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Panic Disorder Symptoms, Causes And Treatments - Discover How To Stop Panic Attacks
You're heart starts pounding. You feel dizzy, can't breathe and you feel sick to your stomach. There is an overwhelming feeling of fear and impending doom...you feel as though you're about to drop dead! This is a panic attack and left untreated panic attacks can lead to a panic disorder and indeed many other problems. However, panic can definitely be treated and you can soon reduce or completely eliminate your panic disorder symptoms.
Why Do We Suffer From Panic Attacks?
In the majority of cases you cannot foretell the signs of a panic attack. They seem to strike you down out of the blue. A panic attack can often hit you in the most unlikely of situations. Perhaps you are perfectly relaxed at home or even asleep!
You may experience a panic attack once or twice in your life, but many people the world over experience repeated episodes of panic attacks. Usually if panic attacks are sporadic but frequent, they are often triggered when you are faced with a certain situation. Maybe when you are about to board a plane or cross a bridge or even about to give a speech in public. A panic attack may be induced in a situation where you feel endangered, not in control or are unable to escape.
Panic attacks can also be part of another disorder. Maybe you suffer from depression, panic disorder or any type of social phobia. Regardless of why you experience panic attacks, you must be reassured by the fact that panic attacks and panic disorder symptoms can be treated.
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What Are The Signs Of a Panic Attack?
The most
likely time for a panic attack to strike is when you are away from home
in an "unsafe" environment. Perhaps you are waiting in the queue at the
supermarket, just walking down the street, in the office or driving
your car. A panic attack will literally come out of nowhere, but it
will reach it's absolute peak within 5-10 minutes. In most cases a
panic attack will subside within 20-30 minutes. These are the signs you
should look out for:-
- A racing heart and palpitations
- Chest pains
- Hyperventilating and a general shortness of breath
- Shaking and trembling all over
- Profuse sweating
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- A numbness and tingling sensation
- An overwhelming fear that you are about to die
What are the main Panic Disorder Symptoms?
-
One of the main panic disorder symptoms is when you experience regular
and unexpected panic attacks that cannot be tied to any specific
circumstances or situation
- You find yourself constantly worrying about having another panic attack
-
You find your behaviour has completely changed because of previous
panic attacks. You tend to avoid places and situations where you have
previously suffered panic attacks
These panic disorder symptoms,
and expecially the last one, can lead to agoraphobia. If you are
suffering from agoraphobia you may find yourself altogether avoiding
situations where you believe you are going to have a panic attack. This
may involve:-
- Never being too far away from home
- Never going anywhere unless you are accompanied by someone whom your feel safe around
- Not driving
- Not exerting yourself physically for fear of having another panic attack
- Never visiting public places that are difficult to escape from, e.g. the cinema, public transport, the local store, etc.
Treatments to Stop And Overcome Panic Attacks And Panic Disorder Symptoms
You may be able to stop panic attacks in their tracks through medication, however in order to stop panic attacks for good you will need to undergo some mental and behavioural therapy. Certain therapy to stop and overcome panic attacks may involve focusing on your actual thinking patterns when suffering from a panic attack. Another way to stop panic attacks is to face your fears in a controlled environment.
One method i have seen is making a sufferer bring on hyperventilation (in a safe environment) and then having a doctor or therapist talk them through the stages of calming themselves down.
One of the most important points about panic attacks and panic disorder symptoms is to understand - you will NOT die from a panic attack!
There is plenty of help for you to stop and overcome panic attacks. Some of the best methods i have come across include certain techniques and exercises that stimulate the brain to help you relax as much as possible in the event of a panic attack.
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