Anxiety is a very natural phenomenon.  Every body has his own way of dealing with anxiety. Some think that knowledge is the best antidote of anxiety. If you take the trouble to learn more about the things that you are anxious, it will disappear. However, it happens at times that our anxiety reaches such an irrational level that this particular antidote does not work. It really becomes harder to get rid of it because in most cases the reasons that make us anxious do not really exist.

However, you can eliminate even such irrational anxiety, if you really want to by looking inside at yourself rather out side for the source of anxiety. This is what therapies and meditations are all about. If you take cognitive therapy, the therapist will make you look inside your mind and will teach you to identify the thought process that gives rise to anxiety or panic. He will then show you how to divert that thought process into a safer channel, so that you can get rid of the anxiety.

Meditation is all about that too. While you meditate, you just try to take off your mind from your anxiety and concentrate it on something more pleasant. You then try to hold the mind there. In short, both therapy and meditation teach you to ignore the disturbing thought. They had initially become stronger because you have been literally walloping in your anxiety. Now that you are trying to neglect them, they will become weaker and soon will disappear.

However, dealing with anxiety becomes more difficult when, due to chemical imbalance in the brain, the normal anxiety becomes anxiety disorder, to be more accurate, generalized anxiety disorder or GAD. GAD will also show some physical symptoms like:

1.    Muscle tension, body aches and cramps

2.    Fatigue

3.    Dizziness

4.    Pounding heart

5.    Suffocation and chest pains

6.    Nausea and other stomach problem

7.    Chills and hot flashes

8.    Sweating, especially clammy hands

Such a person will not be able to control his anxious thought. He will become too numb to react in any rational manner. If that happens, do not hesitate to ask for help. Fortunately, GAD is curable.

Another disorder quite similar to GAD is panic disorder. In fact, both of them fall under the larger umbrella of anxiety attack and when people talk of anxiety attack, they often mean panic disorder, not GAD.

Though panic attacks are more severe than GAD, both of them have more or less the same symptoms. One of the major differences is that while a patient of GAD is worried about something in his life, the patient of panic attack fear for his life itself. He thinks he is dying or losing control and becoming mad. You can cure panic attack the same way you would cure GAD. Both of them need the same therapy and the same medicines. In both cases, it is wiser to see a psychiatrist with acronym MD or DO for proper diagnosis and treatment.

As panic attacks are nothing more than bodily sensation of anxiety and a catastrophic misrepresentation of those sensations, cognitive behavioral therapy is very beneficial as a medium of treatment. This therapy is a combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy and controls the thought process as well as the behavior. Another beneficial therapy, which makes panic disorder patients become aware of the unconscious conflicts and fantasies, is the panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Among the medicines, antidepressants have definite qualities that help to cure panic attack as well as GAD. However, the doses differ. As a rule, a victim of panic attack should be started on a very low dose of antidepressant while the GAD patients can be given the normal dose. These are long-term drug and do not show results before months. Benzodiazepines, on the other hand, act faster and show results in weeks. However, these drugs are habit-forming and should not be used for long. That is for the doctors to decide though.

Meanwhile you can practice some self-help techniques that will help you to control, if not cure panic disorder or GAD:

1.    First and foremost accept that you have panic disorder/GAD

2.    Develop the will to be cured.

3.    Breathe slowly through the nose using the diaphragm. Breathe in and out counting 5 or even 10.

4.    Consciously try to stay in the present. Rather than asking yourself what if, try to concentrate on how to cope with the attack.

5.    Learn to float with the symptoms rather than fight with them.

6.    It is easier dealing with anxiety attack, if your goal is not to eliminate it altogether, but to manage it.

7.    Some exercises like running on the spot for 1-minute help check panic attack.

A panic attack is defined as a sudden surge of overwhelming fear and anxiety that can be experienced at any point of time. During a panic attack, most people have difficulty in breathing and their hearts beat faster. In extreme cases, some may even feel as if they are about to die. If you are suffering from such attacks then it is high time you get this mental condition treated as soon as possible. The intensity of the panic attacks increases if you do not treat yourself. Dealing with anxiety or panic attacks can be difficult, but not impossible.

The worst part of the panic attacks is that they strike you when you are least expecting it. Most of the symptoms of panic attacks coincide with the symptoms of heart attacks. So, it becomes even more important to see the doctor if you are a heart patient. If a heart patient has panic attacks, the role of a doctor becomes very important. Doctors have to be very careful when prescribing medications for the heart ailments. They have to ensure that the medications that they give for the heart ailment does not aggravate the panic attack situation.

