How to deal with panic disorder

A panic attack is referred to as a sudden episode of extreme fear or anxiety that results in intense physical reactions such as a racing heart, sweating and fast breathing. A panic attack can occur at any point in time.

Panic disorder is a condition where you may experience recurrent panic attacks with symptoms like fear, discomfort, anxiety, or losing control. People with panic disorder generally have the fear of having another panic attack. As a result, they tend to modify their lifestyle to avoid such instances.

It is important to note that an untreated panic disorder can result in unprecedented changes in your everyday life. In order to prevent that, it is important to be aware of the symptoms, understand the causes and find the best solution to overcome the problem.

Here is a complete guide to help you treat panic disorder:

Symptoms of panic disorder

Since a panic attack usually occurs without a warning, you may not have enough time to stop it once it starts. Symptoms usually peak within 10 minutes of the onset of the panic attack and may ward off soon. Some of the signs of a panic disorder you must know about include:

• Sudden and repeated panic attacks

• Anxiety and feelings of unease can vary between mild and severe.

• A feeling of being out of control

• An intense feeling of worry about another panic attack

• Avoiding places or situations where have experienced panic attacks previously

Visible symptoms during a panic attack:

• Sweating

• Racing or pounding heart

• Chills

• Difficulty breathing

• Dizziness or weakness

• Numbness in body

• Chest pain

• Stomach pain or nausea

What you can do during a panic attack:

If you feel a sudden change in environment or experience anxiety, try not to fight it

• Take deep and slow breaths

• Keep yourself focused on positivity and relaxed situations

• Remind yourself that the problem will pass

Diagnosis of a panic disorder

Your doctor or healthcare provider can help you in understanding the symptoms of panic attacks. As mentioned earlier, repeated panic attacks can result in the condition of a panic disorder.

As part of the diagnosis, a doctor can conduct a complete physical exam or blood tests to check for thyroid or other possible heart health conditions that could resemble or lead to panic attacks. A psychological evaluation can also help you in determining the symptoms, possible concerns and/or personal or professional problems that are causing the stress and panic.

Treatment

Timely treatment can help you minimize the intensity and frequency of your panic attacks. At the same time, it will foster an improvement in your daily life.

Some of the recommended treatment options include medications and psychotherapy depending on your symptoms and preference.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is one of the most effective treatments for panic attacks and panic disorder. You can consult a psychotherapist to understand the causes of your panic attacks and how to effectively cope with them.

Treatment can include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which will help you in identifying and changing your thought patterns in a way to keeps you calm during a panic attack.

While results through therapy can take consistency and effort, you may start noticing the symptoms of your panic attack easing with time.

Medications

A doctor may prescribe medications to help you contain the symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress to prevent panic attacks.

A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a type of antidepressant that has reported success in treating panic attacks with limited side effects. Some of the FDA-approved SSRIs which are helpful in treating panic disorder include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).

Another class of antidepressants includes Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) that assist in treating panic attacks.

Simple steps to follow

While medications and therapy are proven effective treatments for panic disorder, you can undertake certain simple measures to keep yourself relaxed and keep the symptoms under control.

• Reading self-help books on anxiety and CBT as recommended by your doctor will be very useful.

• Enroll in physical activities like yoga and pilates to keep you stress-free and happy throughout the day.

• Learn breathing techniques to ease symptoms.

• Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, caffeine and high-sugar foods.

• Consult support groups for additional help.