What is an Anxiety Panic Attack?

An anxiety panic attack is characterized as a panic attack that is induced due to unnatural levels of anxiety. This anxiety can be related to anything, the attacks are not just limited to major stressful events or concerns. Anxiety over a party, a loved one, even anxiety over what clothes to wear can cause an anxiety panic attack.

One of the key features of an anxiety panic attack is the focus of the attack. When a person experiences such panic, usually the panic has a central trigger. For some people, who tend to experience chronic panic attacks, the trigger tends to be the same thing. Agoraphobics, for instance, tend to have an anxiety panic attack anytime they travel beyond their safe distance, for some this can be just beyond their doorstep.

Triggers

For most people the trigger for an anxiety panic attack will vary with the situation. At times of extreme stress panic can trigger as the body’s natural reaction to the high levels of stress. This is known as the fight or flight reaction, and is widely accepted as the main reason behind any panic attack. When a person experiences an extremely stressful, or traumatic, event the body will react. A release of chemicals into a persons system will cause an extreme reaction to the situation.

An anxiety panic attack occurs when the chemicals are triggered by a reactive stressor. There is no need for it, but the body assumes there is some danger it must react to, this is a panic attack. An anxiety panic attack can be marked by many key factors. Overwhelming feelings of fear, and hopelessness are all signs of an attack. Other signs include increased heart rate, sweating, tingling in the extremities, headaches, nausea, extreme emotional fluctuations.

Symptoms

The list could go on for quite sometime, as symptoms tend to be a mixed bag when concerning panic. However, any panic sufferer will attest to the immense feeling of anxiety that accompanies an anxiety panic attack; as if there is nothing in the world that can help you, unfortunately it is one of the major common symptoms that mark an attack.

The good thing about an anxiety panic attack, if it can be said there is one, is that in most cases they can be controlled. Exercise, controlled breathing, healthy diet, relaxation techniques, even just someone to be there and listen, all of these can help control panics. For many the key is to find what causes the panic and reduce the effect that factor has on their life.

Panic Attack Treatment for Everyone!

First and foremost for any panic attack treatment, one must consult a doctor. Only under an expert in the domain supervision, should you proceed to conduct any panic attack treatment. While there are many therapies and medications available on the market, here are a few common options for panic attack treatment:

Behavior Therapy

This therapy helps to gain control over an individual behavior. Here the individual learn to cope with difficult situations through controlled exposure to the problems. Thus, getting back in charge and taking control once again of life.

Cognitive Therapy

This therapy works with changing unproductive or harmful thoughts to positive and constructive thinking... One learns to examine and distinguish realistic from unrealistic thoughts. Once again, as with the Behavior Therapy, the result achieved is that one gets back to controlling one’s life.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)

This therapy is widely used by therapists, often referred as CBT. The benefit of combining these two panic attack treatments is that the patient learns recovery skills useful for a lifetime. Relaxation technique is another panic attack treatment that helps the patient to cope with stress – stress being one of the main causes of panic attacks. Some such relaxation techniques include breathing training and exercise, such as yoga and Pilates.

There is always specific medication for panic attack treatment.

Medication is very effective and is often used in combination with some of the above mentioned treatments. However, always keep in mind to consult your doctor for any panic attack treatment

Panic attack treatment is conducted over a period of a few months. It is almost always effective, but, do not expect results overnight. Also, get your family involved, you will need all the support and love you can get. Love cures most any illnesses or so they say!

Like any other treatment – panic attack treatment, requires commitment and perseverance. Positive thinking; the will to succeed; the love for life are any time a good approach

Panic attacks are caused by stress and excessive worries which are a part of our day to day life unfortunately; so, do not neglect yourself or your dear ones. Leave your work at your work place and time to relax.

Panic attacks can be treated, just like any other disorder/illness. It is important to acknowledge and seek for help. Also if you see the symptoms in others, do not hesitate to inform them or their next of kin. Take charge of yourself, take charge of life!

