Causes and Treatments of Common Panic Disorders

You are going about your normal life, when suddenly your heart starts racing, you become flushed and sweaty, and you feel as though you might faint. You have chest pain and abdominal cramping. What is this? Are you having a heart attack? What has caused this to happen? While only a doctor can determine whether or not you are experiencing a serious condition, such as a heart attack, these are all symptoms of panic attacks. Those with panic disorders understand this scenario all too well. For those who suffer from these debilitating attacks, here is some important information to help you manage your condition and learn to prevent panic attacks before they happen.

Understanding Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can happen to anyone, and they rarely have any warning. They can come on with no apparent cause, and they typically reach a peak after about 10 minutes. The entire attack generally lasts for about 30 minutes, but they can last longer. The individual who is having the attack will often feel quite tired when it is over.

While anyone can have one or two panic attacks, many people suffer from them over and over again. This is known as a panic disorder. Because of the debilitating nature of panic attacks, people with panic disorders often have trouble holding a job or leading a normal life.

What Causes Panic Attacks?

The causes of panic attacks are still unknown. Research is being done into possible causes. Some researchers speculate that genetics as well as stress play a role, while others feel that it might be a disorder that stems from somewhere in the brain. A panic attack tends to resemble the body's fight-or-flight reaction in a dangerous situation, but research has not yet determined why some people have this reaction in perfectly safe situations. While we do not yet know what the causes of panic attacks are, some risk factors have been identified.

A family history of panic disorders does seem to indicate that a person is more likely to have a panic attack at some point. People who are under tremendous amounts of stress are also more prone to the condition. Changes in people's lives can bring on panic attacks, which is part of the reason why many women can be pregnant with panic attacks that suddenly appear. Having a baby is a big change in someone's life, and it can bring on the condition. Abuse in an individual's past, particularly in childhood, appears to bring on panic attacks in adulthood.

What to Do When Experiencing a Panic Attack

Because panic attacks resemble serious physical conditions, such as heart attacks, you should seek medical attention when it occurs the very first time, just to make sure that it is not something else. Of course, if you have a panic disorder, you likely know when you are experiencing an attack. However, you should have a trusted friend around when it happens to help you manage the symptoms.

When you visit a doctor because of problems with panic disorders, you will be thoroughly examined to determine if there is an underlying cause for your problems. You will also likely go through several tests, such as blood tests and thyroid tests. If there is no physical cause for the symptoms you are experiencing, you will probably undergo a psychological evaluation to determine if there is a psychological cause.

How to Prevent Panic Attacks

If there is no underlying physical or psychological cause for your condition, your doctor will focus on finding ways to prevent panic attacks from occurring. Treatment for panic attacks is highly effective, so you should talk to your doctor if you have them frequently. Most people can go back to their normal lives with treatment to help prevent panic attacks.

Medication is usually the first course of treatment for those with panic disorders. This can complicate things for women who are pregnant with panic attacks, as many of the medications are not yet tested for safety during pregnancy. Antidepressants and sedatives can both help reduce the symptoms of panic attacks. Be patient, however, because it can take some time to find the right combination of medication that will keep the attacks at bay.

Some people with panic disorders also benefit from counseling with a psychotherapist. This can be particularly true for those who have attacks because of some past trauma, such as abuse during childhood. Counseling will teach you how to change the thinking patterns that can cause you to have an attack. You will also learn how to use breathing and relaxation techniques to cope with panic attacks when they come. Remember, going to therapy for your panic disorder does not mean you are crazy or insane. You simply have a mental and physical condition that needs the help of a professional, and counseling can be highly successful in helping you to prevent panic attacks and resume your normal lifestyle.