We are taught that which does not kill us makes us stronger, but is that always the case? With out acknowledgement and treatment, panic attacks can lead to serious disorders and phobias as well as seriously compromise to ones life. Once you suffer a panic attack you want to do all possible to prevent another one from occurring. So you may avoid situations that in any way resemble the one you were in while the panic attack happened. This situational avoidance in very common in panic attacks sufferers especially with ones already experiencing the more severe from or panic disorder, which is basically long term, frequent panic attacks.
As an example, someone may have a panic attack while driving and begin to avoid driving, prolonged fear and avoidance of driving may result in an actual phobia of doing it. This can be said for many, many things that a panic attack sufferer may see as a cause of panic attacks and eventually their quality of life will greatly diminish. In the worst case scenario of phobias people develop full blown agoraphobia, a fear of going outdoors or leaving home all together. They develop so many phobias that they believe staying inside is the only option to avoid all situations that may provoke an attack.
Aside from phobias other side effects of panic attacks are: a greater propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol, less time spent on hobbies friendships, more time spent in the emergency room, increased suicidal feelings and even a greater risk of suicide, decreased physical and emotional health, being less financially dependent and having trouble being very far from home. All these problems and many more can be experienced by someone suffering from panic attacks and are especially severe if panic disorder comes into play.
The treatments for these side effects are varied and include medication and therapy along with exercise and changes in habits and thinking processes. The easiest way is to avoid them from ever happening by getting treatment for your panic attacks right away and not waiting for them to progress to states of phobia or terrible depression. Be wary of some medications not carefully prescribed to you by a knowledgeable doctor as they have been known to actually make panic attacks worse or cause other symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms in these medicines are known to be especially harsh.
Try natural calming exercises and natural sleep aids to sleep at night and try deep breathing and anti anxiety to go on through your day and control your panic attack symptoms. If you need to see a therapist do not be ashamed, talking to someone about your problem can help you to overcome it and a therapist can help you with things that have worked with other patients and slowly get you on to the road of healing yourself. Medications if properly prescribed can also work to alleviate those symptoms, so you do not get to the point of phobias or further disorders.
The main panic attack symptoms are an overwhelming sense of fear or anxiety, along with physical reactions such as shortness of breath and hyperventilating. These symptoms can come on suddenly and often out of nowhere. They tend to peak in intensity in around 10 minutes of when they started and although many symptoms will fade away within 30 minutes, it may take up to an hour for all the symptoms to alleviate completely. It is also very possible that one could have what resembles a continuous attack, but is usually one panic attack after another in waves for an elongated period of time. Many of these panic attack symptoms especially the rapid heartbeat combined with the shortness of breath lead people to an emergency room each and every day thinking they are suffering from a heart attack.
Although in most cases a panic attack is nothing to worry about physically, it can take a toll on you in a lot of other ways such as emotionally. If you are experiencing things like a sense of dread or fear or death along with rapid breathing or hyperventilation, it may even feel like you are begin smothered. As well as lightheadedness, racing heartbeat and thoughts, chest pain, sweating, dizziness, trembling or shaking, a choking feeling, nausea, numbness over your body, chills and or hot flashes, or feelings of detachment or unreality you are having panic attacks. You need to seek some type of help for these attacks whether it is an over the counter herbal calming supplement or a doctor’s visit is up to you, but the symptoms rarely get better with no sort of help.
A doctor’s visit may be a good idea though as some panic attacks can be associated a variety of medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism or even some medications such as ones you may be taking for a heart condition. Panic attacks can also come on however, for no rhyme or reason and be triggered by things as simple as a large crowd or busy restaurant or stadium. Sometimes this leads to people with panic attacks avoiding those certain places or situations that they fear that lead to panic attacks and although this sounds like good advice is can lead to a pattern of avoidance and can develop into agoraphobia.
Also some, but not everyone, who experiences many panic attacks, may develop panic disorder. This disorder involving panic attacks is diagnosed if an individual has at least two unprovoked panic attacks a week. And also have fear or worry of more panic attacks on a daily basis and start to fear and avoid situations that may trigger one. It is basically a long term case of chronic panic attacks and all that goes with them. Other anxiety related and even physical conditions can eventually develop if the escalating panic attacks are not somehow lessened and people can loose friends and loved ones to this disorder. So seek treatment for your panic attacks and try deep breathing to help control them.
Natural treatments for panic attacks can save you money and give you a better awareness of your condition. Panic attacks are most often caused by general fear, worry, stress and anxiety as well as depression, so treating those symptoms can help in treating your panic attacks. Although these panic attacks generally last for a very short amount in time they can cause a great deal of irreparable harm to those who suffering from them, over time they can even cause issues with a person’s mental and physical well being. At the time of the attack many do not realize they are suffering from a panic attack and may end up in the emergency room with a large bill on their hands.
There are many traditional treatments for panic attacks such as medication and therapy by a psychiatrist, therapist, consular or psychologist. These treatments may work fine for some but others may wish to find a more natural way to control there panic attack symptoms. Things overlooked like physical exercise and eating and sleeping well can all help to alleviate some issues associated with panic attacks, but they are usually not enough on their own to seriously help or cure panic attacks.
To avoid severe problems and panic attacks worsening one must look into things like natural therapies and supplements. Passiflora is a natural tranquilizer that is most commonly used to treat insomnia; the way it can be used to help you is by reducing your anxiety and stress levels. It can be used at night when a lot of people think of stressful thoughts and cannot relax or for the treatment of sudden panic attacks which will calm you and make you better able to continue with your day.
Lavender, who’s official name is Lavandula Augustifolia, can provide a lot of relief to the nervous system and help reduce the frequency of panic attacks. It is a very famous herb used for various purposes from skin care to aromatherapy. It can illicit a calming effect and sooth nerves effected by panic attacks. In fact it is said that just a whiff of pure lavender oil can help prevent a panic attack. Make sure to get you pure lavender oil extract from a high quality herbal store or you may just be getting something lavender smelling that does nothing for you panic attacks.
St. John’s wort is perhaps the world’s most searched and researched herb. It is a potent mood enhancer that has been proven to be extremely effective in treating such ailments as depression. Depression is a main problem associated with panic attacks and treating it can also treat your panic attacks. Medical studies in Britain show St. John’s wort to be a terrific treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders that often are the underlying cause of panic attacks so make sure to try this in your search for natural treatments. These natural cures and many others can be used in treating panic attacks, just Google the web or ask your local herbalist what treatments may possible work for your panic attacks.
