When you suddenly feel an unexplained intense fear and anxiety that sets off acute physical reactions, you may be suffering a panic attack. These incidences are often quite frightening and you may think that you are suffering a heart attack or that it may cause you to die. If you do suffer from this condition, you have several options available to you for panic attacks treatment.
It is likely that you have already experienced one or two of these attacks in your life. If however you have had several of these and you constantly worry about when the next one will occur, it is possible that you could be suffering from a condition named panic disorder.
The symptoms connected to panic attacks vary and will be different for each person. It might make your heart beat louder and faster and you may experience shortness of breath as well as dizziness. You may also get hot flashes and feel nauseous. Some of the other symptoms that are common to this condition are trembling, sweating, abdominal cramping, chills and hyperventilation. You may also feel faint, have a constricted feeling in your throat and may not be able to swallow normally.
If you have undergone any of these symptoms and experience them regularly, you should consult your doctor. Panic attacks are very difficult to manage yourself and they may worsen without treatment. The other reason for seeking medical advice is that panic attack symptoms resemble some serious health problems, it will be better for you to be evaluated by your doctor to find out what is causing your symptoms.
The main treatment options for these attacks are psychotherapy and medication. Both of these are effective. Normally your doctor will start with one treatment only. A combination of the two might be recommended if you suffer from severe panic disorder as well as another diagnosis like post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. It will also be recommended to use both treatments if you have already tried one and your condition has not improved.
Psychotherapy is used to assist you to understand your condition and to enable you to cope with it. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the normal type of therapy that will be used. This will aid you in changing the thought patterns that might be the cause of the attacks. It will also assist you in changing your reaction to the episode. Another therapy option is psychodynamic psychotherapy. This aids in achieving more awareness of your unconscious thoughts and actions.
Other than therapy there are medications that can be used as a part of panic attacks treatment. There are also alternative methods that you can use. Meditation, yoga and deep breathing have been found to be very effective for some people.
Get exclusive inside information on the various panic attacks treatment techniques available now in our online guide to effectively cure panic attacks .