Panic Attack - Causes, Symptoms and Cures

A panic attack is the manifestation of several factors which affect the person suffering from the disorder. It is often described as a short period of intense anxiety and fear experienced by the person. Some might experience them only once, while other face repeated attacks throughout their lives.

Learning about these attacks can lead to our preventing and curing the disorder. This can be done by studying the disorder in three stages - causes, symptoms and cures.

1. Causes: The attacks can be caused by many factors. These factors influence the mind of the person and force them to respond in a manner which causes the attacks. The causes can be genetic or behavioral. These factors display different symptoms during the attacks.

- Heredity has been found to be one of the reasons why panic disorders affect members of the same family. However, people with no family history of panic disorders also suffer from them.
- Some other diseases and disorders can also lead to panic disorders. Common among them are obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hyperthyroidism, etc. Some phobias also result in people suffering from panic attacks.
- Substance abuse can also be a cause of panic disorders. Side effects during their use and after discontinuing them are major causes of the attacks. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs often display side effects of these attacks.
- People can have panic attacks when they are faced with stressful situations and events. This is another symptom of PTSD.

2. Symptoms: Different symptoms are expressed in different people. There are commonly known symptoms some or all of which are displayed during these attacks.

- Accelerated heart rate
- Feelings of choking or smothering
- Nausea or chest pain
- Cold or hot flashes, etc.

3. Cures: The attacks can be treated using different methods. They include behavioral therapies, medication and self-help techniques. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the most widely acclaimed therapy for curing the attacks. Medication is only prescribed in the most severe cases when there is a risk of the attacks affecting the health of the sufferer. The medications are usually antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. But these drugs have the side effect of leading to an increase in the symptoms of the attacks. Self-help methods work for those who do not find success with the above mentioned methods. Some of these methods are more successful than the others.

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Panic Attack Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Panic attack disorder is a chronic condition that develops in someone who constantly fears the possibility of experiencing several or consecutive panic attacks. This kind of situation involves individuals who have experienced an anxiety attack once and end up feeling scared that they might experience it again.

A person under a panic anxiety attack feels an intensive fear that suddenly occurs without any warning or apparent cause. It makes a person think that he is dying or having a heart attack that's why it is a very frightening experience. Symptoms usually last for about thirty minutes and leaves a fatigued feeling to the individual who had an attack.

Possible Causes of Panic Disorder

Heredity, phobia, medication effects and substance use can be considered as some of the possible causes that trigger an anxiety attack symptom. A panic disorder that runs in the family will probably be inherited. One can trace his family roots to see if this explains a sudden anxiety attack symptom.

Phobias can also explain why someone suffers from panic attacks. It may be that a phobic object or situation has developed this anxiety which causes one to experience anxiety attacks. Moreover, panic disorder can also occur either as a side effect from using medications such as antibiotics or as withdrawal effects from the use of different substances.

Symptoms of a Panic Attack Disorder

One common anxiety or panic attack symptom that many individuals experience is rapid heartbeat similar to that of a heart attack and it makes people feel that they are dying. The increase in heart rate is usually followed by feelings of nausea, pain in the chest and hot flashes.

The other signs that may indicate anxiety attack are agitated breathing, profuse sweating, excessive trembling, difficulty in swallowing, and hyperventilating. It is important that appropriate treatment be sought by an individual suffering from panic disorder because the symptoms can be life-threatening.

Anxiety Attack Treatment

A panic attack cannot be handled alone so it is important to seek medical help for anxiety and depression treatment. Further, to avoid confusing the panic attack symptom with other illnesses such as heart attack, a health consultant can evaluate an individual's true condition. This should be done early on to avoid worsening one's health or get the wrong ideas.

Medications such as tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs and monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs aid in alleviating an anxiety panic attack symptom. Moreover, psychotherapy and counseling can also help an individual understand, learn about and cope with a panic anxiety attack.

It is never easy for any individual to deal with panic attack disorder that's why it is very essential that he is well-informed about what triggers or causes it and how it can be treated.

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