Tackling Panic Attacks

Dizziness, difficulty in breathing, and muscle tension are some of the symptoms associated with panic attacks. Even though they might not appear to be very serious, they leave the sufferer in a mentally exhausted state. The irrational fear induced during an attack can only be understood by the person suffering from the attack. Sometimes, they are aware of the fact that the fear is irrational and this worsens the situation. After the attack is over, they feel embarrassed about how something irrational has affected their lives so deeply. In fact, certain people feel so embarrassed that they do not even seek help.

The exact cause for this disorder is not known and as a result, there is no single medication available for treating it. However for most people, amalgamation of behavioral and cognitive therapies works the best. In some cases, the patient can get a lot of control over their condition by simply understanding what a panic disorder is. A cognitive therapy helps the person in realizing that the increased heart rate or the shortness in breath is not going to harm them. In essence, cognitive therapies replace the negative thoughts from a patients mind with positive and more realistic thoughts.

In case of behavioral therapies, patients are exposed to conditions which they face during an actual attack. People are not actually afraid of the experience during an attack, they are afraid about the onset of the attack. For example, people are not afraid of the crowd in a social gathering, but they are afraid of having an attack in a social gathering. As a part of behavioral therapy, patients are exposed to symptoms of this disorder to make them understand that hot flashes or increased heart rate do not always lead to a panic attack.

These therapies also make the patient go through actions they are scared of, in small steps. So, if patients are afraid of going to social gatherings, the first step is to make them get into a car because most of them start thinking about the gathering as soon as they get in the car, which leads them to an attack. This also helps them in understanding that being in a car will not lead to an attack.

Apart from these therapies, several medications which reduce the severity of the attacks or suppress the symptoms are available. Even relaxation techniques like breathing and positive visualization can be very helpful in controlling panic attacks.