The most important thing to know about panic attacks is … the person experiencing them is not in danger, although they certainly feel as though they are.  Panic attacks feel dangerous because they engage our brain’s emergency system, which tells us we are in imminent danger.  The good news is, just like a fire alarm placed too close to a toaster over, the emergency systems in the brains of people with panic attacks are issuing … false alarms.

Panic attacks are very treatable …

and respond exceptionally well to the right type of therapy.  Because panic attacks are so unpleasant and often seem like a physical medical problem, people often assume that some type of medication will be necessary for effective treatment.  While panic attacks may occur in the course of a disorder for which medication is appropriate and useful, the treatment of panic attacks themselves generally does not require medication.  In fact, some anxiety medications prescribed for panic attacks may end up hindering full recovery in the long run.

You are not alone …

Panic attacks are something millions of people have had to deal with on one or more occasions.  The best way to describe these anxiety disorders is to say they are episodes where a person is suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of extremely intense fear and foreboding.

These types of anxiety related episodes happen swiftly, quickly and powerfully.  When a person is facing a panic attack, their minds work against their rational thoughts and they are suddenly terrified that something horrible is about to happen.

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Panic attack symptoms …

… can include extreme nausea, heart pounding and clouded thinking.  These types of emotions are the same as those people experience following a violent situation, tragic event or some other type of horrendous disaster.  The difference is that panic attacks have no known trigger that can be seen or identified.  Perhaps something happened in the past to set the stage for these future attacks individuals are presently experiencing.

People with panic episodes are convinced something terrible has happened or that something terrible might happen and they feel an urgent need to distance themselves from the situation and setting.  Millions of individuals each year suffer from panic and many people suffer from repeated episodes.  Panic attacks can leave sufferers feeling incapacitated and lonely, not only during an attack but after it has passed, as well.  The despair and lack of hope that they feel is devastating from both an emotional and mental standpoint.

Some of the more common symptoms of anxiety attacks include a feeling of dread and terror, breathing difficulties, tingling throughout the body, tightness in the chest, the need to escape and even the sense that death is about to occur.  Although a panic attack may last for only a few short minutes, the symptoms can linger for some time after the attack has ended.  The different feelings and symptoms that are experienced will vary from person to person and no two episodes are ever exactly identical.

Panic attack and stress …

Although the cause of panic attacks is still not fully understood, stress appears to be a major factor.  In many instances, it is found that life altering events such as the death of a loved one, purchasing a new home, the loss of employment, change in marital status, or even quitting smoking may actually be the underlying trigger that brings on an attack.  Other factors may include a family history of the condition.  A severe health issue or physical illness can also be a trigger, and even the use of certain medications may create a chemical imbalance in the brain that will lead to a person developing these anxiety attacks.

Treatments of panic attacks …

… vary a good deal depending on the patient, the intensity of the episode and the type of treatment option selected.  The combination of prescription medications along with the use of psychotherapy appears to produce results.  Taking the NATURAL approach to the treatment of panic attacks has also been found to be quite beneficial.  There are many homeopathic options to help with anxiety, stress, and slowing things down in the mind.  Some people are discovering they can learn to relax in the face of panic attacks and ground themselves in reality, although it is not always the easiest.  Learning to face unknown fears is proving to be  a wonderful option that can be used by those who prefer to use more natural treatment methods.  Avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, while practicing relaxation exercises such as yoga and deep breathing are also great options to consider.

Quitting smoking can help …

Is everything purely driven by stress and the way you’ve taught yourself to handle stress?  Because smoking actually raises blood pressure and your pulse, as well as limits oxygen in the bloodstream, smoking actually ADDS to people’s stress.  Their physiological functions are put under stress and the body has to work harder to survive.  Smoking stresses the body’s basic survival functions.  So, although the thought of a life changing event can initially trigger panic attacks, by removing the stress put on the body by nicotine, the sufferer’s condition will ultimately improve over time.

Smoking doesn’t take away your stress … it actually adds to it and stresses a person further.  The last thing any of us needs is something adding to our stress levels or something putting more stress on the body’s basic will to survive.

Are life’s anxious moments leaving you feeling overwhelmed and afraid?

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