Most anxiety disorder medications are drugs that affect the physiology of that person due to the nature of the disorder. These medications, in most cases, have a common mixture of medical ingredients which are selective serotonin, reuptake inhibitors and Benzodiazepines. Serotonin is the brain’s happy drug and thus, is contained in mood enhancers and anxiety medication.
The brain releases adrenaline in situations that cause excitement and danger. With this hormone, your body gets it boost of energy to react to these situations and adrenaline serves as a powerful hormone that causes symptoms such as dizziness, increased heart rate, chest pains as well as breathing difficulties. Because some people have exaggerated reactions to adrenaline, the experience panic attacks. Knowing the necessary anxiety attack treatments can help the person deal with these situations immediately and effectively before it turns into feelings of helplessness and fear.
Scientists believe that the lack of serotonin, which is naturally produced by the body, is believed to be the lead cause of cause of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Some of the well known medication brands known to use serotonin are Prozac and Zoloft. Both Prozac and Zoloft is FDA approved and come in several different dosages. Your doctor will be able to tell which dosage is recommended for the level of your anxiety. Never ever take drugs and other medication without a doctor’s advise as this can lead to unwanted symptoms.
Benzodiazepines are also commonly used as they are psychoactive drugs and used for various Para-psychical influences. They give the reaction of mini tranquilizers and slow down the body's nervous system and are very effective for those who are weak and remain sensitive to a lot of things. This drug helps them to relax. These drugs are only prescribed by the doctor as it can get very addictive and should only be taken in recommended doses by the doctor. Xanax and Valium are some of the medication brands that use Benzodiazepines in their combination.
Another form of anxiety disorder medications commonly used is Antidepressants. Antidepressants act by affecting the neurotransmitters in the brain. Effexor is a type of antidepressant. Most of the antidepressants, when combined with other drugs and even food, can be very intoxicating. Antidepressant should be taken with responsibility because of their addictiveness as well as their hazard. Antidepressants, at large dosages can cause adverse reactions and instead of lessening the depressed feeling, it can cause a person to attempt suicide.
When a person is undergoing medication, the effects will be visible within the first eight weeks, seeing signs of improvement in their symptoms within a short period of time. Apart from just medication, the patient will also be given therapy and counseling as well as regular checks by the doctor to see their progress. Regular checks are especially important where the symptoms are still present even though medication has been administered for a certain period of time. By visiting your doctor regularly for the determined appointments, your doctor will be able to tell you if you need to change your medication or increase the dosage as needed.
To treat panic disorder, it also involves sleep. Laughing and exercising, yoga and meditation, breathing and proper sleep are the natural and drug free medical approaches. Poor sleeping patterns as well as lack of sunshine contribute to anxiety which leads to increases in panic attacks. Vitamin D deficiency has been detected in most patients suffering with anxiety and studies have shown that vitamin D levels in the body had a direct influence in the lowering of anxiety and depression. Apart from increasing calcium absorption, vitamin D also increases the immune system and lowers the risks of many types of cancer.
Before getting yourself into prescribed drugs in order to treat panic disorder, use more natural methods such as the ones explained above. Instead of just focusing on one, use a combination of techniques and methods. All these will help you lead a happier life and help you deal with stress and problems, issues and dangers with a more rational mind. An uncluttered mind will help you seek a solution with a clearer vision and your problems, no matter how big they may be, will be handled rightly, making it smaller in your views.
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Panic attacks. Most of us would have experienced a panic attack or two at some point in our lives, but for some people, panic attacks has become a normal way of life where they experience it so often it becomes a disorder. Panic attacks or anxiety disorders as they are also known as can cause great stress to those who have it as well as those around the person because there are those few anxious and frantic moments where you are trying your best to get back to normal where you are trying almost everything possible from anxiety disorder medication to relaxation techniques that you probably picked up from somewhere or someone, anything to try and calm the nerves and stop a full blown panic attack from occurring.
