Medication
While most therapists and doctors do not look at medication as a long-term solution, it is often employed in order to help the patient get a handle on the situation and seek help. It may be that a patient needs medication in order to seek out and benefit from non-medicated treatments. Some of the medications used to treat panic attacks are:

-Xanax
-Klonopin
-Ativan

These medications are helpful if you are in the middle of a panic attack, often bringing relief from the symptoms quickly.

-Prozac
-Zoloft
-Paxil

These are anti-depressants, and are meant to treat the overall frequency of panic attacks. These medications can also reduce the severity of the attacks. They are not used to alleviate symptoms right away.

Various Therapies
Panic attacks do respond to various forms of non-medicated therapies. Here are some of the more effective, common ones.

Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy can have different facets depending on the nature of the panic attacks. Basically, this kind of therapy helps the patient “unlearn” certain destructive behaviour patterns while learning constructive ones. Behavioral therapists help the patient directly address his or her fears. Otherwise, the patient tends to spend all of his or her time avoiding possible panic attack triggers.

Desensitization
This is an aspect of behavioral therapy that involves the systematic exposure to whatever the patient fears until the patient can face that fear. For example, if you have a paralyzing fear of flying in an airplane, the therapist may begin with having you simply walk up to a parked airplane. You may even be asked to touch the airplane. That will be all for the first session, or even the first few sessions.

Then, as you build confidence, the therapist may ask you to take a step or two up the steps to the door of the airplane. Then you can work up to being inside the airplane without it moving. Slowly, in incremental steps, you will be able to “unlearn” the fear response and re-learn a calm response to flying in airplanes.

Meditation and Relaxation Techniques
Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, and other stretching types of exercises can help the body relax. The calm, deliberate, disciplined movements are the opposite of the chaotic muscle contractions of a panic attack, and help your body lean how to have calm, peaceful, physical responses. The exercise itself in these techniques also helps panic attack sufferers.

Meditation can be practiced independently of the above techniques or in conjunction with them. Once again, the measured, calm, focused thought processes emphasized in meditation can help you learn how to cope with everyday stressors.

What Is a Panic Attack?

When you experience sudden, terrifying feelings of fear over which you have no control, it may be a panic attack. Such feelings are often accompanied by physical sensations, such as pain in the chest or abdomen or a feeling of suffocation and choking. Panic attacks are often a symptom of an anxiety disorder.

Causes
As noted above, panic attacks are often a manifestation of an underlying disorder. Thus, to find the cause(s) of the attack, doctors and therapists must look at causal factors of the disorder.

Sometimes, panic attacks don’t have any apparent cause, or may have specific triggers. For example, you may experience a panic attack every time you try to get into an elevator or drive under a bridge. The elevator and the bridge are not causing the attacks, but something about your perception of them is. Thus, there is an underlying anxiety or fear that needs to be addressed.

Symptoms
One of the most difficult and frightening aspects of panic attacks is that they can strike without warning. There are both symptoms of a panic attack itself, and symptoms of a panic disorder that may give rise to an attack. First, let’s look at the symptoms of a panic attack itself.

Symptoms of a panic attack are numerous. They include feelings of detachment from reality or from your surroundings; pain in the chest; heart palpitations; rapid pulse; dizziness; sweating; gasping for breath (or hyperventilating); and nausea or stomach pain. Sometimes you may feel like you’re dying. The symptoms feed on themselves, so to speak, so that the longer you experience the attack the more the fear grips you. Panic attacks do pass, however – usually after about 10 minutes or under 1/2 hour.

Symptoms of a panic disorder actually include panic attacks themselves. In addition, signs of panic disorders may also include fear of panic attacks; an inability to socialize; desperate attempts to avoid another panic attack (such as avoiding all possible triggers and obsessing over what those triggers are/were); and, in the case of panic disorder with agoraphobia, you are so afraid of having a panic attack in public that you avoid crowded places or even any public place.

If you suffer from any of these problems or symptoms, there are effective treatments available. Discuss the problem with your doctor, and he or she can refer you to a therapist who can help.

You can learn to cope with, reduce, alleviate, and perhaps even eliminate your panic attacks for good! There are specific actions steps you can take to help you overcome this challenge.

Where Do You Start?

You can learn a lot about panic attacks simply by studying why they occur. You can also try to discover the root of your panic attacks. Keep in mind that you should always seek help from your physician.

Panic exists because it’s a way for you to deal with a threatening situation. When you’re in danger, your body releases adrenaline that enables you to think and move quickly in order to escape the threat.

Panic attacks occur when you find yourself reacting to a situation with feelings of panic, even though there may not be an actual threat. In your mind, though, the threat is real.