People who are suffering from heart ailments need to keep in mind that they must not take any chances during a panic attack. They must be rushed to the cardiac hospital immediately on complaints of chest pain and breathlessness. Panic attacks can disrupt your normal life and cause a lot of harm to relationships. Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks must be on highest priority and must not be neglected at any point of time. Most doctors will analyse your condition and prescribe medications for panic attacks. After taking these medications, you will definitely get relief.

One key fact that needs to be remembered all the time is that there is no permanent cure for anxiety or panic attacks. Medication for panic attacks are only relief givers and help in reducing the symptoms that are associated with anxiety or panic attacks. If you don’t want to take medication for panic attacks due to the side effects, then your doctor may suggest the cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy is very effective in controlling the symptoms that are associated with panic attacks. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the person who treats you is called a therapist or psychiatrist.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is known to have great effect on panic disorders, panic attacks, and agoraphobia. After you take an appointment with the therapist or psychiatrist, don’t expect to get relief from the very first day. It may take weeks or months to get relief at times, so you need to be patient. This therapy focuses on the behaviors and the thinking patterns that are triggering to sustaining the panic attacks. The therapist or psychiatrist may ask you a series of questions, which may even be personal. You need to answer these questions with great honesty.

The therapist or psychiatrist makes you aware of the fears that are embedded deep within your mind and aids you to look at them in a more realistic light. Another effective treatment method with the use of medications is the exposure method. In this method, you are exposed to the triggers that cause the panic attacks. This treatment method is done in a very controlled and safe environment.

During the exposure therapy, the therapist may ask you to perform the following tasks:

o    Hyperventilate
o    Shake your head from one side to the other
o    Hold your breath

With these activities, you are actually simulating the actual condition of the panic attack. With each exposure, you gradually become less afraid of the bodily sensations. Slowly and steadily, you will feel to get greater control over anxiety and panic.

Dealing with anxiety or panic attacks without the help of doctors or therapists may be a little difficult. You may have to do a lot of research for the right treatment for panic or anxiety attacks. Try browsing the Internet for few days and get as much as information you can get on panic attacks. Buying over-the-counter medications for panic attacks may be a little risky, but you can try them in small doses first. Information on over-the-counter medications for panic attacks can be got from advertisements and pharmacists.

Panic attacks and anxiety disorders are conditions which are very similar to one another so you will find that many times they overlap. Many people may not be able to recognize that they suffer from these conditions because they may mistake the symptoms for something that commonly occurs when they are feeling scared about something or even nervous about something. Which is why it sometimes can be hard dealing with anxiety disorders because very often it is hard to determine whether you do in fact have anxiety disorder or panic attacks in the first place.

Panic attacks and anxiety disorders are something that you probably would not be familiar with unless you know someone close to you who is experiencing these symptoms, or you have them yourself. You’d be surprised to find that even those who suffer from these conditions very often don't know that they have it themselves, so they very often don’t know that they have to get treatment for panic attacks because they are not aware they are dealing with such a problem. The problem with many people is that they are not aware enough of a certain medical condition that they don't know how to treat it or that they should be seeking some form of treatment for it.

If you are going to go about curing it and get the right treatment for panic attacks and the right medication for panic attacks, then the first thing you would need to do you need to first of all determine that you are indeed suffer from these conditions, and how you would do that is by identifying the symptoms. By learning to recognize the signs, you will be able to know whether that fear and are feeling is actually something that is quite common, something you are experiencing just because you are nervous or worried about something, or whether it is something much more serious such as panic attacks and anxiety attacks that you may need to seek treatment for.

A panic attack or anxiety disorder is not something that we want to live with for the rest of our lives because they do have a tendency to disrupt it. Anyone who has panic disorder or anxiety attacks will tell you that it can be really inconvenient having to live with it because not only is it a nuisance to deal with when it keeps occurring all the time, but it also can cause major problems for the people that surround those who suffer from this disorder because they will be the ones who will have to learn to deal with it too. Getting the right medication for panic attacks early on is essential before the problem becomes any worse, which is not something you want to risk happening because it could become dangerous.

What kind of medication for panic attacks would be best suitable for you? Well there are basically two main types of medication that you can turn to for help in dealing with anxiety disorders. And you don’t have to worry because since panic attacks and anxiety disorders are more or less the same thing, this is applicable to both groups:
•    Cure it the medical way through prescription medication – medication for panic attacks can easily be acquired from your doctor. He or she would probably prescribe you with medication such as Paroxetine or Zoloft, which are antidepressant medicines that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat panic disorder.

