Doctors often prescribe medicines to curb anxiety attacks. As a patient, you have all the right to know what your doctor is prescribing for your mental condition. The first question that you may want to ask the doctor is “Do these medications have any side effects”. Before prescribing the anxiety attack medicines the doctors may ask you the following questions:

o    How often do you get the panic attacks?

o    What do you feel during the panic attacks?

o    Are you taking any medication for the panic attacks?

o    Are you allergic to any particular drugs?

o    Since when are you getting the panic attacks?

Prescribing the suitable anxiety attack medicine can be a daunting task for the doctor if you do not give the answers to the above mentioned questions. For example, if you are allergic to a particular drug or group of drugs and you forget the name of the drug, then the doctor will hesitate to give you medications. It is imperative that you do your homework before you go for the treatment of a panic attack.

It has been observed that most patients switch to different doctors if they do not get relief from the medications from a particular doctor. The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind is that it takes a lot of time for treating a panic attack. Treating a panic attack is not as simple as treating a minor infection. It is a very complicated treatment and need meticulous planning and perseverance.

Most medications are available in two forms—by prescription or over the counter. The over-the-counter medications may not be strong medications as compared to the prescription medications; however, if taken properly, you will get good relief from the symptoms of anxiety attacks. Most of the times, you need to do some research and find out which is the best over-the-counter medication for you. Chemists can also act as a guide, but you must not rely on them completely. When you are buying over-the-counter medications, you need to check the chemical composition.

If you are allergic to any drug, and if that drug is present in the over-the-counter medication, then you need to discard that drug immediately.

If you don’t want to take medications for the panic attacks, then you have many other methods for treating a panic attack. Some of the treatment methods are psychotherapy, meditation, and other natural methods. A psychotherapist teaches you how to deal with panic attacks and how to control it. The psychotherapist gets deep into mind and eliminates the triggers that cause the panic attacks. Meditation calms the mind and gives it the necessary rest. With the help of meditation, you can overcome many obstacles in life, including stress.

In addition to the alternative treatments, you can also try some home remedies and aromatherapy. You will find a comprehensive list of natural remedies for treating a panic attack on the Internet. Before trying out any natural remedies, do some research on those particular remedies or ask someone who has taken up those natural remedies.

Relaxation techniques such as self hypnosis have proved to be better than anxiety attack medicine in terms of side effects. However, you need to adhere to strict guidelines when you are practicing these techniques. Deep breathing is also one very effective way of reducing the symptoms of anxiety attacks. In the deep breathing technique, you need to take air inside your lungs very slowly and then hold the breath for few seconds and then exhale slowly.

The main idea in the breathing technique is to make the mind and body aware of the breathing. When you are concentrating on the breathing process, you are actually deviating away from the main cause of the panic attack. If you have decided to avoid the medications, then you need to concentrate harder on the other treatment options. Treatment options other than medications demand quality time and patience.

On the cost front, the medications can be a bit expensive than the other treatment options. In fact some alternative treatments don’t need any money at all. For example, meditation does not need special medicine or and apparatus. For meditation, all you need is a place that gives you a good supply of fresh air.

The best treatment for panic disorder is said to be cognitive behavior therapy along with pharmalogical treatment. The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy cannot be denied as it attacks the panic disorder from two sides. It focuses on inadequate, obstructive and damaging behaviors and irrational thought processes that contribute to the continuation of the symptoms at the same time.

The cognitive behavioral therapy works on our thought process and teaches us how to identify the emotions that give rise to panic before it is really formed and then divert our mind to safer channel and thus totally blocks the formation of panic attack. At the same time, the therapy has a modifying effect on our behavior.  It teaches us to accept that something is really wrong and that it can be cured if we so wish. It teaches us some self-help techniques and prods us face the situation that first gave rise to panic attack.

However, not all patients can tolerate or fully respond to cognitive behavioral therapy. Studies have shown that the panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy is also effective in treating panic disorder. This particular therapy has been widely used for dealing with panic disorder, but has not been assessed properly. The psychodynamic theory has its root in Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The therapy helps the client to become aware of their unconscious conflicts and fantasies. In addition, it also helps to identify the defense mechanisms that cause the continuation of the symptom.

In general, these theories assume that people are defined by early experience and those unconscious motives and psychological conflicts are the basis of the current behavior. All painful emotions are hidden in our subconscious with the help of the defense mechanisms. If these hidden emotions can be brought to the conscious mind and are dealt with, the symptoms of panic disorder will vanish.

The panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy consists of 24 twice-weekly session. The treatment is divided into three phases. In the initial phase, the therapist focuses on the meaning and content of the panic symptoms. In the next phase, the therapist works with the patient to identify the core conflict underlying the panic disorder. In the last phase, the mixed feeling surrounding anger, autonomy and separation are addressed as according to this theory these are the main issues behind panic disorder.

The panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy typically involves:

1.    uncovering the unconscious meaning of panic symptoms

2.    exploring unconscious feelings in relation with separation, loss, independence, anger and other emotions

3.    identifies defenses that acts as barriers to awareness

If the panic disorder cases are not acute, the doctors often do without medicines. However, more often than not, an anxiety attack medicine is needed to speed up the process of recovery. It is to be noted that panic disorder falls under the large umbrella known as anxiety disorder or anxiety attack. There are different types of anxiety related psychological ailment that is grouped under this banner. Incidentally, another disorder known as general anxiety disorder also falls under this umbrella. General anxiety disorder is quite similar to panic disorder and shares some symptoms such as heart palpitation, shortness of breadth, dizziness etc. However, while a general anxiety attack patient is worried about some aspect of his or her life, the panic disorder patient is panicky about his or her life itself. He/she imagines a chest pain and almost feels like choking to death.  Sweating, shaking, nausea and abdominal discomfort, hot and cold flashes, numbness etc are some of the symptoms of panic disorder.

As therapy needs time to be effective, doctors often prescribe anxiety attack medicines to help the patient temporarily. The benzodiazepines group of medicines comes first to mind. This group of medicine is good for panic disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines can quickly block attacks. In case of panic attack, it can be taken as is necessary basis. If taken regularly they act with in a week or two. However, they do not have any long any lasing effect and can be addictive.

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed antidepressant today.  They offer fewer side effects than other tricyclic antidepressant. Therefore, the benzodiazepines group of medicines and serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the main group of medicines that are being prescribed today.

A psychiatrist with acronym of MD or DO can prescribe the anxiety attack medicines. A primary care physician can also do that. The length of the medication needed vary from person to person. For some, it may be necessary to continue the regimen through their life.

While all of us experience some level of anxiety at a few significant moments in our lives, there are others who suffer these feelings at a more intense level.  On top of that, they have to suffer through these anxious moments more frequently and for a much longer time than we do.

If you know of someone who goes through this, chances are he or she is suffering from a panic disorder.

Panic disorder is a series of panic attacks.  These are also known as anxiety attacks.  Often, these attacks are exactly what they are called – unexpected, unprecedented experiences that come as they wish, almost as if they had a life of their own.  The sufferer never knows for sure what the anxious, panicky feeling is about.  All they know is that they are afraid and fearful of something they are unable to name.

Treatment of panic disorder is imperative.  This is because these sudden panic attacks are highly disruptive to the sufferer’s daily life and may even encroach on the lives of those around them.  In some severe cases, panic disorder is dangerous as it can induce strong reactions in the sufferer during such attacks, including suicidal thoughts.  Imagine being so afraid that you are unable to go to work, pick up your kids from school or even leave your room – that is how intense the feeling of fear is during a panic attack.  If that is not bad enough, imagine having those feelings continuously for days and weeks.

How do you tell if someone is having panic disorder?  Observe their reactions when they are having one of those anxiety attacks.  This entails a sudden, intense fear that lasts for a few minutes and recurs within a few days.  The attacks can last anywhere between a minute and twenty so if you do witness someone feeling such intense anxiety without being able to give a reason as to why they feel that way, you might want to suggest they see a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis.

Feelings of anxiety are not the only visible signs of panic disorder.  These attacks are always accompanied by any one (or more) of the following:

-    Rapid heartbeat.  Often, the sufferers will clutch their chest to unconsciously slow down their heartbeat.

-    Rapid, shallow breathing.  As with the heartbeat, they will suddenly breathe faster but shallower.  This leads to hyperventilation which can mean unconsciousness if there is no intervention.

-    Dizziness accompanies the quick, shallow breathing as less oxygen reaches the brain.

-    Perspiration.  They will also perspire intensely during an attack.  Just as suddenly, the perspiration stops when the attack is over.

-    Trembling.  The sudden fear that grips the sufferer is so intense their body trembles and hands shake.

-    Feelings of fear.  The sufferer is so afraid they will either be unable to move from their spot or act like they are looking for shelter.  For instance, they would run for cover or hide to keep themselves safe.

