So, that it is clear what a panic or anxiety attack is, here is a list of the sorts of feelings which are commonly reported during these periods:
–A feeling that the world is closing in on you
–Strangely dizzy sensations
–A heartbeat that is pounding, much, much faster than usual
–Possibly a tingling in your chest
–Sweating
–An inability to concentrate.
Also, very commonly people suffer an acute fear of dying during the panic attack. Don’t worry – you won’t die though, nobody does.
A number of studies are ongoing to research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of anxiety disorders and other similar psychological disorders. Medical experts are particularly keen to understand how genetic factors and family background combine with life experiences to put a person at risk for these disorders. New drugs are being tested by these Health Institutions in clinical trials, as well as therapy approaches.
Some say that our children are more likely to suffer from panic attacks than the kids of non-panic-ers. They say that there does seem to be a genetic basis. In this area like so many others it is useful to study genetic twins. Some web articles say that in almost half of the cases of identical twins with panic both twins are affected. But, we should not dismiss the fact that behavioral learning may also play a role. That means, if I put it in a more simple way, that our children are likely to follow in our steps if we show anxiety to the extent of panic.
Now let me at this point just say, that if you do think you are starting an episode of anxiety which might develop into a panic attack, take care to remove yourself from dangerous situations. Do this especially if you might become, for a while, a danger to others. The obvious example here is that if you are driving, then stop and only start again once you are feeling better less stressed. If that means asking for help – so be it. Your friends and family will help you.
I am not a medic but I, like very many people, see self help as the starting point in finding a way to heal anxiety and panic attacks, as long as there is no biological cause (and you should consult your medical advisor in the first instance of course about this).
Instead of looking for exotic cures, try the simple things first. If something drug free and low cost, requiring only your time and participation works, then you will not need to look further.
One of the first and simplest things of all to do is to begin to keep a diary of all the situations that trigger panic attacks. That will mean that later you will know how often, when and where, they happened.
We listed common experiences during an attack earlier so write down each type of feeling that you experienced. What were you doing when is started and thinking, feeling at that time? Again, later you will know what the symptoms were.
Why do this you say? Well, a psychologist would I think say that the act of recording and describing each attack will help to put you in charge of the situation. You will also in later review of the information be able deduce how modifying your environment might help prevent future anxiety attacks.
We recommend that you check out the following self-help mini e-learning series: Panic Away, by Joe Barry. He suffered from Panic and Anxiety himself for years, until he managed to hit on one technique that is an almost fail-safe guarantee to rid you of your panic and anxiety.
2: What Causes Panic Attacks and Choosing Panic Attack Treatment
First let us be sure we know what a panic attack is. In physiological terms panic attacks almost always involve the body producing an excess of adrenaline. It is the effect of this suddenly entering into your system, in combination with several other related emotional factors going on within your psyche.
The underlying cause of panic attacks varies for everyone that suffers, and is still open to debate, but the precise cause quite naturally does seem to vary from person to person. Some panic attacks seem to come on unexpectedly, and this is certainly the case for everyone’s our first attack. Other anxieties may build up over time for some people and certainly many are most likely triggered later, after a traumatic event. The type of traumatic event varies widely but a good example would be a car accident. Others anxiety/panic attacks turn out to be situation-specific and an attack is frequently triggered if a certain pattern of circumstances recurs for the individual.
Medications such as Klonopin and Zoloft have been prescribed for the alleviation of these attacks. A lady said that she has taken these drugs for her anxiety, and at one time she was free from symptoms for more than 10 years, but the problem came back. She took no medication and it went away again.
Those who study panic attacks find that the attacks commonly occur in clusters. That is, plural episodes for several weeks or months followed by several months to years of joyful absence of the problem. Attacks do tend to be more prevalent in some families and we have been told that attacks are often reduced with SRI drugs like Zoloft.
Attacks of this sort can also be distressing problem for children, although mercifully only rarely. I’m not a pediatrician so I can’t tell you the incidence of panic attacks in kids, but according to web information seen, it seems pretty small. Usually, panic attacks do not start until in the late teens, but it can start earlier.
Counseling can be available for confronting the problem and reducing the anxiety that can produce a panic attack. It is also, of course, suitable for a wide range of conditions such as bereavement or marital problems. Counseling is an excellent approach and it is well proven that it helps many people every day live through difficult stages of their life.