The Relationship between Alcohol and Panic Attacks

Alcohol and panic attack experiences; when it comes to chronic panic attack disorder, drinking is perhaps the worst thing a person could do. Alcohol is considered a depressant, and most panic attack sufferers tend to be more susceptible to the effect of such chemicals. Drinking during a panic attack will not help calm a person down, nor will it help relax them and prevent an attack.

Most doctors will agree that alcohol and panic attack experiences do not mix. In fact one of the things a doctor will suggest to any newly diagnosed panic sufferer will be that they cut down on their alcohol consumption. The depressing effect of alcohol can lead to more frequent occurrences of panic. It can also lead to an increased chance of causing depression, which can just cause more problems for any panic sufferer.

In some cases the excess consumption of alcohol can be one of the main causes of frequent panic attacks. The depressing affect of the alcohol can cause a person to dwell on the unwanted stressors that trigger their panics. This only increases the likelihood of stronger, more frequent attacks; something most panic attack sufferers would prefer to do without.

Will just one Drink Hurt?

So now that we know the basic relationship between alcohol and panic attack experiences, does that mean that a panic attack sufferer is not allowed to drink? The answer is surprisingly, no. A person who experiences panic, even frequent panic, is not disallowed to drink. What is considered a no-no is the excessive use and abuse of alcohol. A drink or two to relax yourself is not a bad idea, it’s when a person takes their drinking too far that the real problems begin to arise. This excessive abuse of alcohol is what will trigger these increased panic problems, so the simple solution to this problem? Don’t drink too much.

Panic attacks are not fun, and once the relationship between alcohol and panic attack experiences are truly understood by a person, it will become apparent what they must do. Everyone has different limits, and different alcoholic thresholds. The key is to understand where your limit is and to not step over it. For most people suffering from chronic panic attacks, this limit will begin to become natural. Because as any panic sufferers can tell you, a panic attack is extremely unpleasant and it isn’t worth having even if it means passing up that extra drink.

Panic Attack and Depression: You Don’t Have to Suffer

On average, fourteen million Americans suffer from major panic attack and depression. Three million Americans suffer from panic disorder. It is very common for those with major depression to also have panic attacks and elevated anxiety levels. Because panic can mimic other disorders, such as hypoglycemia, heart problems, asthma and many more serious conditions, sufferers who have not been diagnosed with panic disorder can feel afraid and tentative about their health.

If you are having panic attacks, but are unaware, and are also suffering from depression, then the two can aggravate the other until proper treatment is realized. As depression is another difficult illness to properly diagnose and treat, it is imperative to actively find treatment that works for you.

The Results of Panic Attack and Depression

People suffering from depression will feel bored, sad, hopeless, sluggish, alone and unloved. They may suffer from insomnia, and will have elevated anxiety levels. Because of this elevated anxiety, people with panic attack and depression will often experience panic attacks on a normal basis. When someone has more than one panic attack, they can develop a phobia towards the situation, or a fear to return to a specific place. Add in an already depressed view of the world, a worry that others find no worth in you, and you have a recipe for one miserable person.

Health care professionals are learning that the instances of panic attack and depression coinciding together are more common that thought. While not everyone who is depressed will have panic attacks, many people who suffer from panic may very well be depressed. There are certain SSRI antidepressants on the market today that are specifically recommended for use in treating anxiety along with depression.

Many people who suffer from depression do not know it. When someone who experiences panic attack and depressed has a panic attack, it can be very frightening. Oftentimes, people in the middle of panic attacks feel like they are going to die, or that will lose their minds and “go crazy”. This can prevent some from seeking treatment, as they do not understand what is happening to them, and fear the worse.

When the panic attack is over and the sufferer feels normal again, they may not think anything of it until it happens again. Many people who suffer from panic attacks do not realize that they are not alone. A person who is experiencing panic attack and depression may feel especially overwhelmed and will aggravate the situation by worrying and inflating the scenario in their mind. They may feel hopeless to the point where they cannot see how treatment would be effective.