Fortunately, this ailment can be rectified with the right anxiety attack medicine.  While a total cure may take years, controlling the frequency and intensity of the anxiety attack can be seen and felt immediately.  Before any medicine is taken though, an accurate diagnosis must be made by a trained physician.  As panic disorder signs resemble those of a heart attack, it is of utmost importance that the two do not get mixed up.  This can be easily done by a series of tests to rule out any cardiac problems.

With treatment of panic disorder, an effective reduction in anxiety attack occurrences is highly encouraging.  Most sufferers testify to the quick ability of regaining control of their emotions during an attack with lesser intense reactions to their fears.  The more serious cases lessen in their severity – indicating that with medicine, panic disorder is controllable just like any other physical ailment.

Anxiety attack medicine will have to be taken according to prescription for a number of years.  Usually, they start of as a-pill-a-day medication that may gradually decrease to as-required.  Even as medication is prescribed and taken, doctors remain in the picture to monitor the sufferer’s progress.  Good progress may mean a weaning off the meds sooner.

Other complementing treatments are also recommended – counseling, positive thinking, deep breathing exercises, meditation and hypnosis are just some other treatments of anxiety attack that have proven to be effective.

You are driving along the highway on the innermost when you an 18-wheeler barreling at speed from the intersection right in front. Cool heads would probably react by either slowing down or easing to the second lane to allow the behemoth to enter the highway, but those afflicted with some form of panic disorder may well just stomp of the brake hard, or swerve immediately without having a second look at the side and rear view mirrors to check on the traffic. That’s an example of panic attack that could easily lead to bodily injuries, and as such pressing home the point of the necessity for some form of treatment of panic disorder to be made easily accessible. The notion of accessibility is of importance especially since those who are afflicted with either panic  or anxiety disorder (they are almost interchangeably similar in symptoms and physical manifestation) often do not even realized what it is they are having.

Panics and anxieties are after all perfectly normal feelings and emotions that exist in our daily lives. They are in fact by products of this wonderfully perfect creation that is the human body, where biological function co-exists with something that borders of the miraculous that enables us to undergo life on a daily basis without much prompting. Panic and anxieties prepares the body for a fight or flight plan, usually at the prompting of the mind which sees and deduce that certain situation – often those which are outside the normal routine one is accustomed to – might prove of threat to you. That is why all of us have butterflies in our stomachs when we walk to rostrums for a speech, or we get jittery in going to first dates, and more similar unknown situations which we would definitely encounter in our lives without fail.  These are normal reactions that do not need any such treatment of panic and anxiety disorders unless they occur always and unabated.

If you happen to have anxious and panicky feelings every so often, prompted by the most mundane (at least to the perception of others), this may point to some form of disorder.  Patients afflicted with such conditions are often however dismissive of ever needing treatment and consultation. It is often the physical manifestations of such conditions that would lead to them making an appointment with their physicians and eventually accepting that they would need treatment of panic disorder condition. Often times these physical manifestations – especially in the more severe panic and anxiety attacks – are almost akin to that someone suffering a heart attack.  Patients could start with profuse sweating and jitters; conditions that triggers even more panicky reactions, and lead to shortness of breath. If you’ve reached this level, things are already quite dangerous for you.

The aversion to seeking treatment may well be warranted, as many sees panic the condition as something that is behavioral in nature. Many may well opt for panic disorder self help treatment, gleaned from books or even the Internet. Good enough that they do take this important step to curing them from such ailment, but seeking professional assistance helps kick start this process.  What matters most for patients of panic and anxiety disorders is that they regain enough control over their inner strength of the mind, to realize that whatever it is that they fear are not only perfectly normal, but also surmountable at the same time. It’s like us taking the first step to chat the ones we are attracted to: once we’ve past this point, the rest becomes easy enough things to do.

The easiest and most effective anxiety and panic disorder self help treatment would be that of exercising and, something which many of us neglects, deep breathing. Coupled together, these steps would help not only strengthen one’s physical being but only their inner core by helping to center their thoughts and in so doing regaining the balance that allows the body to functions at its optimum. Deep breathing allows patients to check anxious feelings and emotions, and help goad their minds to get the calmness needed to peruse situations in a more orderly manner. For some of the more chronic patients, though, some form of panic and anxiety attack medicine could well be needed to help them relax before any other steps can be pursued.

Anxiety disorder, as a whole, is the most common of all the mental disorder. Out of all the anxiety disorders, the social phobia is the most common disorder, followed by post traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder. Interestingly, panic disorder is more prevalent among women than in men. It is said that twice as many women suffer from panic disorder than men. Possibly this has propped up the idea that panic disorder is actually a character flaw, those who have panic disorder are weak natured. “Pull up yourself”, they are often told. Such remarks show nothing but ignorance on the part of general public.

