Panic Disorder – Women More Prone to Panic Attacks

It is believed that as many as 30 percent of people who visit their doctor or hospital emergency unit complaining of chest pains, may actually be experiencing anxiety or panic attack symptoms, and not heart attacks or stroke. Once correctly diagnosed,  panic disorders can be treated  using a variety of anxiety medications, or more recently the preferred option, at least initially, is psychotherapy and behavioral or cognitive therapies.

Pounding heart, dizziness and sheer terror for no apparent reason are among the symptoms of a panic attack or anxiety disorder that strikes mostly women.

Three million or more Americans suffer from panic disorder which was recognized as a distinct psychiatric condition 12 years ago. Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said 75 percent of those who suffer from panic disorder do not get the help they need – although a variety of therapies can lift the paralyzing fear for 70 percent to 90 percent of sufferers.

Panic disorder, which usually surfaces during teen-age years or early 20s, affects twice as many women as men. An attack may last only seconds or minutes, but leaves a victim unsteady for some time afterward.

Fear of Anticipation

Frequently, the anticipation of having subsequent attacks is more frightening than an attack itself.

Panic disorder is diagnosed when either an unprovoked episode of at least four of the following symptoms occurs within one month, or when one such attack is followed by persistent fear of having another:

• Intense terror
• Sweating
• Numbness or tingling, especially in the hands or feet
• Hot or cold flashes
• Shortness of breath
• Faintness
• Heart palpitations
• Trembling
• Chest discomfort
• Feelings of unreality
• Nausea
• Choking or smothering sensations
• Fear of losing control, going crazy or dying

Sufferers may be overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom and a feeling of unreality. They often think they are having a stroke, heart attack or that they’re losing their mind, as the chest pains they are experiencing can also be a symptom of a panic attack. Some manage to function. Others are forced to give up their jobs and relationships. Many treat their condition with alcohol or illicit drugs. As many as 20 percent of these people may attempt suicide, according to Myrna Weissman, professor of epidemiology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City.

A substantial number of panic disorder sufferers develop agoraphobia, avoiding situations where they imagine an attack might occur or where help or escape would be difficult. Agoraphobics may be unable to eat in restaurants, travel in cars or planes, cross wide streets or shop in supermarkets. Some may not venture outside their homes.

The exact cause of panic disorder is unclear, but researchers believe the unpredictable attacks are prompted by a biochemical abnormality. Often the first attacks are triggered by physical or emotional stress involving loss or separation

Two parallel tracks in  treating panic disorder  have evolved over the last 12 years – medication and behavioural or cognitive therapies. Increasingly experts acknowledge that patients frequently need a combination of drugs and psychotherapy.

There is no one best approach for all patients. Treatment most be tailored to the individual. Some therapists are now trying a new behavioural technique called  panic control treatment , in which the physical sensations of fear are aroused in the therapist’s office after a sufferer is taught coping stills.

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For more information about anxiety and panic disorder visit
ConquerYourAnxiety.org.

 By Mike Spencer
Published: 7/11/2007

Help for  Dealing with Anxiety Panic Attacks !

We all know that anxiety is a condition we cause. It only lingers when we don’t understand it or know how to reverse it. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder. And when we say panic attacks these are sudden surges of overwhelming fear that that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than having anxiety or the feeling of being ‘stressed out’ that most people experience.

If you want to know on how anxiety panic attacks works you can ask anyone who has ever suffered from these kind of disorder on how horrible they feels. Yeah, I know that many of us have probably had one and just didn’t know what it was. According to statistics by www.anxietypanic.com, one out of every seventy-five people worldwide will experience anxiety panic attacks once in their lives. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but when anxiety becomes excessive, even routine situations become dreaded. And here are some common symptoms of a panic attack, such as palpitations, hyperventilation, dizziness, chest pain, headache, tingling of the hands or arms, feeling sweaty or nauseous.

We should understand that these feelings of impending doom are not easy to get rid of once they start, especially when you’re sitting in a room full of people, or when you’re in the middle of Wal-Mart screaming silently in your head. Depersonalization and derealization can also occur with panic, like you are living in a dream, feeling that you are not really a part of what is going on around you, that you’re detached and looking from the outside in. As symptoms continue and intensify, avoidance behavior develops which can produce agoraphobia, causing the sufferer to restrict social interaction and retreat to safety until total withdrawal occurs. It’s important for people with anxiety panic attacks to learn all they can and be knowledgeable about the illness and the available treatments. There are many theories about what causes anxiety and panic disorder; is it biological, psychological or psycho dynamic, that is, is the disorder caused by a past experience or trauma?

Well, heres some sort of information I want to share it with you. According to my mother she used to call fear anxiety and depression the unholy Trinity. Although she was being melodramatic when she said it, it held a lot of truth for her. She always had some of the symptoms of anxiety attacks whenever things got tough for her. There are certain things she was phobic of and, no matter how much she did try to treat them, they never quite went away. Her fear anxiety symptoms, I am sorry to say, lasted from her childhood until the day of her death.

