Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is The Best Help For Panic Disorder

Anxiety attack can be as frightening as it can be frustrating and only a sufferer knows how bad it is. One good news is that anxiety attack cures are not hard to come by. It neither is a hereditary problem, nor is it a deficiency of brain. It is not a weakness of character. It is simply a condition, which you must learn to control. Once it has been controlled, it will not be hard to eliminate it all together.

We all know what anxiety is. We have all been anxious some time or the other. Those were not anxiety attack. When worries and fears stop you from living the life you want to live, you can call it an anxiety attack. Following are some of its major symptoms:

1.    muscle tension

2.    disturbed sleep

3.    difficulty in concentrating

4.    fatigue restlessness

5.    irritability

6.    startled response to ordinary situation

7.    heart palpitation

8.    shortness of breathe

9.    dizziness

10.    etc

People often use the two words panic attack and anxiety attack interchangeably. However, panic attack is quite different from anxiety attack. Panic attack is more intense and will have the following symptoms:

1.    sweating

2.    heart palpitation

3.    trembling or shaking

4.    feeling of choking along with shortness of breath

5.    chest pain and discomfort

6.    nausea and abdominal distress

7.    feeling unsteady, lightheaded and faint

8.    feeling of unreality and detached from self

9.     fear of loosing control and going crazy

10.    fear of dying

11.    numbness

12.    chill and hot flashes

Another important difference between the two is that anxiety attack comes slowly, while a panic attack comes out of blue. Anxiety attack is persistent and may last days, weeks and months. A panic attack, on the other hand, builds up within ten minutes and then last for around half an hour and then goes down.

The anxiety attack generally comes in reaction to a stressor. That means you need something to remind you of your worries. Panic attack does not need any such stressors. It literally comes out of the blues. In anxiety attack, you are worried about some aspects of your life. Panic attack comes because suddenly you start fearing for your life. Here it is your own body, which is your concern. However, the two disorders are closely related and treatments too are quite similar. Both the attack can be eliminated for good, provided you ready to do so. Help for panic disorder is as much readily available as anxiety attack cures.

One must understand that though anxiety attacks or panic attacks seem threatening, there is no real threat involved. It is simply a learning process in the subconscious mind and all you have to do is to unlearn it. That can be done by psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a powerful tool in the hands of doctors to help you to unlearn the anxiety response.

If you have recurring anxiety (and panic) attack you should not hesitate to see a doctor. As most of the symptoms are physical, it is important to see that you do not suffer from any physical ailments. Therefore, go and see your general physician first. He will probably make you undergo a number of tests to rule out all physical ailments.

Once all physical ailments are ruled out, you will probably be referred to a psychoanalyst, who will rule out other psychological problem. Lastly, you will be referred to a psychiatrist with acronym MD or DO. Only such a psychiatrist is allowed to prescribe medicines, if that is necessary.

Although there are some good medicines, the best help for panic disorder as well as anxiety attack comes from cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy tries to modify our thought process as well as our reaction to particular situation. Unless the attacks are acute, cognitive behavioral therapy can help the sufferer to a great extend. Even when the medicines are required, you should carry on the therapy. Otherwise, there can be a relapse of the anxiety attack even after the patient has been cured fully.

Benzodiazepines and antidepressants are helpful medicines. Of the two medicines the benzodiazepines works as miracle during the attack. It helps to control the attacks instantly. That is why, such patients often carry the medicine to be used whenever necessary. On the other hand, benzodiazepines can be habit forming and should not be taken for long period. The anti depressant work more slowly and have to be taken for a long time to be effective. However, the best help come from the patient himself. Nothing but a determination to be cured can cure neither an anxiety attack nor a panic disorder.