Treatment for depression with panic attacks is available and very effective. Through any combination of medication, cognitive-behavior therapy and relaxation techniques, sufferers can gain control of their lives back.

What is a Child Panic Attack?

A child panic attack can be a very serious and frightening matter, both for the child and for the parents. In this brief article, I will outline some of the facts around a child panic attack and decipher some clues as to what parents can do for their children in this frightening and confusing time. Children experience emotional issues such as panic and anxiety much differently than adults, so education is as important as anything when dealing with this situation.

Children and teenagers experience panic attacks and often develop fears of going places because of this. They fear that should they engage in an activity, a panic attack may occur and embarrass them. There are many different types of child panic attack disorders.

GAD – Generalized Anxiety Disorder

GAD is an anxiety disorder that is generally known by the patient experiencing excessive worrying about a series of events. These events can either be in the past, in the present, or in the future so the time has little to do with the amount of “logical worry” that is applied. Sometimes children or teens worry about past events, conversations they may have had, upcoming events, school, friends, family, functions or any other possibility. Typically a child experiencing GAD cannot control the amount of time spent worrying about such things.

The best way known to treat GAD is through relaxation techniques and therapy. Generally talking children out of their worrying can work wonders, but a trained mental health physician is usually the best prepared to encounter such a disorder. Children are taught to use positive self-talk instead of the discouraging words of worry and are taught to generate a dialogue with others to explore their feelings. This child panic attack disorder does not generally have a prescribed medication.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children may experience panic when they are separated from loved ones or comfortable situations that they are used to. This generally applies to younger children who are separated from parents. The threat of separation from a caregiver often results in anxiety and occurs in cases such as when the child is left with a babysitter on a parents’ evening out on the town.

The child may avoid activities that result in separation from its caregivers and may worry excessively about the caregiver when they are gone. Normally the therapy involved includes recognition of these emotions and a good dose of reality: that nothing wrong happens, etc. Children are also taught coping skills to deal with the separation, often through role playing.

Finding Information on Panic Attacks

Finding information on panic attacks and other psychological issues can be a difficult and daunting task, especially given the rather uneasy subject matter of the topic. However, this information can be vital to your understanding of a panic or anxiety attack and is quite critical given that the information is accurate. This brief article will outline how to find information on panic attacks and how to use it to the best of your ability to prevent further panic attacks from threatening the welfare and well-being of your family and those around you.

The Search for Facts

Seeking information of any kind can be quite interesting simply because of the vast amount of information that is out there. It is important to remember to check sources and find multiple avenues of seeking out information on panic attack and other issues. Getting the information is the easy part; finding out whether the information is true or not is quite another thing altogether.

Truth isn’t exactly foreign to all sources, but it is not really an issue to those wanting to sell magazines or web site hits or any other sort of marketing avenue. Be aware of the motivations behind those offering information as that can often weigh heavily on the type of information they provide. Those hoping to turn a profit for giving out information on panic attacks or other important issues might not be the best of considerable sources for what you are looking for. Helpful information should never cost money.

Consult your local library, medical professional, and check out a few internet sites to start with. Usually a particular web site will belong to an organization. In this case, panic attacks have several organizations that are not interested in turning a profit but rather want to help those suffering with this affliction. These sources are here to offer assistance, not make money, so their information is generally accurate because it is in their best interest for it to be.

Who Not to Trust

Do not trust those organizations offering information on panic attacks that have little to no actual credentials. If they claim to be doctors, check them out with a medical organization. If they are a business out for profit, do not trust their information unless it checks out with other reputable sources. It is always important to get more than one piece of information on any topic, let alone something that could be a matter of life and death.

Those looking for a profit often have little regard for the safety of people taking their advice and often do not care about the welfare of those paying for the information as long as they are paying for the information. The bottom line is that it is a cynical world, but there is information on panic attacks around that can be trusted. On the other hand, there is also information out there that cannot be.