•    Cure it with therapy for the mind and soul through counseling sessions – Counseling can be great therapy for the mind and soul of a person, especially if they are suffering from a disease of some sort. Several kinds of counseling are very effective in treating panic attacks and panic disorder. You can ask your doctor about the different kinds of counseling that are available. Counseling does not work as fast as medicine, but it can be just as effective.

Still, the good news hear is if they you think you might suffer from panic attacks and anxiety disorders, detect them early and you can seek out medication for panic attacks quite easily as it is not something which is unusual to treat. These days there are plenty of products to help out with the treatment of anxiety disorder or even panic attack remedies that you can easily get from your doctor or physician once he has determine that you do have these disorders.

A panic attack is defined as a sudden surge of overwhelming fear and anxiety that can be experienced at any point of time. During a panic attack, most people have difficulty in breathing and their hearts beat faster. In extreme cases, some may even feel as if they are about to die. If you are suffering from such attacks then it is high time you get this mental condition treated as soon as possible. The intensity of the panic attacks increases if you do not treat yourself. Dealing with anxiety or panic attacks can be difficult, but not impossible.

The worst part of the panic attacks is that they strike you when you are least expecting it. Most of the symptoms of panic attacks coincide with the symptoms of heart attacks. So, it becomes even more important to see the doctor if you are a heart patient. If a heart patient has panic attacks, the role of a doctor becomes very important. Doctors have to be very careful when prescribing medications for the heart ailments. They have to ensure that the medications that they give for the heart ailment does not aggravate the panic attack situation.

People who are suffering from heart ailments need to keep in mind that they must not take any chances during a panic attack. They must be rushed to the cardiac hospital immediately on complaints of chest pain and breathlessness. Panic attacks can disrupt your normal life and cause a lot of harm to relationships. Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks must be on highest priority and must not be neglected at any point of time. Most doctors will analyse your condition and prescribe medications for panic attacks. After taking these medications, you will definitely get relief.

One key fact that needs to be remembered all the time is that there is no permanent cure for anxiety or panic attacks. Medication for panic attacks are only relief givers and help in reducing the symptoms that are associated with anxiety or panic attacks. If you don’t want to take medication for panic attacks due to the side effects, then your doctor may suggest the cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy is very effective in controlling the symptoms that are associated with panic attacks. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the person who treats you is called a therapist or psychiatrist.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is known to have great effect on panic disorders, panic attacks, and agoraphobia. After you take an appointment with the therapist or psychiatrist, don’t expect to get relief from the very first day. It may take weeks or months to get relief at times, so you need to be patient. This therapy focuses on the behaviors and the thinking patterns that are triggering to sustaining the panic attacks. The therapist or psychiatrist may ask you a series of questions, which may even be personal. You need to answer these questions with great honesty.

The therapist or psychiatrist makes you aware of the fears that are embedded deep within your mind and aids you to look at them in a more realistic light. Another effective treatment method with the use of medications is the exposure method. In this method, you are exposed to the triggers that cause the panic attacks. This treatment method is done in a very controlled and safe environment.

During the exposure therapy, the therapist may ask you to perform the following tasks:
o    Hyperventilate
o    Shake your head from one side to the other
o    Hold your breath

With these activities, you are actually simulating the actual condition of the panic attack. With each exposure, you gradually become less afraid of the bodily sensations. Slowly and steadily, you will feel to get greater control over anxiety and panic.

Dealing with anxiety or panic attacks without the help of doctors or therapists may be a little difficult. You may have to do a lot of research for the right treatment for panic or anxiety attacks. Try browsing the Internet for few days and get as much as information you can get on panic attacks. Buying over-the-counter medications for panic attacks may be a little risky, but you can try them in small doses first. Information on over-the-counter medications for panic attacks can be got from advertisements and pharmacists.

We have all heard the clichés – “don’t panic!”, “relax” and “calm down” – but really, what exactly do we mean?  Those well-intentioned words are meaningless if one does not sit down and really figure out:
-    What “panic” really means
-    How “panic” is triggered
-    How to recognize each panic trigger
-    How to avoid severe repercussions of “panic”
-    Ways of controlling “panic”
-    If “panic” really is a physical condition or a state of mind

Many people suffering from panic “attacks” – or so they are called because to the person suffering from it, they are sudden and totally unprovoked – have no idea that this is a real recognized medical condition.  While the attacks themselves are hardly a fatal possibility, they are clear symptoms of more serious disorders like depression and anxiety disorder and it is what the subsequent actions they can lead to that are dangerous.

What are panic attacks then?  As its name suggests, it is an unexpected feeling of fear so strong that it overwhelms the individual and leads them to do or act different from the norm.  A sudden panic attack, for instance, may cause one to feel afraid of everything and everyone around.  Sometimes, an individual may be overcome by such strong emotions that one will be incapable of moving away even an inch from the spot one is currently in.

