Insider Tips To Treat A Panic Attack Properly

Anxiety isn’t always bad. Our heart rate increases, we sweat and we gasp for breath when we have a bad feeling about someone or something. Our natural response to danger is what keeps us alive in life-threatening situations. If we had to fight off a marauder or run from a wild animal, our body gives us the adrenaline and the super-senses we need to survive. However, for 2 to 6 million Americans, these anxiety attacks symptoms arrive in the form of a panic attack during the course of a seemingly normal day, which inhibits their ability to function.

Panic attack medication is one of the most effective ways to treat a severe disorder. A panic attack patient may take a Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), like Paxil or Zoloft. They can also take a Seratonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) like Effexor. Yet a third type of antidepressant that works to cure anxiety attacks is Tri-Cyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) like Norpramin and Pamelor. Benzodiazpines, including Klonopin, Xanax or Ativan, are mild sedatives that depress the central nervous system. Lastly, Mono-Amine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) like Nardil, Parnate, Marplan and Emsam may also work to subdue the panic and terror that sufferers often feel.

Psychotherapy is another effective way to treat this disorder. Since panic attack anxiety is rarely physical so much as it is mental, it’s imperative that patients understand what personal triggers may cause these episodes. Changing cognitive patterns is often the key to overcoming an attack. Breathing and relaxation techniques are very therapeutic for highly anxious persons. Weekly meetings are often recommended initially and improvements can usually be seen within the first several weeks. After a few weeks, maintenance therapy once a month will usually ensure that the panic attack help has been successful.

It’s true that some people are naturally more anxious and prone to a panic attack than others. Some scientists are even investigating the possibility that the disorder is hereditary and passed down from generation to generation. Even so, that doesn’t mean one cannot take control of his or her own body to slow the heart rate, to restore normal breathing and to relax. There are a number of meditation and relaxation techniques that have proven to be effective. Additionally, exercise, limiting caffeine, alcohol and drugs, and getting plenty of restful sleep every night should be part of a patient’s daily life.