Panic Attack Self Help Guide

So you’ve been diagnosed with having chronic panic attacks? Odds are if you are reading this then that is the case. Like most panic attack sufferers you are probably asking yourself two questions; why me? Is there a cure?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for chronic panic attacks. Most panic attack sufferers will have the potential to have attacks their whole life. For some this can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, while for others it just their certain mode of thinking that causes the attacks. The purpose of this panic attack self help guide is to give any new or veteran sufferer of panic attacks a few helpful tips.

Tip one:

Panic attacks are all in your head. The reason why you have these attacks is probably unknown. One thing most doctors will agree on is that panic attacks are all in the victims head. Whether this is caused by a chemical imbalance, or not, the trigger for an attack has to come from the sufferer. So tip one is to remember that these attacks are all mental. Once you learn this step, and learn to believe it, then you will be well on your way to dealing with your panic.

Tip Two:

The second best tip this panic attack self help guide can tell you are that panic attacks often tend to be caused by certain lifestyles and certain personalities. People who tend to worry too much or dump too many stresses onto their own shoulders, also tend to be those most likely to sufferer from chronic panic attacks. So tip two is to examine your lifestyle; how are you living at the moment? Could your life be less stressful, and if so what is the main source of that stress?

Tip Three:

The third tip would have to be learning what exactly happens during a panic attack. Even with all the preventative medicine in the world, most panic attack sufferers will experience attacks from time to time. They will most likely not be that serious, but they will happen. So what occurs during a panic attack? When a person panics, the body is essentially triggering a “fight or flight” response to the source of the attack.

In most cases this drastic reaction is not needed and has no outlet once it is started. Tip three is to learn about this mechanism, and the best ways a person can counter it on their own.

Tip Four:

The fourth and final tip of this panic attack self help guide is the simplest of them all, see a doctor. There is a whole range of options for panic sufferers, and a physician is the best source of that knowledge.

Choosing a Panic Attack Natural Remedy to Treat Panic Attacks

Do you suffer from panic attacks? You may enter a crowded store, or an airport, and suddenly are overcome with dizziness, trouble breathing and chest pains. You may feel unnaturally afraid all of the sudden, and in mortal danger. You are not alone.

Between 6.5 – 10% of Americans have been diagnosed with Panic Disorder, which means the individual has suffered more than one panic attack within a period of time. There are several successful treatments available from conventional physicians and therapists. But what about those who prefer alternative therapies?

How can you treat with a Panic Attack Natural Remedy

Many people are uncomfortable taking certain prescription drugs, especially antidepressants. There are many side effects to antidepressants that are undesirable and difficult to live with. Aside from behavioral therapies, antidepressants are the one chemical way to help people control their panic disorders. However, there are ways to help control this with a panic attack natural remedy.

Calming herbs such as lavender, valerian and passion flower and have been used successfully at the onset of a panic attack. Vitamins and amino acids can be combined successfully to help reduce the occurrence of panic attacks. Research vitamin B-complex, Omega-3 fatty acids, 5HTP, sAMe and L-taurine to see if they might benefit you in controlling your panic attacks. Some have found aromatherapy to be quite helpful. Scents like frankincense, neroli, sage, rose, ylang ylang and bergamot have been found to effectively calm people out of panic attacks when they start.

Aside from herbal and vitamin therapies, a lot of people who are searching for a panic attack natural remedy just want an alternative to antidepressants. Behavioral therapy has proven to be quite effective. Some have had success with a treatment known as EMDR [Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing]. This is a treatment that uses eye movements to discern information and reassign the way the brain processes it.

Other alternative and natural panic attack natural remedy choices take the form in hypnosis, acupuncture and massage therapy. Yoga or meditation can be utilized as well.

There are many options out there for sufferers of panic disorder who want to take control of their treatment and find a method they are most comfortable with. Since panic disorder is a serious medical condition, it is best to consult with a physician, therapist, herbalist or other professional for guidance in finding the best treatment for you.

What is a Panic Attack Disorder?