For the person who does suffer from a panic attack, relaxation is one of your best weapons and anxiety therapy against warding off panic attacks. Panic attacks are all in the mind and when you are calm and relaxed, you don’t panic do you? Finding a relaxation technique is key and find one that you find suits you, such as yoga perhaps or meditation and practice until you get the hang of it. Practice as often as you can so you train yourself to be more relaxed and not get worked up about things so easily and eventually you will find the panic attacks subside as well.
A person who experiences panic attacks or anxiety disorders also needs to learn to stay calm as best as possible as another from of anxiety therapy against warding off panic attacks. Whenever you experience something, don’t immediately let your mind take over and slip into a panic attack. Relax and take a deep breath and you will find that the situation is perhaps not as bad as it seems. Learn to recognize what instances tend to set off your panic attacks and practice staying calm in those instances. You can do this by taking deep breathes and allowing your mind to relax before you proceed further.
Of course, there is always your anxiety disorder medication for you to fall back on as your security blanket for anxiety disorder prevention, but it never hurts to have some sort of alternative backup to those medication too. If those who suffer from panic attacks were to become dependent on the anxiety disorder medication given to them by the doctor, they would be in trouble if they didn’t have the medication with them when they need it because they won’t know what to do or how to function.
Which is why it is good to have some alternative tips as a backup, simple exercises that anyone can practice if they feel a panic attack coming on. It would seem as though we have a cure for everything these days. Modern medicine has come up with a cure for almost all sorts of disorders and ailments that the human body suffers from go goes through, but sometimes it is good to practice other alternative form of therapy and medication for your condition. Here are also some basic thoughts you need to know about panic attacks and anxiety disorders:
1. Panic attacks can easily be treated with a medical prescription from the doctor. But that does not mean that a doctor’s visit is the only anxiety disorder medication available, because it is possible for you to cure the disorder, or at least make it better, by practicing come alternative exercises of your own. Unlike most other medical conditions, panic attacks or anxiety attacks are not all that difficult to overcome because it is merely more of a state of mind that anything else.
2. A person who suffers from panic attacks or anxiety attacks would experience symptoms such as breathlessness because their heart rate would be at an elevated level due to fear and stress, a rapid heartbeat also caused by the elevated heart rate which would be followed by pains in the chest, feeling faint or sick, tingling or hot and cold flushes and a sense of impending doom because they are not able to think clearly when in that state.
Sometimes practicing these simple moves are all the medication they need and they won’t have to rely on medication all the time and that is a good thing. A panic attack or an anxiety attack could happen when you least expect it, so be prepared with some alternative panic disorder treatments just in case because you never know when you need it.
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Are you suffering from panic disorder? Has your doctor prescribed Prozac? If yes, then you need to know that you are in safe hands. Prozac belongs to a group of medications called as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The use of SSRIs is very common during the treatment of anxiety or panic disorder. Prozac has many benefits and has proved to be a wonder drug for all those people who are suffering from panic or anxiety disorders. With the anxiety or panic disorder medications, the patients can lead normal lives.
Prozac is a very powerful drug and affects the neurotransmitters in the brain. Prozac is also used for the treatment of other brain related conditions such as depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bulimia. Prozac is strictly a prescription drug and must not be taken without the consent of a physician. If you are taking Prozac without the prescription of a doctor, then you will have to discontinue it immediately and talk to a doctor as soon as possible. Prozac is one of the most recommended medication for panic disorder.
Treating anxiety attack with Prozac may take some time as to shows its effects gradually over a period of time. Only the doctor is the best person to tell you what is the right dosage of Prozac and for how long it needs to be taken. It may not be a very good idea to stop Prozac abruptly as you may have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms such as:
o Dizziness
o Nausea
o Vomiting
o Headache
o Nightmares
o Paresthesias (tingling, prickling sensation on the skin)
When the doctor is treating anxiety disorder with Prozac, he or she will give you all the information regarding this drug. If you do not feel satisfied by the answers that the doctor has given you, then you may have to ask the doctor for more details of the drug. If your doctor does not have the time to tell you about the Prozac, then he or she may give some literature to read. In some instances, the doctors may also give you references to websites and other online reference material.
