Anxiety Attacks or Panic Attacks
Anxiety Attacks or Panic Attacks
Most people experience anxiety attacks also know as panic attacks every now and then. Anxiety attacks are incidents of severe panic or fright. It can happen unexpectedly and without any forewarning. For some, anxiety attacks or panic attacks are set off by a palpable cause such as a strong earthquake, a traffic accident or being stuck in an elevator. Subsequent panic attacks could be cause by the thought of another such trigger. Panic attacks normally last only for a few minutes to about half an hour. But during that short period the feeling of fear is so intense that sometimes it promotes nausea, dizziness, stomach upset and even a feeling of totally being out of control. For some, the feeling is akin to having a heart attack. The physical manifestation of a panic attack is so alarming that you dread the thought of it happening again.
Even perfectly healthy and happy people may suffer an anxiety attack once or twice in their lives. It is the recurring anxiety attacks that come out of the blue and is a symptom of a more serious emotional disorder such as an anxiety disorder or even depressions that is rather threatening and require professional help.
There are effective treatments and coping mechanisms for anxiety attacks. What is important is to seek help and seek help fast. The goal of a treatment for anxiety attacks is to help the patient behave or function normally in their day – to- day life. This is achieved with medication and what is known as cognitive behavioral therapy.
Medications are vital components of the treatment for anxiety attacks. Once they are started it should not be stopped abruptly without consulting the doctor or the attending mental health professional. Cognitive behavioral therapies that are components of the treatment help the patients to :
• Understand and control misleading notions of the causes of stress in life
• Learn to identify and substitute anxiety – causing thoughts to decrease the sense of vulnerability
• Learn stress management and ways to relax that are needed when the signs of anxiety crop up
• Learn that minor concerns do not usually become big problems