A panic attack disorder is a disorder that involves sudden surges of fear, often overwhelming surges. The difference between a simple attack and a full-on panic attack disorder is the length of time the symptoms persist and the gravity of the symptoms. Essentially, a panic attack disorder disrupts your life and causes you to completely revamp the way in which you go about your daily work, home life, and social life.

A panic disorder is a fairly common condition, however. Generally without warning the symptoms arrive and cause the sufferer to feel fearful, nervous, and frightened without reason. These episodes can last minutes, sometimes even hours, and can be very disabling to most people as they essentially can freeze a person like a “deer in the headlights”. Being paralyzed by fear is a very real notion to those that suffer with panic attacks on a regular basis.

The Cause

The cause for a panic attack is not usually obvious, but it is something that is generally “normal” as a part of a regular stressful modern life. The development of a panic attack disorder is usually associated with a lack of proper coping skills more than it is a brain function or a biological illness as the idea behind panic is a poor management of stressful situations.

Mental health professionals often prescribe a variety of types of therapy. These include color therapy and hypnosis but in general result in a discussion of the fears or anxiety triggers to comprise a proper coping plan that will ease the effects of the stressors. However, in some of the more serious cases various medications can also be prescribed to aide in the balancing of brain chemicals that the stress and the poor reactions to it may have unbalanced.

Symptoms

Panic attacks usually come with a set of symptoms that include: shaking, trembling, heart palpitations, sweating, chest pains, shortness of breath, choking or feeling like you may be choking, nausea, dizziness, cramping, tingling, numbness, chills, hot flashes, and even “out of body” experiences or feelings related to that experience. There are other symptoms as well, but many of these are dependent on the individual panic attack sufferer.

Once again, the difference between a panic attack and a panic attack disorder is the frequency and the overall gravity of the anxiety and the symptoms. Many of those with an attack disorder seek counselling and are prescribed medication as well to combat the effects of the symptoms. As anyone with a panic disorder will tell you, anxiety can be very crippling and without professional medical help can cause serious problems.

Agoraphobia Panic Attack Information

Agoraphobia is generally considered an anxiety or panic disorder, commonly referred to as the fear of traveling. This fear can range from not being able to travel a few hours away from the home, all the way down to not being able to leave your home all together. An agoraphobia panic attack is basically an attack that occurs when an agoraphobic attempts to go beyond their “safe” boundaries.

The problem with treating an agoraphobia panic attack is that the only real way to overcome the attack is for the person to attempt to push their limits. This is the reason why many agoraphobics tend to get worse before they get better. It is easy for an agoraphobic to ignore their problem, since all they have to do is not travel beyond their limits but unfortunately while being easy to ignore, agoraphobia also tends to be the most stifling of the symptoms that can arise from chronic panic disorder.

Begin With Baby Steps

The best thing an agoraphobic can do to stem their agoraphobia panic attacks, is to begin taking baby steps. Setting goals to overcome their attacks is the only way an agoraphobic will ever be able to finally master their fears. This process is best done with the help of family and friends, who can help you to make those steps all the while keeping the person assured of their relative safety.

It isn’t completely known what causes agoraphobic panic attacks, or why the panic attacks manifest in this form. It is suspected that many agoraphobics already had the propensity for being afraid of travel, with many of them being the type that experienced motion sickness before they ever experience panic attacks.

The Unknown

An Agoraphobia panic attack is particularly frustrating to the sufferer themselves. Mainly because the attack is even less rational then a standard panic attack. Why they experience a fear of traveling beyond a certain distance, or going to a certain place is unknown. But anyone of the numerous anxiety / panic disorders can take root and cause agoraphobia.

Social anxiety can lead to a fear of certain public places, especially grocery stores and other places that have a large gathering of people. On the other hand general panic disorder can cause the panic sufferer to become embarrassed of their own disorder, which leads to a fear of traveling outside and having a panic attack. It just goes to show the difficulties that are had in identifying and dealing with an agoraphobia panic attack.