Consumption of Prozac may not be good for the health of the growing fetus so, pregnant women may have to talk to the doctor regarding the risk and benefits of taking Prozac. Most doctors may not prescribe Prozac when the woman is pregnant, but in severe cases, the doctor may prescribe this drug. The final decision of taking the Prozac lies with the patient, so if you are pregnant, then you must make the decision after giving a lot of thought.
If you are breastfeeding, then there are high chances that the active ingredients of Prozac may pass through breast milk. So, here too, the decision lies with the lactating mother. When you are under the medication of Prozac, you need to be in constant touch with your doctor. You may have to inform your doctor if you had the feeling of committing suicide. This feeling is very common when there is a lot of depression along with panic or anxiety disorders. There are many risks involved when you are anxiety disorder with Prozac, so be aware of all the risks.
When the doctor prescribes Prozac, he or she will explain the dosage elaborately. Prozac is often taken once in day. Some people believe that taking medications on an empty stomach can be very harmful, but this is not the case with Prozac, which can be taken with or without food. Very often it is seen that the dosage of Prozac ranges from 20 mg to 80 mg. If you forget to take a dose of Prozac, don’t compensate with a double dose as it may have adverse effects.
When you are treating anxiety disorder a lot of care needs to be taken at home as well as at work. You will have to share your mental condition with all those who work with you and all those who are living at your house. When you share your mental condition with your colleagues and family, they will be better prepared to help you when you are having a panic or anxiety attack. Panic and anxiety attacks can come without any warnings, so, you need to be prepared to fight against this mental condition.
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Panic attacks and anxiety disorders is a psychological condition where a person experiences episodes of intense fear or anxiety that occur suddenly. It has become a normal occurrence for a lot of people although not everyone necessarily experiences the severe kinds of attacks. In most cases, panic attacks happen without prior warning and it can last from as little as a few minutes to a few hours depending on how severe the condition of panic you might have.
Most often, to the untrained eye, panic attacks may be confused with other illnesses or disease and in most cases, people mistake the conditions and symptoms of panic attacks for something that commonly occurs when they are feeling scared about something or even nervous about something. The first thing that anyone who suffers from these conditions does is to seek a way of treating it and finding a cure to treat anxiety disorders so that they can be rid of this condition which could disrupt their daily routine whenever it most unfortunately occurs.
The symptoms associated with panic attacks and anxiety disorders are quite common, though not necessarily the same for everyone. Though that, panic attacks can easily be mistaken for a common emotional outbursts you get when you are afraid or worried about something. Because these symptoms are pretty ordinary, it is easy to see why most people find it difficult to differentiate when it is just normal fear, or when they arte actually experiencing an episode of panic attacks and anxiety disorders. The key to differentiating it is realizing the frequency of when these attacks occur. If it does occur more often, then you might be in need of some panic disorder medications as soon as possible.
Instead of going to the pharmacy and getting over the counter medication, the most safest and reliable option is the doctor. Never ever try to get pills and medication before consulting your medical practitioner or doctor as this can result in dire circumstances. For an accurate and reliable advice and answer, your medical practitioner will be able to give you the correct diagnose on treating a panic attacks, and lead you to the right medication that you need according to how severe your condition is. If you have anxiety attacks, and you know that you need help with anxiety attacks, then you should immediately schedule a doctor’s consultation and get his opinion as soon as possible.
There are some methods that can be practiced on your own for a more speedy recovery. These methods should be done routinely everyday, as an added advantage to the prescription medication and therapy that your doctor puts you through. Some of these methods are:
Relaxation- the key to a less stressful life. Relaxation is a good way to fend off panic attacks. There are a multitude of relaxation techniques that you can use and some of the most popular ways are such yoga and meditation. It will be a little hard to master at first but after a few practices, you will get the hang of it.
Breathing- also a good way to calm yourself down. Breathing properly can help you relax your nerves and give your body and mind a few precious seconds to assess the situation and think of a proper way to solve it. All you have to do is breath deeply and slowly a few times to calm your nerves down.
Exercise- This is probably the best way for a constant and prolonged treatment to anxiety. Nothing can be much better than having a healthy and fit body that is in great shape- it makes you even more confident. Exercise gets your body healthier and a healthy body is your best protection against any kind of disease or condition. Exercise also promotes the release of endorphins naturally created by the body. Endorphins help make you happy, and happy people suffer less from anxiety.