Treatment for panic attacks is mainly psychological.  As these are symptoms of a more disturbed state of mind, it is usually automatic that psychotherapy is first adopted before any other form of cure is prescribed.  Continuous sessions with a licensed, experienced psychologist may be the first step in treatment.

During these meetings, the cause for such attacks and ways of dealing with anxiety will be discussed and set.  Delving into one’s past experiences and exploring the simplest of fears may be a necessity.  As these are all steps towards total recovery, it is best to be extremely honest and open during the psychotherapy.  For less serious cases, these grilling sessions may be all that is needed.

As panic attacks often stem from some deep-rooted cause, one must remember that such sessions are themselves treatment for panic disorders.  As such, they are a long-term commitment to a permanent or semi-permanent cure.  A premature termination of these sessions may result in a recurrence of panic attacks which may be far worse and often than when they first began.

Increasingly, there are cases where psychotherapy alone is insufficient in dealing with anxiety disorders.  Specific medication for panic attacks will then need to be prescribed.  These, in no way, supersede the psychotherapy which should have already begun – in fact, they are in tandem with the regular sessions, which should only stop after the licensed psychotherapist is satisfied of the individual’s psychological progress.

There is direct and indirect medication for panic attacks that can be adopted.  The direct method is, naturally, the prescription of specific pills and drugs, also known as anti-anxiety medication, which are effective in calming down the individual.  In a calmer state of mind, he or she will then be “removed” from the dangers of their surroundings and less of a danger to all around.  On no account, however, should these drugs be taken without the proper supervision of a qualified physician.

More indirect medication for panic attacks deal with deep breathing and mind control techniques.  As panic attacks stem from some as-yet undiscovered concern in the mind, one way of dealing with anxiety is through the use of positive thoughts.  These may come in the form of repetitive statements such as “there is nothing to be afraid of.  I am just afraid of being afraid” or “I will not let my fear take control; I will control my fear”.

Deep breathing is another equally effective alternative to conventional treatment and is usually used with mind control techniques mentioned earlier.  When one needs to employ the deep breathing method, all that is required is to learn the skill of correct breathing through the nose, into the diaphragm and abdomen, and exhaling slowly though the mouth. If necessary, these can be done in a public place sitting down or standing facing a wall.  Many individuals find that closing their eyes and concentrating on deep breathing works well in bringing their psyche back to the safe present.

Whichever method preferred, a psychotherapist should be brought into the picture at some point before the person suffering the panic attack becomes a threat to themselves and those around them.

People experiencing an intense or irrational fear for long periods of time can be considered symptoms of panic attack.  This symptom could also lead to the inability of the body to absorb enough oxygen resulting to a difficulty in breathing or hyperventilation.
Another symptom of panic attack could also include trembling, profuse sweating, increased heart beat and even nausea.  If you experience any or all of the above symptoms it is better to see your physician first before trying on any over the counter drugs or medications.  They are in a better position to diagnose if it is really panic attack and if so they can prescribe proper treatment for panic.
The above symptoms can appear suddenly and without any provocation from an external stressors.  They can suddenly appear too without a clear cause.  When this happens aside from the above symptoms the sufferer may feel dizzy or light headed.  The face may experience flushes and the sufferer may experience the feeling of losing touch with reality.  This is like a feeling of being out of control of a situation.
And after this episode usually lasting three to eight minutes the sufferer may feel exhausted and too weak to continue with the normal activity he or she has been engaging prior to the attack.  However, there are cases where the symptoms can last for several hours have been observed.  These are now the instances where medication for panic attacks should immediately be administered.
What causes these attacks?  Some cases ca be attributed to genetics where a parent can transfer the disorder to the children.  Physical illnesses can also be blamed as well as too much exposure to stressors can also trigger panic attacks.  Dealing with anxiety problems now depends on the person whether he or she has a strong tolerance for the disorder.  For people with low tolerance medications are highly encouraged.
Below is a sampling of several medications for panic attack.
•    Beta Blockers – This group of medications are very helpful in controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks.  They can stabilize the rapid heartbeats, the shaking of the hands and legs, the trembling of the body as well as the flushing.  However, there are side effects and this could include the feeling of light headedness, short term memory loss, diarrhea among others.  Beta blocker includes Propranolol and Atenolol.
•    Tricyclic Antidepressants – This medication for panic attacks can be utilized to treat severe anxiety or anxiety with depression.  The disorder that can also be remedied by tricyclic antidepressants are the obsessive compulsive disorders.  The side effects of this medication are blurred vision, sensitivity to sunlight, sweating, weight gain, irritability and inability to sleep normally at night.  The common drugs are these medications are the Imipramine, Desipramine, Nortriptyline and Clomipramine.
•    Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) –This is another medication used in the treatment for panic attacks.  Its side effects can include increased food intake, inability to sleep normally at night, dry mouth, weight gain, low blood pressure and problems with sexual activities.  MAOIs include Phenelzine and Tranylcypromine.
•    Benzodiazepines – These medications are also effective in controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety or panic attack.  They can be taken as a single dose therapy or they can be taken for several months depending on the doctor’s advice.  Side effects include decreased mental alertness, drowsiness, clumsiness, slurred speech, mood swings and irritability.  Benzodiazepines can include Alprazolam, Diazepam, Lorazepam and Chlordiazepoxide.
•    Tranquilizers – The type used in dealing with anxiety are just the mild ones.  Tranquilizers are also used in the treatment of depression, phobias or the obsessive compulsive disorders.  Its side effects include dizziness and headaches and drowsiness.  The common drug prescribed by medical doctors is the Buspirone.
There are many drugs and medication for panic attacks available in the market today.  They have different side effects which can impede with the normal flow of your lifestyle.  It is always best to seek guidance from your physicians on what is the best medication is suitable for you.

