Your heart is racing, feeling like it is pounding out of your chest. Your throat feels tight and you are having difficulty breathing. Your stomach rolls with nausea. You find yourself fighting to hold down your lunch. All of this is accompanied by an overwhelming fear. You feel out of control, like death is just around the corner.
This is a common panic attack. If this sounds like an experience you've had, you may be one of the many who have a panic disorder. A panic disorder is just one of the many categories of anxiety disorder. You will find that 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are afflicted by this condition. However, around 30% of the patients will go through a panic attack at one point in their lives.
The truth is panic disorders are misunderstood. We don't know how they come about exactly, or even what makes someone like yourself susceptible to them. Then again, we do know it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. Oddly enough, more women are hit with panic disorder than men.
The symptoms won't always be the same between each individual either. In fact, some situations last a few minutes while others can last for 30. If you're wondering if what you're enduring is a panic attack, then you need to look at the symptoms. They are anything from chest pain, breathing difficulties, the feeling of doom or shaking and trembling to, nausea and vomiting, hot or cold flashes, or feeling faint. The important issue is that they come out of nowhere.
Sufferers may begin to avoid the activities or places that they associate with their panic attack. In some cases, they may become agoraphobic, scared to leave their own homes, preferring to remain in comfortable, familiar surroundings. However, this doesn't always resolve the problem. Left untreated, panic disorder can have a widespread effect on not only the sufferer, but others around them.
You will find research out there that there have been findings of potential causes. It only takes one bad experience, and when you keep it inside, the bad things to come is always on your mind.
There are several avenues of treatment for panic disorder. The doctor may prescribe SSRI or tricyclic antidepressants. Anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed, but medication as pretty much been proven not too work. They just freeze your emotion, they are addictive and they also have bad side effects.
For those that prefer more natural means of treatment, there are some options. Sleep, exercise, diet and relaxation can all play a role in anxiety disorder. According to scientific research, getting eight to ten hours of sleep a night can reduce anxiety by up to 50%. They are also some very good self-help book worth reading.
Experts will tell you that stress is a major player in panic disorder. So if you're incurring several stressful situations, you have to look for the most appropriate relievers. Exercise is probably the #1 choice. Plus, even though it helps with stress, it can help you maintain healthy body weight. This will give you a proper hormonal balance.
Another area to look further into is the use of food. Research has discovered that some foods can increase anxiety. Things like coffee, dairy products, refined sugar, honey, and even maple syrup on those pancakes or waffles. So we recommend keeping a food log and figure it out for yourself.
Just relaxing can also be helpful. Just being relaxed can actually diminish the anxiety and fear. This will allow the nerves to become more stable, and help with those stressful situations. A good combatant for this is Yoga and meditation. Oh, and let's not forget about aromatherapy, which relaxes you and keeps the stress at bay.
Granted, this might not completely cure your panic disorder, but can definitely reduce the overall attacks. In the end it will allow you to live as much of a normal life as you can have without so many constraints.
This is a common panic attack. If this sounds like an experience you've had, you may be one of the many who have a panic disorder. A panic disorder is just one of the many categories of anxiety disorder. You will find that 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are afflicted by this condition. However, around 30% of the patients will go through a panic attack at one point in their lives.
The truth is panic disorders are misunderstood. We don't know how they come about exactly, or even what makes someone like yourself susceptible to them. Then again, we do know it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. Oddly enough, more women are hit with panic disorder than men.
The symptoms won't always be the same between each individual either. In fact, some situations last a few minutes while others can last for 30. If you're wondering if what you're enduring is a panic attack, then you need to look at the symptoms. They are anything from chest pain, breathing difficulties, the feeling of doom or shaking and trembling to, nausea and vomiting, hot or cold flashes, or feeling faint. The important issue is that they come out of nowhere.
Sufferers may begin to avoid the activities or places that they associate with their panic attack. In some cases, they may become agoraphobic, scared to leave their own homes, preferring to remain in comfortable, familiar surroundings. However, this doesn't always resolve the problem. Left untreated, panic disorder can have a widespread effect on not only the sufferer, but others around them.
You will find research out there that there have been findings of potential causes. It only takes one bad experience, and when you keep it inside, the bad things to come is always on your mind.
There are several avenues of treatment for panic disorder. The doctor may prescribe SSRI or tricyclic antidepressants. Anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed, but medication as pretty much been proven not too work. They just freeze your emotion, they are addictive and they also have bad side effects.
For those that prefer more natural means of treatment, there are some options. Sleep, exercise, diet and relaxation can all play a role in anxiety disorder. According to scientific research, getting eight to ten hours of sleep a night can reduce anxiety by up to 50%. They are also some very good self-help book worth reading.
Experts will tell you that stress is a major player in panic disorder. So if you're incurring several stressful situations, you have to look for the most appropriate relievers. Exercise is probably the #1 choice. Plus, even though it helps with stress, it can help you maintain healthy body weight. This will give you a proper hormonal balance.
Another area to look further into is the use of food. Research has discovered that some foods can increase anxiety. Things like coffee, dairy products, refined sugar, honey, and even maple syrup on those pancakes or waffles. So we recommend keeping a food log and figure it out for yourself.
Just relaxing can also be helpful. Just being relaxed can actually diminish the anxiety and fear. This will allow the nerves to become more stable, and help with those stressful situations. A good combatant for this is Yoga and meditation. Oh, and let's not forget about aromatherapy, which relaxes you and keeps the stress at bay.
Granted, this might not completely cure your panic disorder, but can definitely reduce the overall attacks. In the end it will allow you to live as much of a normal life as you can have without so many constraints.
About the Author:
Meanwhile, Julie U. Stevenson has suffered from panic attacks for-- years. We recommend taking a look at her story by visiting here website: My Anxiety Solution and discover how she was able to rid herself of this burden and get her life back.