Anxiety treatment centers have all these methods and techniques. If you need a quick getaway that can help you treat your panic attacks, check yourself in one of these treatment centers as you’ll not only give first hand attention to your disorder, you will also be taught the techniques and methods by the professionals at these centers so that you can practice it even when you are back home.
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The most common and easiest anxiety therapy method is that of meditation. The important part of it is that it is free of any side effects, which are more than often common with anxiety medication. The relaxation that is received through meditation helps in high blood circulation and thus reduces stress, which is one of the major causes behind anxiety disorders. This also helps to free our find from tensions and allow us to focus on the problems and their solutions.
Another form of anxiety therapy includes exercise. A little exercise, three times a week would be enough for getting rid of that depressed feeling triggered by anxiety. Exercise as we all know is very much stimulating as it heightens endorphins inside the body and helps to feel refreshed, content, and a reduced amount of nervousness.
Anxiety therapy also includes practice of Yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise, which concentrates on fluid movements inside our body and stretches. It does not involve any vigorous workouts. This relaxing and calming process helps in producing endorphins in our system.
Talk therapy or counseling or in simple words, talking to someone can also be a good help with anxiety and the problems related to it. Many a times it has been seen that talking to someone can help to lower the burden of angst. One thing you need to keep in mind in this respect is that the person you choose talk to should be someone on whom you can totally rely and trust. Opening up yourself and speaking out about your anxiety makes you feel less depressed and free.
There are some other ways of relaxation method, which also provides a good help with anxiety related problems. These are like walking in the park, playing games, listening to calming music and even watching movies.
Anxiety medication, however also need to be utilized as these therapies alone cannot eradicate the problems. There are huge and variant amount of anti – anxiety medicines that are prescribed by the doctors, and due to busy life schedule, used by several people to treat anxiety. Though they are not harmful but some of them do show signs of side effects. Generally the doctors prescribe following anti anxiety medication:
• Benzodiazepines
• Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors
• Dopamine agonists
Along side the names it is also important to note down the side effects that these anxiety medication brings along with them. These anti anxiety medications are often termed as tranquilizers as they tend to relieve nervousness by decelerating the central nervous system. Following are some of the side effects reported by their users:
• Unclear sight
• Perplexity
• Gloominess
• Lightheadedness
• Tiredness
• Impaired thoughts
• Memory loss
• Queasiness
There is no as such any risk associated with the overdose of anti – anxiety medication but they could be injurious if taken in combination with things like alcohol, sleeping pills, and painkillers. As there is a chance of drug interactions, which could be highly dangerous to health.
However many users opines that they are getting different results out of the use of anxiety medication. They reported that instead of feeling calm or relaxed they undergo a phase of hallucinations, aggressive manners, obsession, and the likes. It has been also reported that sometimes they also experience withdrawal symptoms when the doses are reduced. The side effects are said to trouble people -
• With drug and alcohol abuse
• Around the age of 65 or more
And
• Pregnant woman
• Woman who still breastfeed their kid.
Before going for anxiety medication one should clearly discuss all the aspects of these kind of medicine and follow the prescription meticulously, only then there is a possibility of going away with the problems associated with these medicines.
So, stop worrying, as there are so many options for you that help with anxiety problem and show you the path to stay happy and healthy.
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The most common and easiest anxiety therapy method is that of meditation. The important part of it is that it is free of any side effects, which are more than often common with anxiety medication. The relaxation that is received through meditation helps in high blood circulation and thus reduces stress, which is one of the major causes behind anxiety disorders. This also helps to free our find from tensions and allow us to focus on the problems and their solutions.
Another form of anxiety therapy includes exercise. A little exercise, three times a week would be enough for getting rid of that depressed feeling triggered by anxiety. Exercise as we all know is very much stimulating as it heightens endorphins inside the body and helps to feel refreshed, content, and a reduced amount of nervousness.
Anxiety therapy also includes practice of Yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise, which concentrates on fluid movements inside our body and stretches. It does not involve any vigorous workouts. This relaxing and calming process helps in producing endorphins in our system.