The exact causes of panic attacks are not known. It is, however, seen that tendency to have panic attack runs in families. There also seems to be a connection between major life transitions like entering the job market or getting married or having a baby. Losses like death of a loved one, divorce or loss of job also trigger panic attacks. But most of the time, a true panic attack does not have any apparent reason. It comes out of blue, builds up within ten minutes and subsides within thirty minutes. It is more like a hurricane which coming out of nowhere wrecks havoc before passing away.

Panic attack can be terrifying. But it is never life threatening. You may think you are going to die, but you will not. You are neither going to die nor have heart attack nor faint. You must remind yourself again and again whatever may be the symptom, you are suffering from just a bout of panic attack and you are going to survive. In fact self help has a major role to play while you are undergoing treatment for panic under some eminent doctor. Yes, you must see a doctor. Many patients refuse to see a doctor because they feel embarrassed. Some others refuse to go because of ignorance. They think nerve medicines will do them more harm than good. This is not true. Anxiety attack medicines such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants do help a victim of panic disorder lead a normal life if taken under the guidance of a qualified doctor. A psychiatrist with acronym MD or DO is the right person to see if you think you may be suffering from panic disorder.

It is true that benzodiazepines are sometimes habit forming and may lead to addiction. It should not be taken without proper medical advice. In fact no medicine should be taken without doctor’s advice. In general benzodiazepines should not be taken regularly to avoid drug dependence. These are actually fast acting drugs which stops panic attack symptoms immediately. Antidepressants also help in panic control and should be taken according to doctor’s advice, irrespective of the fact that the patient may not be depressed at all. These drugs have other functions too.

A patient of panic disorder needs therapy along with medicines. In fact it has been seen that such disorder often go away only through talk therapy and some panic disorder self help techniques. A special mention can be made of cognitive-behavioral-therapy, which focuses on modifying certain thought and behavioral pattern to control the symptoms of a disorder. Besides yoga, exercises and some lifestyle changes help to combat panic disorder.

Many experienced sufferers treat panic attack with the following techniques:-
    It is important to accept that one has panic attack and this can be controlled if one wishes to do so.
    Breathing slowly through the nose using the diaphragm or the abdomen is a good technique. Do not breathe through mouth. Focus on breathing out slowly. This will correct the imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream.
    One should consciously try to stay in the present. Rather than asking oneself what if, he should try to concentrate on what is happening now and how to cope with it.
    One should also learn to float with the symptoms rather than fight with them. Your goal should be to manage panic, not eliminate it altogether.
    You can do some exercises on the onslaught of the attack. These exercises will definitely help you to control the sudden panic, which is being built inside you:-
    You can run on the spot for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
    You can run up or down the stairs for the same period of time.
    Moving head from side to side or in a circle for half a minute.
    You should not hesitate to ask for help. There is nothing shameful about it.

The main idea is not to be cowered by the attacks; to learn to face them rationally with the help of those who are knowledgeable about this particular disorder and to lead a normal healthy life. Cheers…

