Tips For Panic Attacks

Controlling panic attacks does not mean running away from it. It means making a bridge to cross over the difficulties to a better place called your ‘REAL’ life. You must have experienced panic attacks that leave you with a feeling about being at their mercy. Sometimes you have no idea about how you could put an end to this misery. Here are 5 tTips to controlling panic attacks:

1. Break the fear of having another panic attack. Learning how to do this is key in recovery.
2. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugar. These can adversely affect the central nervous system and trigger an attack.
3. Exercise! There is a ton of research on how exercise affects our mental health. It decreases stress and helps you relax and sleep (among many other things…)
4. Get plenty of good sleep. Again, this will alleviate stress.
5. Get professional help, via a therapist, book or program.

Check out this program called Panic Away. It’s by a guy named Joe Barry who has had tons of success helping people learn to control their anxiety and panic attacks.

What you eat also contributes to your mental health. Alcohol and sugar induce feelings of anxiety and depression so simple changes in your diet such as increasing the intake of fresh vegetables and fruits can help improve your energy levels and lift your mood. Water consumption also needs to be increased as a body deprived of water leads to several aggravated symptoms of panic disorder.

Exercise is critical in knowing how to prevent panic attacks. It is shown that regular exercise can increase feelings of well being and the improved ability to relax. With exercising, your body reduces the muscle tension and increases levels of serotonin in the body which directly increases the feelings of calmness. Serotonin is a potent hormone that the body produces to counter the effects of stress and anxiety.

Did anyone tell you that laughter is the best medicine? Well, it may sound simple but if you are suffering from panic attacks and anxiety disorders, then laughing will just help you improve the feel good factor in your body. When you are faced with impending doom or some crisis, laughing can be virtually impossible. Laughter has been proven to cause the body to release hormones and chemicals that lower blood pressure, boost the body’s immune system and improve the brain’s function as well as reduce stress levels and elevate moods. Do things that induce laughter such as watching comedies or reading books or hanging out with friends. With laughing, you will see improved benefits to your health, mood and mind.

The brain releases adrenaline in situations that cause excitement and danger. With this hormone, your body gets it boost of energy to react to these situations and adrenaline serves as a powerful hormone that causes symptoms such as dizziness, increased heart rate, chest pains as well as breathing difficulties. Because some people have exaggerated reactions to adrenaline, the experience panic attacks. Knowing how to how to prevent panic attacks can help the person deal with these situations immediately and effectively before it turns into feelings of helplessness and fear.

The key to understanding how to prevent panic attacks is to understand the source of the anxiety. This then lead to how to manage that anxiety in order to sooth your mind and your body. There are so many activities that you can do daily that will reduce, and eventually completely remove, the panic attacks that occur in your life. Some of these actions are such as:

1. Confronting your fears
2. Breathing correctly
3. Maintaining a healthy diet
4. Exercising regularly
5. Laugh more!
6. Get sleep and spend more time outdoors.

One of the most difficult and most important steps in treating panic attacks is the ability to conquer your fears. With the guidance and advice of your family and your therapist, you can confront and handle negative thoughts that generate fear and anxiety. By using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, people confront and manage deep seated fears to improve your outlook on life and to think more positively.

Attending meditation seminars can help you to focus and breathe properly. You would be surprised to know that incorrect breathing is one of the reasons that add to physical symptoms of anxiety. With just the right breathing techniques alone done for about fifteen to twenty minutes every day, can help you relax and may completely remove panic attacks.

Many people experience some mild sensations when they feel anxious about something, but a panic attack is much more intense than usual. It includes 4 or more of the above symptoms, and peaks within about 10 minutes. As you can see from the list, many of the symptoms are similar to what you might experience if you were in a truly dangerous situation. A panic attack can be very frightening and you may feel a strong desire to escape the situation or to seek emergency assistance. Panic disorder is used to describe the condition where panic attacks seem to happen unexpectedly rather than always in predictable situations. Importantly, someone with panic disorder has a persistent fear of having another attack or worries about the consequences of the attack.

Many people change their behaviour to try to prevent panic attacks. Some people are affected so much that they try to avoid any place where it might be difficult to get help or to escape from. When this avoidance is severe it is called agoraphobia.

This situation is like a smoke alarm that is ultra sensitive. It is so sensitive that its alarm system gets activated at the slightest possibility of smoke. In fact, it is so sensitive it basically activates the alarm when no danger is present (eg, when someone is cooking, or even when hot air escapes from the bathroom!). Something similar happens with a person who is anxiety sensitive. They
continually find themselves becoming anxious (activation of fight/flight alarm system) at the slightest suggestion of threat (eg. “I’m feeling hot – I might have a panic attack”).