Anxiety, while a natural reaction in every, is a particularly unpleasant feeling to have and discomforting state to be in but in normal, ordinary people, these anxiousness would come not always and go quite easily. This is however less so for those who are afflicted with the condition dubbed anxiety disorder, where the length of such “attacks” are much, much longer and far more debilitating in nature. As often is the case, someone who is so afflicted with such condition would be prone to sudden, unwarranted anxiety attacks and in most cases they would end up panicking.

Anxiety disorders would often represent itself with severe panic attacks and reactions. Caused mainly by fear, concerns as well as deep seated low self confidence, patients – twice as many women are said to be afflicted compared to men – would developed biological reactions that tells them they are having such an attack. These could be in the form of trembling, sweating and general discomfort except for the fact that these would be the more extreme of manifestations of something seemingly natural for the rest of us. In the worse case scenarios, someone who is having a severe anxiety and panic attacks could well developed nausea and dizziness before feeling breathless. Left untreated, they could easily do into deep depression.

While there are several treatment for panic attacks, physicians are still very much at a loss when it comes to pinpointing the cause of such attacks in the first place. With someone who has anxiety disorders, knowing what is bothering him or her is never enough as it could well be simply a manifestations of some trauma that is more deep seated that someone would care to believe. That is why treatment for panic attacks as well as generalized anxiety disorders takes on a two-prong approach, tackling both the psychological as well as the physical symptoms.

In dealing with anxiety, patients should be allowed to reach a much higher confidence levels that they have currently, so often the main basis for their anxiety disorder conditions anyway. Knowing what it is that made them have such low esteem would be the crux in the treatment process. Counseling sessions where the patients is being made to talk about their fears and concerns are quite effective in helping them in their dealing with anxiety in general , that is provided the outbreaks are not stagnant in nature. You can't stop after managing to identify, say the causes for anxiety and panic attacks without following up on whether these are just symptoms for something much deeper psychologically.

As often is the case, those afflicted with anxiety disorders are mostly unable to pinpoint what it is that they are anxious about in the first place. The fact remains that they would suddenly feel at a loss and anxious over something they themselves might not even be sure of. The danger in protracted counseling session is that patients might just say yes to the co-called cause of the panic attacks that they are having as a comfort zone, a willingness to believe that, yes, that would be the cause of my problem, just to feel much better. More often than they will feel better, albeit without having to address the core cause of their conditions in the first place. Counseling sessions, therefore, must be an on-going process until the patients can truly walk out confident in dealing with anxiety whenever they might come.

Helping treatment positively would be some particularly effective  medication for panic attacks. These are the anti-anxiety prescriptions and drugs which helps the body to relax and calm itself whenever the symptoms for an anxiety of panic attack would surface. Popularly know as tranquilizers, the medication for panic attacks are also relaxants and quite a number would see patients doze off to sleep. On their own, these medications only allow an escape route for sufferers of anxiety disorder conditions. They include popular drugs such as Xanax, Valium and Klonopin. Fast acting, they help arrest any anxiety and panic attack symptoms within minutes, but they must go hand in hand with counseling session for a truly lasting and effective treatment.

Dr. Granet speaks with leading expert, Dr. Murray Stein on Social Anxiety Disorder

Click for more information on dealing with anxiety or for medications for anxiety attacks.