Panic attacks can occur to almost everybody and it can happen at anytime.  The attack does not choose the place of occurrence or the person whom it will manifest.  Sometimes it just happens without any indication or provocation.  It can appear within minutes and can also disappear within minutes.  It is that fast.
The symptoms of panic attacks and anxiety attacks usually involve the physical and the psychological.  We can visibly tell if a person is having a panic attack when he or she feels dizzy and lightheaded, is sweating, the extremities like the hands and feet are cold and clammy, faster heart beats than normal and the face is flushing among other symptoms.
The psychological symptoms could include the feeling of impending doom, unreasonable fear and the feeling that the person might loose control of his or her emotions and feelings anytime.  The physical and the psychological symptoms can appear all at the same time to a person.
If this is the case the treatment of panic attacks should be sought and considered immediately.  However, the person might think that he or she is having a heart attack because the symptoms for both panic attacks and heart attacks are quite similar.  That is why seeking the help of a medical professional is really necessary.  Your doctor can tell the difference.
The current medical world today offers many varied and complimentary cures and treatments for panic attacks.  This could include anxiety attack medicine or just plain and simple panic disorder self help.  A word of caution though, before any form of treatment should be availed it is better to check first with your doctor and get his or her advice.  Panic disorders are a serious condition that should not be taken too lightly lest it could get worse and have some unwanted complications later on.
Below are some examples of medicine commonly prescribed by doctors for panic attacks.  The general roles of these medicines are to introduce or alter the chemicals found in the brain that causes panic attacks.
•    Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).  This type of medicine is meant to treat depression, phobias aside from panic attacks.  SSRI’s help the brain manage the levels of neurotransmitter serotonin.
•    Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s).  Aside from treating panic attacks, this type of medicine is also best in the treatment of general and severe depression.
For the natural treatment of panic attack, the so-called “laughter medicine” is slowly gaining acceptance from the medical professionals and the patients themselves these days.
The use of humor can be effective in minimizing or eliminating the symptoms of panic attacks in people.  The use of anxiety attack would not be necessary when this is applied.
This method would require the patient or the sufferer to think of a funny situation where they have laughed uncontrollably.  They would be required to remember this funny episode in their lives and when a situation arises that can cause them to have panic attacks they would just remember the incident where they have laughed uncontrollably.  They have to picture that image clearly in their minds.
Most experts agree that the good feeling brought about by humor replaces the bad feelings a person has whenever he or she is having a panic attack.  This can change the normal complexion of a panic attack from the usual fear the person can actively choose to be happy and optimistic about the situation.  This is being proactive about the situation.
The scientific explanation lies on the fact that when we are anxious the stress hormone or the serum cortisol rises and accordingly laughter is known to greatly reduce this level.
This procedure to be effective does not happen over night.  This takes a lot of determination on the part of the sufferer as well as lots of practice.  This would also involve exposing gradually the sufferer to the situation or events that causes him or her panic attacks and force the person to remember the happy and funny moments just to over come the fear.  The laughter method could be considered under the panic disorder self help.
Even if we do not have symptoms of panic attacks it is always best to be positive and not take things too seriously.  Life is too short for worrying.

There are a number of things you can try at home as treatments of panic.  These are easy tips the experts suggest:
•    Regular exercise: there is no beating this expert advice. Regular exercise is not only beneficial for you in every way; it will help in controlling your responses to fear or panic attacks. You need not invest in expensive equipment or sophisticated techniques, even a 30 minute walk every day will give you encouraging results.
•    Food habits: there are certain foods you will need to avoid. High calorie and junk food tends to make you more edgy and prone to panic attacks. So, you would do well to avoid these altogether. Go for friendly foods that have a calming effect on your general system; these include fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals and foods having high fiber content. Stay away from stimulants. This is an important part of every panic disorder self help technique you will come across. Avoid stimulants that can aggravate your condition. These include foods containing caffeine and nicotine. Avoid chocolates, alcohol and other junk food. This is especially true when you are preparing to go to sleep.
•    Sleeps at regular times-recent surveys have shown that people who have erratic sleeping patterns are more prone to panic attacks and other disorders. Establish a sleeping pattern and stick to it. Go to sleep at the set time and wake up at a pre determined time. Avoid late nights and strenuous activities right before you go to sleep.
There are also certain other things you can try as a treatment of panic disorders. There has been a lot of stress on preventing these attacks through cognitive behavior therapy. This program basically guides you on understanding and dealing with conditions or situations which trigger panic or anxiety attacks. Cognitive behavior therapy stresses on the management of dysfunctional emotions through a systematic procedure. It includes techniques like applied relaxation, controlled exposure to the trigger, controlled breathing and panic management. Experts have new recognized cognitive behavior as an essential part of a durable treatment. You can go for this form of treatment either on your own with the help of self help books or go for a comprehensive treatment with a professional. These are the most important of the panic disorder self help techniques you can try. However, if you find your attacks continuing, you should get anxiety attack medicines after consulting a professional.

Once you consult a doctor about your symptoms, he might put you on a number of medications. These are usually antidepressants, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and other mild tranquilizers. These medications become effective within 2-6 weeks and can help you in controlling your symptoms. The most important thing to remember when you are taking these anxiety attack medicines is that you should do so only under expert medical counseling and monitoring. Some of these medications may have serious side effects and withdrawal symptoms that you need to know about even before you get started. You should have a frank discussion with your doctor before you start these medications. For instance, inform him about any other medical problem or disorder you might be having. This should include your reactions to earlier medications also. You doctor will advise you better once he has an idea about your medical status.
These medications are sometimes prescribed together with behavior therapy. It is important for you to understand that both these parts are an important aspect of your total treatment. Medications are usually provided so that you can manage your reactions to certain given conditions. Behavioral therapy aims at rooting out the factors which cause you to have the attacks in the first place. Therefore, both these aspects should receive equal importance when you are looking for a complete resolution to your problems. Also remember that anxiety and panic attacks can never be completely cured. However, behavior therapy and anxiety attack medications can help you in decreasing the frequency of attacks and managing the intensity of your symptoms.