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 Have
you ever felt threatened in an elevator or felt that you would
never reach your destination while driving a car? Do you tend
to avoid public gatherings or open spaces? The presence of
any these symptoms makes it more likely that you are suffering
from a type of panic disorder. Panic disorder is in fact more
common in society than most of us realize; and doctors, therapists
and clinics around the country are seeing an increasing number
of patients requiring panic disorder treatment to
calm the anxiety and panic sensations.
Panic
disorder can be triggered by a myriad of causes. It can sometimes
be due to side effects of medications or drug use (cannabis
is often associated with an increased risk of panic attacks,
for example); it can also be the result of a lingering depression
or an incident in the past. In rare cases, it can even be
the result of a hormonal imbalance. But whatever the initial
cause, those undergoing a panic attack feel that they are
experiencing an emergency situation and cannot "escape."
In this sense, half of the anxiety is anticipatory, as people
constantly worry about how they will counter the next round
of panic attacks. This makes the panic increasingly dreaded,
and the sufferer can become anxious and uneasy for no apparent
cause. Unfortunately, until they seek panic disorder treatment,
the chances are that the panic attacks will continue to worsen,
and they may develop into a full-blown panic disorder.
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So what are the most common (and helpful) panic disorder
treatments? Panic disorder treatments primarily aim
to both alleviate symptoms and determine the root cause of
the attacks. If there is a past incident relating to a panic
attack, the therapist often tries to desensitize the patient
to that event. For example, if a person had an attack in a
crowded fair, the therapist would try to simulate the same
feelings under therapy and let the patient find a better way
of countering the fear. It is important to note that it is
not the fear itself which is the primary problem; it is the
"fear of fear."
A
panic attack is usually categorized as a sudden bout of extreme
anxiety and it is marked by multiple physical manifestations
like sweaty palms, heart palpitations, tingling sensations
in the feet, dry mouth and elevated heart rate. Cognitive
behavior therapy helps many with the disorder. It is a refined
method of panic disorder treatment which seeks to explain
the worst that can happen during an attack, and have them
re-frame the emotions involved. For example if you were stuck
in an elevator, what is the maximum amount of harm you can
actually suffer? You might miss an appointment or be a little
stuffy and uncomfortable due to lack of light and fresh air,
but the situation will certainly pass in time, and actually
poses NO REAL threat to your physical health whatsoever. Re-framing
fears in this way is one popular panic attack treatment, and
tends to have an accumulative positive effect over time.
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 Another
useful type of panic disorder treatment is to help the sufferer
understand the bodily sensations which take place during such
attacks and attempt to recreate many of them in a secure environment
for observation. The therapist may ask the patient to hyperventilate
and move their head sideways in a frenzied pace to re-create
a panic situation. Doing so often makes patients more capable
of understanding the bodily sensations which are a result
of panic attacks, and they begin to notice how they actually
pose no real threat.
The
theory is that the attacks will become less worrying as you
begin to anticipate and fear them less. These types of desensitization
panic attack treatments are sometimes used in conjunction
with medications, though they may also be effective when combined
with talk or group therapy.
Related
Articles:
Anxiety Panic Attacks
Causes of Panic Attacks
Panic Attack Advice
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