Focus on internal sensations

As mentioned, being sensitive to anxiety symptoms often results in the person scanning their environment for possible cues for anxiety. Often this means focusing inwards and noticing all the different physical sensations. By focusing on your own body reactions, such as sweating or trembling, it can be easy to convince yourself that you have a physical problem (eg, “I’m having a heart attack”) or a mental problem (eg, “I’m going crazy”). This can start the panic cycle that we described previously, leading to more frequent panic attacks.

So, what’s the end result? Well, because there seems to be no obvious external reason for the panic attacks, they appear to be unpredictable and to “come out of the blue”. They can also be very distressing because of the intensity of the symptoms, because they are unpredictable, or because it is difficult to escape from places where they might occur.

MEDICATION

Medication has been used to reduce anxiety symptoms and reduce the likelihood that you will have panic
attacks. While there are a number of different medications that may help to reduce anxiety symptoms, it is often difficult to know which one will work the best. You should always speak to your doctor if you have any queries about medication, and if your doctor prescribes them, make sure you follow all the instructions, and report any side effects.

Another treatment option for reducing panic attacks is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
Cognitive and behavioural strategies address the three components that specifically contribute to panic and intense anxiety. This includes Thoughts, behaviours and physiology. In this way, CBT strategies seek to change the anxiety habits that may have developed around panic and anxiety.

Thoughts

For people who experience panic attacks, thoughts can occur in the ‘here-and-now’ of the situation, and may include focusing on physiological sensations of anxiety and panic, and then interpreting them in a catastrophic way. Importantly, it is our perception of particular cues as dangerous that contributes to increasing anxiety. These cognitions are also part of a bigger picture of thinking processes. People who experience panic attacks often worry excessively about anxiety symptoms. They may overestimate the likelihood of having a panic attack and overestimate the consequences of having a panic
attack. It is this continued fear of fear that starts the feelings of anxiety, which then prompts the search for evidence of threat and danger.

Behaviour

One of the most important factors that needs to be addressed when overcoming panic and anxiety is the avoidance of symptoms of anxiety, avoidance of situations where panic attacks might occur, and the use of safety behaviours to try to prevent panic attacks.

Physiology

The physical symptoms that our bodies experience in reaction to anxiety-provoking events include: rapid breathing, pounding heart, sweating, clammy palms, and muscle tension, etc. For some people, changing breathing patterns can help to show that anxiety symptoms are not dangerous because they are under your control. However, we don’t want you to use breathing strategies, like the calming technique, as a safety-behaviour to avoid anxiety.

Panic attacks and general anxiety can consume your life, robbing you of your confidence and joy. Panic Away is an Anxiety Attack Solution. What is Panic Attack or Anxiety Attack?

If you suffer from…

- Palpitations
- a pounding heart, or an accelerated heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath
- A choking sensation
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea or stomach cramps
- Derealization (a feeling of unreality)
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Fear of dying Numbness or a tingling sensation
- Chills or hot flashes

…then you’ve experienced firsthand some of the possible symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack.

If you suffer from panic attacks, the above example probably seems very familiar. The particular situations that trigger your panic and anxiety may differ; maybe the bodily sensations are a little different. Or maybe it happened to you for the first time on a plane, in the dentist chair, or even at home, while doing nothing in particular.

If you have ever had what has become known as a “panic attack,” take comfort in the fact that you are by no means alone.

A panic attack always comes with the acute sense of impending doom. You feel you are either about to lose your mind or one of your vital bodily functions is about to cease functioning correctly.

You are by no means alone; you’re not even one in a million. In America, it is estimated that almost 5% of the population suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. For some, it may be the infrequent panic attacks that only crop up in particular situations-like when having to speak in front of others, while, for other people, it can be so frequent and recurring that it inhibits them from leaving their home. Frequent panic attacks often develop into what medical physicians refer to as a “panic disorder.”

It may be that you never have panic attacks but experience general anxiety all day long. If that is the case you will also find very helpful information on this site.

One of the first steps to regaining control of your life is getting helpful information. Panic Away will give you that, and more.

The beginning of your recovery starts with Panic Away. What you will learn is that there is a very good chance you are about to end the cycle of panic attacks and general anxiety in your life. You will learn not only to regain the carefree life you remember once having, but will also gain new confidence in living. Your answer to living free from “panic” or “general anxiety” is at hand.

Begin the road to recovery by browsing through the site. While many of you may have read almost everything you can possibly read relating to panic and anxiety I assure you this site offers something very effective.

If you have ever experienced being uncomfortable and feeling that something just isn’t right when it comes to your breathing or the way your body seems to be failing you, it is entirely possible you could have been experiencing an anxiety attack symptom. Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms that usually come with anxiety attacks.

