Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Panic Attack And Its Causes

By Josh Simpson

Is panic attack something that you know of? If you do, then do you have symptoms such as dizzy spells with panic and a flying heart beat. Are you really freaked out about anything that happens beside you? Are you under the impression that you might always have a heart attack? Have you been thinking too much about panic lately? These symptoms definitely show that you are under stress and you have a panic attack syndrome.

So, what is a panic attack? For most people it would be a phobia of some kind, either towards a particular object or something that can affect you negatively in life. The cause of a panic attack is still quite unknown as different people may react to different treatments, because there are various ways panic can actually attack you.

Other than relaxation techniques like breathing and exercises, treatments like psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are considered important because they help in getting the patients understand their disease and take care of it themselves. It has often been found that psychotherapy alone can cure your disease, because this helps in reducing your fear towards the object that causes you the fear.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a therapy that involves the use of muscle relaxation techniques and different forms of breathing techniques and this is how they help the patients deal with their stress. A common fear of these patients suffering from panic attacks is that they are constantly under the fear that they might have a heart attack any moment now.

One of the medications that are common is anti depressants because this helps in reducing anxiety and even the severity of panic attacks. If you have been suffering from panic attacks then you must have come across medicines like Prozac and Paxil, which fall under the SSRI group of medicines. SSRI or serotonin reuptake inhibitors has often been considered the most frequently used medication for treating patients going through a panic attack syndrome. Doctors say that it is best to always start of with a small dosage and then slowly increase the dosage for this disorder.

Panic attacks can be prevented in numerous ways and it is always handy if you know your own symptoms. As a start you should take deep breaths. Such relaxation techniques always help especially in cases of panic attacks. Remember that there is no quick cure for a disease like this. Any sort of therapy takes time. Do not be over critical of yourselves. You must learn to calm down your anxiety and meditation is a good way of reducing stress. You should avoid stimulants like nicotine and caffeine as this can increase your anxiety. Remember that panic attacks can always be harmful if one does not take care of it. These tips are useful in taking care of yourself and preparing yourself for any future attacks. Remember that you are the key and it is you who can take care of these attacks.

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