Talk therapy or counseling or in simple words, talking to someone can also be a good help with anxiety and the problems related to it. Many a times it has been seen that talking to someone can help to lower the burden of angst. One thing you need to keep in mind in this respect is that the person you choose talk to should be someone on whom you can totally rely and trust. Opening up yourself and speaking out about your anxiety makes you feel less depressed and free.
There are some other ways of relaxation method, which also provides a good help with anxiety related problems. These are like walking in the park, playing games, listening to calming music and even watching movies.
Anxiety medication, however also need to be utilized as these therapies alone cannot eradicate the problems. There are huge and variant amount of anti – anxiety medicines that are prescribed by the doctors, and due to busy life schedule, used by several people to treat anxiety. Though they are not harmful but some of them do show signs of side effects. Generally the doctors prescribe following anti anxiety medication:
• Benzodiazepines
• Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors
• Dopamine agonists
Along side the names it is also important to note down the side effects that these anxiety medication brings along with them. These anti anxiety medications are often termed as tranquilizers as they tend to relieve nervousness by decelerating the central nervous system. Following are some of the side effects reported by their users:
• Unclear sight
• Perplexity
• Gloominess
• Lightheadedness
• Tiredness
• Impaired thoughts
• Memory loss
• Queasiness
There is no as such any risk associated with the overdose of anti – anxiety medication but they could be injurious if taken in combination with things like alcohol, sleeping pills, and painkillers. As there is a chance of drug interactions, which could be highly dangerous to health.
However many users opines that they are getting different results out of the use of anxiety medication. They reported that instead of feeling calm or relaxed they undergo a phase of hallucinations, aggressive manners, obsession, and the likes. It has been also reported that sometimes they also experience withdrawal symptoms when the doses are reduced. The side effects are said to trouble people -
• With drug and alcohol abuse
• Around the age of 65 or more
And
• Pregnant woman
• Woman who still breastfeed their kid.
Before going for anxiety medication one should clearly discuss all the aspects of these kind of medicine and follow the prescription meticulously, only then there is a possibility of going away with the problems associated with these medicines.
So, stop worrying, as there are so many options for you that help with anxiety problem and show you the path to stay happy and healthy.
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It is but common knowledge that it takes a bit of stress and anxiety to come up with some of the finest decisions of critical import. One does require to be placed under some amount of pressure to focus better and help optimize cognitive abilities for the ultimate good. However, excess of anxiety is no virtue and might as well lead to a set of unexpected problems which require professional care to be resolved. If you start feeling the heat on being exposed to the slightest of stress, it could be an anxiety disorder in the making.
Early diagnosis holds the key to effective treatment and speedy recovery. Usual symptoms associated with anxiety-related disorders feature numbness in hands and feet, palpitation, high levels of emotional irritability, trembling and heavy sweating. Some of the commonly found anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Apart from usual anxiety disorders, one may also have to suffer an anxiety attack which is a typically traumatic episode of fear or panic. To stop panic attack from recurring, a variety of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches have been developed and recommended by experts.
If the panic attacks should recur, it creates the threat of panic disorder taking over, which can be one of the most disturbing conditions associated with anxiety. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are usually prescribed for treating the condition effectively. Some of the medications can be administered right in the middle of a panic attack for quick relief. The family members and friends of a victim of panic attack must remember that it is a very unsettling experience and the person needs great care and emotional support to overcome the anxiety condition.
Bringing together effective psychotherapy techniques and pharmacological options available is the most plausible way to end panic attacks once and for all. To ensure the victim is receiving professional care and treatment he deserves, one can consult experts about the possibility of being referred to an anxiety treatment center. These are specialized treatment centers specifically meant for treating all forms of anxiety conditions and provide just the right kind of setting and requisite medical care towards the same end.
Some of the anxiety treatment centers follow Exposure and response Prevention Therapy (ERP) in combination with suitable medications for panic disorder to treat the patients effectively. The treatment strategy is all about exposing the patient to the conditions which stimulate his response mechanism the wrong way and then set out to correct the same in a stepwise manner. Eventually, the person learns to face the threat on his own and not be overwhelmed by any form of anxiety or fear which lie at the root of the condition. Experts suggest that a personalized strategy of treatment can be one of the most effective approaches to be adopted in treating a patient of panic disorder.