A Pounding Heart

One of the more common of an anxiety attack symptom is a pounding heart. This symptom can be caused by a number of different anxiety attacks, from mild to severe. Many people who do have an attack tend to clutch at their chest in fear of a heart attack or other ailment, when in reality they are experiencing anxiety.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is another anxiety attack symptom that is seen a lot because of someone feeling panicked due to other symptoms they are experiencing. The shortness of breath can seem like your world is caving in, but by being able to recognize the symptom as part of an anxiety attack, you can more easily control this.

Lightheaded or Faint

Becoming lightheaded is one anxiety attack symptom that happens a lot in crowded areas. Many people have a phobia about being in crowds and becoming lightheaded or fainting is a common symptom that they experience. People will sometimes think they have a more serious issue, but it reality it’s only one of the symptoms that are associated with anxiety attacks.

Fear of Losing Control

Another anxiety attack symptom that is almost always present in an attack is the fear of losing control. This fear comes from the seemingly uncontrollable symptoms that precede like becoming light headed with a racing heart, and shortness of breath. It is a natural feeling for us to feel as if we are losing control of our own bodies.

Overview

Anxiety attack symptoms vary and are not isolated to just one group of people. Everybody is different and may experience varying symptoms based on what their fears may be. Anxiety is a treatable problem and many people live normal lives once they learn to control there attacks. In the end, by visiting a physician to talk about the anxiety attack symptoms that bother you, a plan can be put in place as to how you can effectively overcome the symptoms as they occur, making it possible to ensure anxiety attacks do not have precedence over your life.

A panic attack can strike at any moment. You could be in a great mood, having a great day when all of a sudden an attack strikes. In order to prevent an uncomfortable panic attack, seek proper treatment before the attack starts. Panic attack medication is a common treatment used today, typically anti-depressant medication. The panic attack medication is typically combined with cognitive behavior therapy to provide a thorough treatment of the entire panic attack. With this combination of treatment an average person who suffers from panic attacks will help prevent and sometimes eliminate a future attack.

An anti-depression medication is a great help in the fight to prevent a panic attack. The panic attack medication helps to calm the patients’ anxiety levels, thus preventing the onset of a common panic attack. A panic attack medication prescribed for treatment will have to be taken on a strict schedule, usually around the same time each day. It is very important to maintain this schedule of treatment to prevent any withdrawal symptoms caused by the medication.

Reduce Future Attacks

If the panic attack medication treatment schedule is strictly followed the patient will reduce the chance of a future attack. Common panic attack medication used for treatment is sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine (Paxil). These anti-depressant medications will sometimes be combined with alprazolam (Xanax) a benzodiazepine drug that is given to relax and relieve a persons anxiety levels. This combination of panic attack medication can literally eliminate an attack all together. Some of the panic attack medication prescribed can be habit forming so before taking any of them please consult with your doctor.

Effective treatment of a panic attack not only involves taking panic attack medication for prevention, but continued cognitive therapy. Therapy sessions will be broken down into two different sections. The first section is behavioral therapy, which will provide you with exercises you can perform such as relaxation techniques. This treatment along with your prescribed medication will help with the mental effects of the panic attack.

More on Cognitive Therapy

The second section is cognitive therapy; this will help you recognize what may be triggering your panic attack from a physical aspect. This treatment will also help you realize what makes your conditions worsen. Cognitive therapy treatment and the combination of panic attack medication have been clinically proven to help prevent a future panic attack.

A panic attack can be a very frightening situation, but you will eventually recover. Once you have spoken with your doctor and they have confirmed a panic attack has occurred, its time for treatment. Consult with your doctor and determine which treatment is best for you. If you are recommended to start an anti-depressant medication, make sure to ask about side effects or habit-forming effects. With the right combination of therapy and medication for treatment, you will have taken the first step in prevention of any future panic attack.

You probably want to know how you can get treated for panic attacks so that you can seek a cure. Let’s look at typical treatment to answer the question – can doctors stop panic attacks?

The first thing people typically do is seek medical advice, and that can be good and bad, for this simple reason. Medical Practioners are trained to treat discomfort, and to treat discomfort they typically prescribe sedatives, and the medications used to treat panic attacks can be very habit forming. Additionally, drugs only cover up the symptoms, they do not treat the underlying deep seeded emotional trauma causing the panic attacks in the first place. And if you think panic attacks are a burden to live with, they are nothing compared to trying to break an addiction to drugs, that will make your panic attack seem like a picnic.

With that in mind, let’s talk about some of the procedures and drugs physicians typically bring to the exam room so to speak.

There are treatments that might help you. The worst thing that you can do is to ignore the symptoms and self medicate. Self medication includes taking medications or liquor without supervision. Many people who suffer from panic attacks are tempted to take a drink to stop their symptoms as alcohol can have a calming effect. As a matter of fact, many people who are alcoholics suffer from panic attacks.