For example, if something terrifying once happened to you at the mall, future trips can still set off a panic attack, even if there are no threats. Alternatively, you can even feel panic in certain situations without being able to figure out exactly why.

Whether you’re consciously aware of the reasons for your panic attacks or not, it’s good to know that there are still strategies that can help you overcome them. It also may help for you to know that panic attacks generally cause you no physical harm. When a panic attack strikes, you will get through it and things will return to normal soon.

How to Cope During an Attack

Once an attack is taking place, you might feel powerless. Instead of allowing your panicked thoughts to take over, focus on your body and methods of relaxation. Deep breaths can counteract the panic since a panicked state forces you to take quick, shallow breaths.

Why You Shouldn’t Avoid Panic-Inducing Situations

It’s natural to want to simply avoid situations where you might feel panicked. However, this usually isn’t the best solution. For instance, you can’t avoid elevators, crowds, or the doctor’s office forever.

If you tell yourself that you can’t do these things because they’ll give you a panic attack, you’re just reinforcing the behavior. Rather than helping yourself prevent your panic attacks, you’re more likely going to feed the fear and make the attacks even stronger.
Although it’s difficult, when you continue to engage in activities that may induce panic, you’re actually giving yourself many opportunities to overcome your challenges.

Natural Methods for Coping with Panic

There are natural methods you can use and changes you can make to your routine that have the power to ease anxiety and panic.

Meditation is one helpful method. Meditating can help you become more relaxed and in tune with your body and mind. These benefits can aid in understanding, preventing, and coping with your panic.

Lifestyle changes include the use of regular exercise. Most of us don’t realize that exercise is not all about helping your body; it has some great power in balancing your mind too! You’ll also be doing yourself a favor if you pay attention to things like your diet and sleeping habits. All these factors can have an effect on your panic attacks.

With research, self-reflection, and anti-panic strategies such as those mentioned here, you can begin to get a handle on your panic attacks. Know that you can have power over them! With knowledge and practice, you can be free of the fear of another panic attack.

Panic serves a clear purpose in life. It gets your adrenaline pumping and allows you to act quickly to save yourself when you’re faced with danger. Humans are complex creatures, however, and your mind may create panic in situations where it wouldn’t help you.

Also, if these situations continue to arise, you may be dealing with a serious panic disorder, so please consult with your physician.

Here are some strategies that can help you overcome panic:

1. Breathe deeply. Deep breathing techniques can bring you a certain level of calm during any situation. When you start to feel panicked, you tense up and your breathing becomes quick or heavy.

• Take a moment to find your breath and take deep breaths in and out. The deep breathing will relax you and help you focus on taking in oxygen, instead of the stressful situation.

2. Watch your health. Your mental and physical health are all part of the same system. When you take care of yourself, many of your problems tend to right themselves. If you have a poor diet, lack exercise, or don’t sleep well, take action to correct these core problems. Doing this will often address your panic directly or indirectly.

3. Seek professional help. Discuss treatment options with your physician and naturopath. There are natural treatments available as well as several well-studied prescription medications that can help with your anxiety and panic concerns. Your doctor will know best if you’re a good candidate for these medications.

• Remember that you must always take a holistic approach that addresses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your health.

4. Address the problem. Try to locate the source of your panic. Are you only panicking in certain situations, or do you feel anxious at all times? If you can figure out the source of your panic, you can address the problem by facing your fear directly.

• Exercises to reduce your fears enable you to become more comfortable in situations that could set off a panic attack.

5. Deal with your stress. Panic is more likely to arise in a stressed mind. If you study certain relaxation methods, you can keep your stress level down and make it less likely for you to experience a panic attack.

• There are many relaxation methods for you to choose from that can keep you healthy and happy. Practicing yoga, daily meditation, prayer, and listening to soothing music are just a few ideas.

• One of the best stress relievers is to make time for yourself each and every day. This time gives you a chance to relax, rejuvenate, and continue your day with renewed positive energy.

6. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Alcohol and caffeine can increase the frequency of panic attacks. To be on the safe side, avoid or limit their use. While this tip may not cure your symptoms, it can be an important factor for getting you back into a healthy mental state.

Getting Help

Panic and anxiety fears are quite common and there is no shame in getting help. Recognize the triggers and early signs of panic and start fighting it. When you do, you’ll feel free once again!

The problem gets worse when your body starts to react to all this negative thinking. During a panic attack, blood pressure can rise, you may start sweating and then everything gets confusing. Panic attacks can cause excessive adrenaline to be produced too. That makes everything escalate. So when you realize you’re worrying about something that might never happen, then you should try to break the process before it becomes a full fledged attack.