It figures in a number of factors including the psychological and medical profile of the patient, family history of anxiety-related conditions and possibility of any other disorders as well. Equipped with this knowledge, the experts can work out a strategy of treatment to help end panic attacks from recurring. One of the most complicated conditions arises when panic disorder manifests along with one or more psychological disorders or depression-related conditions. Of all, alcoholism and substance abuse make for a dangerous combination with panic disorder which can worsen the situation before one can act.
If such be the case, medication is usually resorted to in the first instance to stop panic attack and achieve instant relief of a temporary kind from the condition. However, only a moderate dosage of necessary medications might be administered to avoid further complicating the effects of substance abuse. Comprehensive cognitive-behavior therapeutic methods remain the only reliable long-term method of treating the condition effectively. In some instances, alternative therapies might also be suggested by experts for treating the anxiety-related condition more sensitively.
The fact that must be taken note of is that no methods of treatment can be followed for anxiety-related conditions in isolation from each other. Any medication prescribed should complement the psychotherapeutics being applied and vice versa. Any change in medications for panic disorder may have to be adjusted with a commensurate modification in behavior therapy as well. No matter what the stage of treatment, family support invariably remains another essential ingredient in the recipe of treating anxiety-related conditions.
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The human body is the most complicated machine in this world, as best experienced by doctors. Often irregular or lack of maintenance of machines causes ruin or damage, similarly an unbalanced and irregular lifestyle may lead to serious ill functioning of human body causing several kind of diseases. One of these several medical diseases which are directly related to your lifestyle is termed as “Panic disorder or Anxiety disorders”. According to DSM-IV-TR , when someone is having a sudden and intense feeling of terror, fear or apprehension, without the presence of actual danger, he seems to have a “panic disorder”. DSM-IV-TR has classified anxiety into five different types:
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Social phobia
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Specific phobia
There is no preknown cause to panic disorder but genetics, biological misbalance, family history, stressful lifestyle are some of the common cause of anxiety or panic disorder.
A physical and psychological evaluation can diagnose the existence of panic disorder but there are some common symptoms that are present in most of the patients. These common symptoms include:
• Palpitations, pounding heart
• Sweating
• Shaking
• Feeling of choking
• Chest pain
• Fear of losing control
• Fear of dying
• Chills
• Sensations of shortness of breath.
• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, and faint
According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of panic attacks generally stay for thirty minutes, but it may last as short as fifteen minutes or last long for some hours.
These days, medical science offers an extensive range of panic attack medications which includes:
• Medicine:
The frequently used firstline treatment of panic disorder are, Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), or the Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) Venlafaxine (Effexor). And for chronic forms of panic attacks Antidepressants, like Tricyclic antidepressants may be prescribed. But the problem with these kinds of medicines is that it has severe side effects like suicidal tendencies.
Benzodiazepines are generally safer to use daily. But long-term use causes dependencies and abuse and it takes long time to work too.
Buspirone is recommended to treat generalized anxiety disorder.
Beta Blockers like, Propranolol (Inderal) and Atenolol are also used for treating anxiety attacks.
For treating major depressive types of panic disorder Atypical Antipsychotics is very useful. But excessive use of this may cause weight gain problems.
Besides these, Anticonvulsants (Antiseizure Drugs) like, Pregabalin (Lyrica) and Gabapentin (Neurontin) are also given by the doctor for treating other forms of anxiety disorders.
• Psychotherapy:
According to the American Psychiatric Association, a specific form of psychotherapy called “Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy (CBT)” is the most effective cure to panic disorder. The objective of this therapy is to gain control over someone’s reaction to sudden situations so as to reduce the feeling of helplessness. Several reports say that another useful psychotherapy is “Panic Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy”. Another form of psychotherapy is the “Systematic Desensitization”. Systematic desensitization is a special technique to break the link between the anxiety-provoking stimulus and the anxiety response. There is emotion-based psychotherapy (EBT) also to cure anxiety attacks.
