes of panic disorder.
Panic Attack Treatment Tips
1. Tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine and MAO
inhibitors such as phenelzine (Nardil) have also been used.
2. Exposure to the phobia trigger multiple times without a
resulting panic attack.
3. Stress-relieving activities such as tai-chi, yoga, and
physical exercise can also help ameliorate the causes of panic
disorder.
4. Avoid stimulants, such as nicotine and caffeine, which can
be found not only in coffee, but many teas, colas and
chocolate.
5. Psychotherapy offers support and helps to minimize the
fearfulness of symptoms, and sometimes is sufficient to clear
up the disorder.
6. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people learn to deal with
panic symptoms, using techniques like muscle and breathing
relaxation.
7. Antidepressants, such as Tofranil, often help reduce anxiety
and the frequency and severity of panic attacks.
8. Meta-analyses13-15 support the efficacy of CBT in improving
panic symptoms and overall disability.
About the
Author:
Juliet Cohen writes articles for depression clinic and
how to treat depression. For more information visit our
site at http://www.depression-clinic.com.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com -
What are Panic Attacks?
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