Panic or anxiety attacks result from a sudden, overwhelming fear. The extreme anxiety can lead to physical symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, a choking feeling, shortness of breath and nausea. The attacks may only last for a few minutes. Panic attacks can occur to people from real situations, but people with panic disorder suffer from unprovoked attacks that are spontaneous, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Medication
Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are used to treat panic disorder. Antidepressants were designed to treat depression, but have been found to be effective in treating panic disorders. Anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines, work faster than antidepressants, but can cause drug dependence. Other side effects of anti-anxiety drugs include drowsiness, impaired coordination and slowed reaction time. However, antidepressant drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been developed to lower the risk of those side effects and are the preferred drug, according to the Merck Manuals.
People are often given antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs together. As the antidepressant starts to work, the dose of anti-anxiety medication is slowly decreased and eventually stopped. Patients may have to take drugs for a long period of time, depending on whether or not the attacks return.
Therapy
Exposure therapy helps diminish the fear of panic attacks in patients. People are exposed to the particular fears that may cause their attacks until they become comfortable with the situations. People who fear they will faint during an attack can practice spinning in a chair or breathing quickly until they feel faint. They realize that they will not actually faint when a panic attack occurs, the Merck Manuals explains.
Cognitive therapy is also used in the treatment of panic disorder. The therapy helps people change the thinking that causes their fears or the way they react to situations that bring on anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Patients learn that their panic attacks are not going to cause them physical harm.
Alternative Treatment
People who suffer from breathing difficulties during panic attacks can practice slow breathing exercises to avoid hyperventilating. Yoga and meditation are among the relaxation techniques that can reduce anxiety and panic attacks, the Mayo Clinic says. Progressive muscle relaxation helps the body relax and relieve anxiety. The exercise works by tensing once muscle at a time and then releasing the tension until all muscles in the body are relaxed. Inositol, a nutritional supplement that works with the brain chemical serotonin to control emotions, may reduce panic attacks, according to the Mayo Clinic.
About this Author
Jerry Shaw has spent more than 35 years in newspapers, magazines and book publishing. He has written on a variety of topics for various websites, magazines and newspapers, including “Florida Today,” “Daytona Beach News-Journal” and “Today in PT,” an online magazine for physical therapists. He lives in Florida.