• Herbs and Supplements treatment:
A dietary supplement Inositol which is part of the vitamin B complex is proved to fetch benefits in the context of treating panic attacks. For some patients, herbal aromatherapy is used as a relaxing aid for treating panic disorder.
• Diet and exercise:
A healthy diet, regular exercise like walking, cycling, and normal lifestyle can contribute effectively to keep away panic disorder. Besides, one has to completely avoid caffeine and alcohol, soda and sugar plus fruit juices. Junk food has a high Glycemic index (GI) which is more susceptible to panic attacks. It is advisable to take more fruits, vegetables which have low GI.
• Surgery:
A surgical technique named Cingulotomy is sometimes used as a last hope for treating severe panic attacks.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Other Neurostimulation treatment
This treatment involves high frequency magnetic pulses for targeting and stimulating specific areas of the brain.
In the assessment of managing anxiety or panic disorder, we should stick to a balanced, healthy lifestyle to have a natural cure. After all it is always said that “Prevention is better than cure”.
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Anxiety disorders need not be taken lightly by those affected or their families for the condition can lead to further complications if not attended to properly. Anxiety is a natural human reaction to stress which is generally helpful for a number of purposes. Usually, it helps enhance our concentration levels and devise better strategy and or implement it to counter any problems. In its excess, however, anxiety could become a threat to the psychological well-being of the person. Anxiety can manifest in any number of forms and although it’s not difficult to treat anxiety disorder of virtually any type, it requires early diagnosis and professional care to do the same effectively.
Of the various forms, generalized anxiety disorder is the most common, which can easily be identified with the help of a variety of anxiety-related symptoms. Usually, a person who suffers high level of anxiety taking on the shape of an anxiety disorder is prone to a feeling of emotional irritability if placed in the slightest of uncomfortable situations. Numbness in hands and feet, nausea, shortness of breath and an inexplicable feeling of apprehension when facing routine stressful situations can indicate the existence of an anxiety disorder. A number of factors are responsible for development of this class of psychological disorders but at the same time one must keep in mind that it is very much possible to treat anxiety disorder effectively.
Some of these factors involve a number of psychological traits and family history of anxiety and depression-related conditions apart from genetic factors, to an extent. However, if adequate treatment is not received to treat an anxiety disorder, the situation can well grow worse with the passage of time. At its height, accumulated anxiety can result in panic attacks which are very disturbing in nature. It can be helpful if in case of panic attacks help in the form of medication is available at hand.
Usually, a panic or anxiety attack lasts anywhere between ten minutes to more than half an hour with a strong feeling of panic gripping the individual which is accompanied by heavy sweating, cold hands and feet, heart palpitation, a sensation of choking, dizziness, chills and hot flashes. The experience can be very traumatic for the victim but with effective medication, administered in the middle of a panic attack, the person can be relieved of the symptoms quickly. Emotionally, it can be a very disturbing experience which might bring a rude jolt to the usual feelings of physical and emotional security.
If a panic attack should recur, it can be one of the worst possible developments possible leading to panic disorder, which is treatable yet holds the potential to wreck major psychological damage. It is with this very purpose to help the patients of anxiety-related conditions that one might be referred to a specialized anxiety treatment center. They are developed to create a professional treatment and support system for those affected. Here, the patient might be subjected to different approaches of treatment with a rather large component of behavioral therapy to complement the medication successfully.
Cognitive behavioral therapy broadly covers the field of psychotherapeutics associated with treatment of anxiety. It involves Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) among other approaches to treat any anxiety disorder effectively. ERP helps an individual manage his fears and slowly but steadily desensitize them to uncomfortable feelings associated with anxiety and fear. The approach gradually encourages the person to face stressful situations squarely and use his inherent psychological strength to fight the fear of the unknown. To remedy panic disorder, usually the treatment centers use a combination of psychotherapeutics and suitable medication.
Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are usually the kind of medicines usually prescribed as an integral part of panic attacks help mechanism. The stress, however, is laid on cognitive-behavior therapy instead of heavily relying on medication due to some of the long-term benefits associated with the former. For instant relief, of course, medication is found very helpful. It is best to nip the threat of panic attacks in the bud and not let it develop into panic disorder to avoid any possible complications. Panic disorder, problematic enough by itself, may well be accompanied by Agoraphobia, the fear of panic attacks recurring almost anywhere.
Self-help strategies and family support form effective defenses to fend off the threat of continually growing anxiety. Any type of anxiety disorder can be treated successfully if the condition is diagnosed in its initial stages and subjected to professional care. In cases with worsening symptoms, it is highly recommended to seek an anxiety treatment center for systematic treatment and proper medical support. No condition associated with anxiety is untreatable, only if the affected and his near and dear ones do not hesitate to seek professional medical help in the first instance itself.
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Anyone who suffers from anxiety disorder knows how disruptive, scary and embarrassing it can be. Imagine not being able to leave home for fear of some unknown and unexplained danger outside. Or feeling it hard to breathe and trying your best to catch your breath with your heart beating so fast it almost feels as if it was going to jump out of your chest. Or feeling obsessed with washing your hands to take your mind off the fear.
These are classic signs of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is a blanket term for a variety of anti-social behavior that is borne out of fear. In a nutshell, anyone suffering from this disorder can be described as having frequent anxiety that cannot be described or explained. Fears are not specific – at one time, it could be of an earthquake, the next, a sniper on the roof.
The kind of anxiety disorder therapy that a person undergoes as treatment depends on the type of anxiety disorder symptoms shown, its frequency and how long they have had to deal with it.
Before recommending any anxiety disorder therapy, the doctor will need to make an accurate diagnosis through a thorough consultation.
The ailment can be divided into a few common types:
1. Panic or anxiety attack. These are usually the most common types of anxiety disorder. Many people suffer from some kind of panic attack – the only difference is the severity of each incidence and its duration. Most display the same symptoms as well, some of which are:
- Rapid heartbeat and quick, shallow breaths
- Ducking for cover or shelter in an apparent insane manner
- Clutching of the chest
- Clenching of fists and muscles
- Dizziness
- Refusal to leave current spot
2. Phobias. These phobias are accompanied by other shows of anxiety disorder and most are acquired slowly – as in the patient is normally not born with the fear but acquires it somehow, usually through an unpleasant experience. The one with the phobias also never quite understands how the phobia was borne and is only acutely aware of how terrifying the object of that fear is to them. It has to be understood, however, that phobias on their own may not necessarily be a sign of anxiety disorder unless it precipitates into some disruptive behavior.
3. Obsessive compulsive behavior. This is a very clear indication that something is seriously amiss. Someone with this will feel a compulsive need to do a particular task repeatedly and for no obvious reasons. These tasks could be locking the door, washing their hands, cleaning the home or counting lamp posts as they walk the street.
4. Agoraphobia. A lesser known phobia, this is a specific need for the person suffering from anxiety disorder to be near an exit at all times. This phobia is borne out of an innate fear of something undesirable happening soon.
All of these are some sort of anti-social behavior which are disruptive, to say the very least, not just to the one suffering from it but those around them. Panic attacks, in particular, are highly public displays of some very incorrect behavior. It is no wonder then that the sufferers want to end panic attacks.
If there is one thing that all have in common, it is that all come from an intense feeling of fear and that the fear cannot be explained. Most can be assuaged by anxiety attack medications with some form of cognitive therapy to speed up the healing process. Cognitive therapy, on their own, is sometimes used to help the sufferers overcome their anxiety disorder. In fact, many doctors and patients prefer this to anxiety attack medications as the therapy treats the ailment directly, and not its symptoms.
Medical practitioners believe that no one is born with anxiety disorder – it is cultivated through some external means. More often than not, it is borne out of some personal traumatic or unpleasant experience. This could be an abusive childhood, being in a hostage situation, witnessing the death of a loved one or bearing the guilt of a loved one’s demise.
This is the basis for the need for some kind of therapy to be done right after a traumatic experience, no matter how trivial. While the experience itself may not have much effect on a person, it is the combination of the person’s personality and trauma that determines the onset of anxiety disorder.
Filed under Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attack, Treatments by