If you arrange a visit to your physician after having a panic attack, chances are that he or she will place you on medication for the panic attacks. Someone who is having a full blown panic attack is many times diagnosed to be having what is commonly diagnosed as a nervous breakdown.

A medical practitioner will often prescribe medication as well as tell you to obtain therapy. Your physician will also most likely advise you to eliminate harmful activities such as smoking or drinking alcohol, to eat right and get more physical activiy. All of these can be helpful when you are seeking to prevent or control panic attacks.

When you see the medical advisor the first time, it is highly likely that he or she will prescribe both an anti-depressant as well as an anti-panic attack medication.

Most medications used to treat panic attacks are labeled benzodiazepines. They work quickly to control your fears and will take the edge off of your panic attacks. The problem with these medications is that they are highly addictive and can cause even greater panic attacks when you are trying to get off of them. Some of the most commonly prescribed medications for panic attacks include Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan.

The important thing to remember when taking drugs like Xanax is that they are not only habit forming, but they build up a tolerance in your system. This means that you gradually need more of the same drug to achieve the same result.

There are many websites relating to people who are trying to kick the habit of Xanax or other anti-panic attack drugs. While these drugs can effectively calm you down, they should only be taken as needed – that is, when you are experiencing an actual panic attack.

Xanax and other medications help to reduce the symptoms that you experience from your panic attacks, but they do not cure the underlying cause. And in order to treat panic attacks properly, and stop panic attacks, you have to get to the emotional distress of the cause.

Thus, speaking from my personal experience, the primary objective from the medical standpoint will be to control the panic attacks with anti-depressants that do nothing more than provide a very temporary relief to the discomfort you feel, they do nothing to treat the cause or help you stop panic attacks themselves, but just mask the condition. Is that what you want?

Many people feel that physicians are too quick to prescribe sedatives for their patients.

Here is what you must recognize. Even with medication, you will still experience episodes of panic or panic attacks. Doctors did nothing for me and my issues with panic attacks, other than the typical treatments just described.

I am certain this is probably not what you want. Here’s the good news, You have the chance to join 27,000 other people who have utilized a revolutionary treatment and ended their panic attacks once and for all.

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The very first panic attack often seems to come completely unexpectedly and can even occur whilst you are doing something that you do every day like driving, shopping, walking in the park, watching a movie, etc.

Suddenly, you are struck by a barrage of frightening and uncomfortable symptoms and you are convinced that something terrible is going to happen to you there and then.

During a panic attack, most sufferers will likely experience the following symptoms:

* Shortness of breathe, or a suffocating sensation
* Rapid heart beat and the feeling that your having a heart attack
* Feeling like your going to faint or even die

Very often, after the first attack, people will start to associate the activity or place as the cause of their panic attack and avoid it. This is where the problem start to manifest as the “avoid list” grows after each and every panic attack.

Learning how to get rid of panic attacks can be difficult, but it can be done. The key thing to take note here is fear. Panic attack is the “fear of fear”. The fear of having another panic attack, constantly dreading that it will happen again. Its this feeling that causes panic attack to occur again and again.

Hence, in order to get rid of panic attacks forever, one must confront their fear. Learn to accept the fact that you have panic attack and know that it will not go away by itself. Next time a panic attack strike, confront it head on, don’t run or hide from it.

Know that panic attack can not harm you. Despite all the painful sensation and feeling of death that you have to go through during panic attack, know that they cannot harm you.

Eventually, the panic attack will go away and nothing will happen to you – no heart attack, no fainting and no dieing.

This is the key to get rid of panic attacks. Know that panic attack cannot harm you, assure yourself that it cannot harm you and you have nothing to fear.

Modern western medicine often prescribes drugs to help you cure the symptoms of panic attacks. But what do you do if you don’t want to subject your body to this?

There are some natural alternatives for dealing with panic attacks:

• As soon as you notice a panic attack starting, concentrate on your breathing. Take a deep breath in and then slowly release it. Repeat this a few times and there’s a reasonable chance that your panic will subside.
• If you’re near someone you know and trust, talk to them. A second opinion and a comforting word can be enough to reduce your panic attack.
• Divert your attention away from the panic attack. Focusing on your panic and anxiety usually only intensifies it.
• If you start to hyperventilate, use a paper bag (or even an envelope) to breathe into. The change in the carbon dioxide levels should help you reduce your anxiety. If you don’t have a paper bag handy then holding your breath for a few seconds will have the same effect.
• Listening to relaxing music can help. Keep your Walkman or iPod handy and be prepared to switch to a more relaxing track the moment you sense a panic attack starting.

Another well-known alternative natural therapy to deal with panic attacks that works in most of the cases is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It works on the proven assumption that our active thoughts have the capability of changing our subconscious reactions and can, therefore, cure panic attacks, as they are one’s reaction to certain kind of situations. Click here to know more.