Panic Attacks Disorder

A panic attack is a symptom of an anxiety disorder that has emotional and physical symptoms. Emotional symptoms associated with a panic attack include intense feelings of unreasonable and unexplainable fear. Physical symptoms associated with a panic attack include dizziness, a feeling of choking, feelings of faintness, clammy hands, racing heart, and severe shaking.

Millions of people each year all over the world suffer from panic attacks. The majority of these people are more likely to experience a panic attack because their bodies carry the gene for anxiety disorders. Some statistics show that a person who has a parent who has ever suffered from a panic attack is seven times more likely to also experience a panic attack than the general population.

Scientific research into the reasons for a panic attack show that a large percentage of those who are likely to experience a panic attack carry the gene dubbed DUP25.

Scientists have discovered that this panic attack gene creates proteins that play an important role in the way the nervous system cells communicate with each other. They suspect that this imbalance is what makes the brain so oversensitive that it brings on a panic attack is those that carry the gene.

That said, studies have also shown that not every single person who carries the panic attack gene DUP25 is guaranteed to suffer from a panic attack or any other anxiety disorder.

A panic attack can also be brought on for reasons other then hereditary reasons. A panic attack – or numerous, repeated panic attacks — can be brought on by a traumatic life event or drug misuse. There are statistics that show that eight percent of those who have experienced a panic attack have had one or more because of drug misuse.

Other statistics suggest that those more likely to experience a panic attack are people who suppress their emotions.

Anyone who has ever experienced a panic attack explains that it can happen anytime or anywhere. A panic attack can happen when the person is alone or with others. It can happen at home or in public. A panic attack can even happen when a person is waking up from a sound, restful sleep.

Those most likely to experience a panic attack are women in their young adult years. About half of those who experience panic attacks do so before the age of 24.

People who seek treatment of panic attacks will find relief from them within a few weeks. And although experiencing a panic attack is highly unpleasant, there are no long-term side effects once treatment has been completed and if it is maintained.

Even with treatment, it is still possible for the occasional relapse. This means that it is possible for a person to experience another panic attack or two if he or she is undergoing treatment. But possible relapses can further be reduced by adding stress-relieving activities like yoga to your daily schedule.



By: Amit Mehta

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I just developed panic attacks and i fear that im going to die. I been having them for 3 weeks and about 4 times a day lasting 4-6 hrs everytime. It feels so bad so i want them to go away. Also the deep breathing makes it worse. The panic attacks seem to worsen right before i laydown or as im trying to fall asleep.
Songs seem not to help. Relaxation doesnt seem to work all the time.

By: nvwf_champ101

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Panic attacks is defined as a sudden attack of intense fear and terror along with symptoms of weakness, rapid and irregular heart beat, difficulty in breathing, clamminess and losing the sense of reality.

The first panic attack usually comes out of nowhere. You could be doing something that you do every day like driving, shopping, walking in the park, watching a movie, etc.

The main problem with these attacks is that once you have had one, the fear of having another panic attack will cause it to happen again. Just the fear of having a panic attack is often enough to trigger another one. In fact, most people who have panic attacks think that they are going crazy, have a heart attack, or dieing. In actual fact, they are in perfect physical condition.

In order to control panic attacks and get rid of it forever, you must first learn to accept it. Most panic attack sufferers fear having another panic attack. They run away and hide from it. They try to avoid situation which they think trigger their attacks. Learn to live with the panic attacks but NEVER give in.

The only way to get rid of panic attacks is to confront them. Never run or hide from it. Panic attacks feed on fear and anxiety. The more your afraid of having a panic attack, the harder and faster it will strike. Panic attacks represent the conflict of you being afraid of the way you reacting. If you didn’t feel that way, then you would have no more panic attacks!

Next time, during a panic attack, try to confront it head on. Don’t run, hide or avoid it. Accept that you have panic attack and confront it!

Calm down by reminding yourself that these odds sensations are part of a panic attack. Your NOT having a heart attack. Your NOT dieing.

Panic attack can be stopped and you can recover from it without depending on drugs. Understand that panic attack occur again and again because of your fear of them. Fear act as fuels for panic attack and makes it happen. Take away that fear and panic attack will never happen again!



By: Andrew Lim

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i think i had a panic attack…but i want to make sure it wasnt something else…can anyone give me any information?

By: Rin C

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When somebody uses the term “having a panic attack” in jest, the reaction is usually one of amusement from those in receipt of the comment. The reality is though, over 30 per cent of people will have an episode at some stage of their lives but it’s those who suffer from it on a daily basis, the chronic sufferers, who would find such a comment less than amusing.

You see, for a chronic sufferer, living in fear of an attack has repercussions such as social withdrawal and loss of control and for these people, it’s a daily grind living from one episode to another.

Panic Attack Medication

Medications are available for people suffering from panic disorder. The question is, are these medications just a quick fix solution or do they actually help a sufferer eliminate it from their lives entirely? Medication for panic attack comes in different forms from what are known as Beta blockers to antidepressants.

Beta blockers are a class of drug designed to relieve heavy work load on the heart and control high blood pressure. What has this got to do with panic attack? Well, one of the frightening symptoms is the pounding heart. It’s such a scary experience that those who have experienced it often confuse it with having a heart attack. They are useful in their application but again, treat the symptom rather than the underlying problem.

Depression is a result of constant episodes of panic disorder and antidepressants are effective in treating it. For chronic sufferers, drugs with a tranquilizing effect known as Benzodiazepines also have proven effective in reducing the symptoms.

The above medication has it’s place amongst the list of panic attack treatments however, while patients report being able to control and reduce the incidence of an episode while using them, relapses are possible if the drugs are discontinued while in the case of Benzidiazepines, there’s also a risk of dependency.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Medications are considered a fix for the symptoms of panic disorder however, getting to the cause of the underlying problem is best achieved through counselling. A popular form of counselling is Cognitive-behavioural therapy and it’s aim is to modify certain thoughts and behaviour patterns to control the symptoms.

An example of this type of treatment involves working with a therapist and basically predicting when a panic attack is going to occur. How does this help you? The idea is you will learn of ways to deal or respond to a panic attack which will help eliminate the fear of having another attack. Your therapist will introduce you to effective exercises designed to identify your destructive or fearful thought patterns and alter them.

The process can usually be a long and involved one and eventually, when a patient is confident of controlling their attacks, they are introduced to controlled situations or areas where they have experienced or had cause to experience panic attacks in the past.

Panic Attack Vs. Anxiety Attack?

There is some confusion surrounding the difference between a panic and anxiety attack. The former is will happen without too much warning and has severe symptoms associated with it while anxiety tends to build up and last longer.

Will You Continue To Let Panic Attack Control Your Life?

While the side effects of medication or the stigma attached with counselling may be unacceptable for some, the truth is, doing nothing about chronic panic attack will not improve someone’s chances of being free from it. You need to take the first step and seek professional advice and then steer a course which suits you best in controlling panic attack in your life.



By: Dean Caporella

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