As for me, as a parents I want to raised my own kids, I vowed that nothing would give my children anxiety attacks. Sadly, there is only so much you can do as a parent. I don’t know what it is, but my youngest ended up having the same symptoms as my mother – fear anxiety and depression. There is only so much you can do as a parent to prevent certain conditions. What I really had to do was to get the kid treatment.

She got some relief from traditional methods. I didn’t want her to get drugs, but the doctor convinced me that anti anxiety medications would be very helpful to get the symptoms under control. Sure enough, once they were prescribed for her, she stopped having panic attacks. Then we got to the root cause of the fear anxiety. That required a lot of therapy. She went to a psychiatrist several times a week. That cost a lot of money, but it really helped her. Besides that, she started going to a children’s anxiety support group. In the long run, it worked wonders. Now she is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted kid. I am glad I stuck with her through all of it.

To all parents out there, if you have kid who suffers from fear anxiety, don’t waste time blaming yourself. It doesn’t so much matter who is at fault as what you can do to stop it. People now understand that fear anxiety is an extremely complicated thing. There is a genetic component, an emotional component, and a social component to it. Sorting it out can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. When you see your kids finally  live panic free , you’ll know what it is to be a happy parent..

However even  anxiety disorder recovery  is attainable, there aren’t any "quick fix," "miracle cures," or "secret remedies" for it. Anxiety recovery requires accessing the right information, help, and support, then applying the right tools to bring about lasting success. Anyone can do it when they know how and have the proper support. But, lasting results can be attained. We know what it takes to return to lasting normal health because we’ve done it ourselves.

In fact the most commonly used  treatments for anxiety, panic attacks , and phobias is a combination of medication and psychotherapy, including cognitive therapy to change negative thought processes and behavioral therapy to change daily habits. There are also drug-free therapies to induce relaxation, release tension, lower blood pressure, slow heart rate and breathing, in addition to meditation, hypnotherapy to overcome specific phobias, and other alternative therapies. For the most recent research and more about anxiety panic attacks and related topics, go online to National Panic & Anxiety Disorder News at www.npadnews.com. Information is updated regularly about new conventional and alternative treatments for anxiety disorders. If you feel like you have, or could be developing anxiety panic attacks, go online and take a self-screening test at one of many informative sites to see if your symptoms indicate an anxiety disorder.

Stress Management Resources

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Cutting Edge Information

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Article By crizza reyes  Published: 4/7/2008

 Panic Attacks Self Help

Finding out what triggers your  panic and anxiety attacks  tends to make staying out of these situations a little easier.

One of the worse feelings in the world is when you are having a panic or anxiety attack. These can be very overwhelming sometimes and very disruptive for your life. These attacks make a person feel like something horrible is about to happen. They have pain in the chest area and many times have difficulty breathing. For people that experience these attacks regular, it makes it hard to even leave home for dread of having one while out in public. If left untreated these attacks can just keep getting worse, but there are several simple  help for anxiety and panic attacks  methods available, if you are willing to take some time for yourself.

One of the first things that you need to learn is how to relax. Being nervous stressed out and in a rush can bring on a panic or anxiety attack. To help avoid these you need to learn ways to relax and practice breathing techniques. Using these methods during an attack will lessen the severity of them. Leaning ways to keep reminding yourself that everything will be fine while having an attack, will be a great help as well. Simple  help for anxiety and panic attacks  are easy to use and they really do work if you give them a chance.

Certain places can be a trigger for anxiety and panic attacks. It could be anywhere but usually it’s a place that makes you feel uncomfortable with large crowds such as shopping malls or amusement parks. Staying away from any place that you know triggers an attack is very important until you get them under control. Lowering the amount of caffeine and sugar that goes into you body will also help for anxiety and panic attacks. Foods that raise your blood sugar and adrenaline can speed up your heart rate and bring on an attack. Once you slow down on these foods you will see a big difference in the way that you feel.

Self help for anxiety and panic attacks includes making time for you. Look around and find a hobby that you really enjoy. Set aside specific times to engage in this hobby. Take long walks or find some other activity that you really enjoy to help you get your mind off the attacks. One last thing that you can do to help reduce the attacks is learn as much as you can about them. Keep up with what triggers attacks for you and pay attention to the way you feel during them. Learn how to control your feeling and it will make a big difference in the way you feel. Anxiety and panic attacks don’t have to control your life,  you can control them .

Treatment for Panic
As I said earlier, the therapy is meant to help you and the therapist to uncover how your panic symptoms occurred as well as their meaning.

Panic Attacks are Crazy
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Discover proven anxiety and panic attack self help tips here.

By Chelsea Aubin
Published: 5/30/2007