ANSWERS: 1
  • According to the American Psychological Association, panic disorder is a serious ailment that may affect approximately one out of 75 individuals. A panic attack causes an immediate rush of overwhelming fear and anxiety. Your heartbeat thumps heavily and breathing becomes difficult. If untreated, panic attacks lead to panic disorder. There are many different avenues you can use to manage panic disorder. These treatments can relieve you of the panic attacks that have disrupted your life, leaving you with a more healthful life.

    Therapy

    Helpguide.org cites that cognitive behavioral therapy is often viewed as the best treatment for panic disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy concentrates on the thoughts and actions spawning your panic disorder. It focuses on changing these thought and behavioral patterns so you view your panic-inducing situations realistically. Cognitive behavioral therapy operates under the premise that the situation that you are afraid of may be less dangerous than you believe. Once you realize that there is nothing to fear, your level of panic decreases. Exposure therapy teaches you coping skills for panic disorder. In a safe and therapeutic environment, the therapist exposes you to the situations you fear by using physical exercises, such as hyperventilating (rapid, deep breathing), which cause reactions similar to the events that cause you to panic. Your exposure to these simulated experiences eventually makes you less afraid and more in control of the situation.

    Medication

    In serious cases of panic disorder, medications can be used to manage or lower some of the symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants, such as Paxil and Zoloft---FDA-approved drugs used to treat panic disorder. According to FamilyDoctor.org, they will stop your panic attacks. Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and Klonopin are used to treat the fear and anxiety associated with panic disorder. If you receive medication, note that it is most effective when coupled with lifestyle changes and/or therapy, which concentrate on addressing the root of your problem.

    Self-Help

    There are certain steps you can take on your own to help cure your panic disorder. By educating yourself about your panic disorder, you can gain insight into the illness itself; specifically, trigger factors and how you can control them. The American Academy of Family Physician's website has a question and response sheet that explains the causes, symptoms and treatments of panic disorder. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America's website provides an online self-test to help you decide if you are having the symptoms of panic disorder. To find a therapist, visit the Panic Center's website. You can also get self-help tips from the Centre for Clinical Interventions' website---this site has an abundance of strategies, such as exercise and calming techniques, that can help you overcome panic disorder.

    Source:

    Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

    Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

    APA Help Center

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy