When you suffer from panic attacks you just don’t know when the next attack is going to hit and this in itself can cause great distress.  Many sufferers find it so difficult to go out in public out of fear of having an attack and so many are confined to their homes.

You might find yourself living in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety.  You fear having an attack and that fear is enough to bring on an attack.  Then there is also the feeling of embarrassment when you have an attack in public, plus the embarrassment and feeling of hopelessness of suffering from this disorder.

Your life becomes full of fear, anxiety, negativity and it just seems so incredibly hard to pull yourself out of this despair.

Many panic disorder sufferers think poorly of themselves, they might think that they are useless and that there is something very wrong with them to be having such attacks.

This isn’t the case, panic disorder is an illness and it can affect anyone.  Sure your lifestyle and the way you think and behave can contribute to this disorder, but that doesn’t mean that you are in anyway deserving of it.

When you continue in a downward spiral of fear and negative thoughts, you can begin to feel that there is no hope and that you will never get better.  The more that you feel and think this way the harder it gets, but it isn’t easy to change your thoughts to positive one’s when your life seems so messed up.

One thing that helped me to change my thinking to more positive thoughts was to keep a ‘good thoughts diary’.  I just used a plain note book and at the end of the day before I went to bed, I would write in my notebook and just write about all the positive things that happened during the day.  Many days I didn’t feel like there was anything positive to write about but I started looking for little things, like having a nice home and having healthy children.

By writing down my positive moments it helped to start thinking in a more positive way.  It is possible to change your thought patterns, but you do need to be determined and work hard at it.

I also used a program called Panic Away to help overcome my panic disorder.  This is a program that I could do myself, in the privacy of my own home and didn’t need to talk to anyone about my problem.

Thanks to the Panic Away program, I haven’t had a panic attack in around three years now.

Panic disorder is difficult to live with and nobody deserves to live that way.  You need to make the decision to take action and overcome this disorder and start living your life again.

What just happened?

Was I having a heart attack?

Why did that happen?

What if it happens again?

Some of the symptoms of panic attack can mimic those of a heart attack and so it can be extremely frightening when you experience it for the first time and think that you are actually having a heart attack.

The fealing of dread that is often experienced during a panic attacks adds to that thought of something fateful occuring and that you feel like you are going to die.

So how do you know if you are having a panic attack?

The formidable symptoms of a panic attack come from our body’s built-in ‘flight or fight response system’.

A few workings of a human body’s ‘flight or fight response system’ are:

* Heart beat starts to increase manifold and pump excess of blood into our limbs so that we intend to fight or run;

* The flow of more blood into our limbs which causes less oxygen to reach our brains, makes available less blood to reach the stomach – one immediately feels dizziness and “butterflies” in the stomach;

* Sudden gushing of blood through major muscle groups makes the toes and fingers to have a feeling of tingling sensation;

* The feeling of suffocation in the lungs causes one to breathe faster to get increased amount of oxygen into the blood and the resultant blood rushing through the muscles during flight or fight makes one to feel having hyperventilating;

* Other symptoms are like having sweating, chillness of body, having hot flashes;

It can be hard to distinguish at first whether you are having a heart attack or a panic attack and so it is best to play it safe and seek medical help.  Once a person has suffered from a panic attack or two then they will recognise the symptoms although it doesn’t really make it any less scary.

Even if you are just having a panic attack and not a heart attack, it is still important to seek help so that you don’t develop a full panic disorder.  If you do already have a panic disorder it isn’t too late to seek help and overcome your disorder.

Life should be happy and not filled with fear so take action and seek help today.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OVERCOMING PANIC ATTACKS FOR GOOD

Although medicines can help in controlling your panic attacks, you have to continuously use them to stay away from panic disorders. If you want the best panic disorder treatment then you must first find the panic attacks cause and then move to the next step. Taking deep breaths and resting on a bed are now considered old methods and they just give you a temporary relief. The treatment which can surely work for you is cognitive behavior therapy. This therapy is not at all a long process but it can really eliminate your panic attacks permanently.

Cognitive behavior therapy can be expensive in most of the cases but it is considered the best treatment for panic disorders. Cognitive behavior therapy is a safe and natural treatment to overcome your panic attacks. It can help you to change the way that you think about situations and fears and help you change the way that your body reacts to them.

A big factor in panic disorder is the way that a persons mind reacts to a situation or events.  In some cases there may not be one particular situation but a person may just react at any time.  The mind plays a huge role in this disorder and as such plays a huge role in overcoming this disorder.

Changing the way that you think through cognitive behavior therapy is really the best way to overcome panic disorder permanently.

Click here to learn how you can overcome your panic disorder permanently

The symptoms of panic disorder may come on very quickly without any warning and intensify within minutes.  Symptoms of panic disorder can include:

* pounding and increased pulse rate
* palpitations or irregular heart beat pattern
* chest pain
* breathing difficulties
* feeling of choking
* intense feeling of fear and dread
* shaking or trembling
* excessive sweating
* shivering
* upset stomach
* nausea
* lightheaded
* dry mouth
* feeling of losing control

If you suffer from a panic attack you may not necessarily experience all of these symptoms and the symptoms will vary from person to person.  The severity of panic disorder symptoms may also vary between people and between attacks.

Panic disorder can become quite bad and affect your life in a very negative way to the stage that some people are afraid to leave their house.  If you life is affected to this extent then you really need to seek help straight away.

Nobody deserves to live in fear and the fear of panic attacks is very real and very scary.  It can be cured though so don’t live in fear any longer, seek help and take back your life.

Finding your panic attacks causes will win half the battle for you in overcoming this disorder.

There are a number of different things that can cause panic attack disorder and sometimes it might just occur out of the blue.  Here are a few of the possible causes of this disorder.

Excess Stress – stress is normal and everyone will have some stress in their life, but if your life is going through a time of great stress and emotional issues then this can lead to panic disorder.  A healthy person, both physically and mentally, can usually deal with stress quite well and will be less prone to developing an anxiety or panic disorder.

Anxiety Disorder – as with stress, anxiety is also part of life and everyone will be anxious at some point.  People that are overly anxious all the time are most likely suffering from anxiety disorder.  When a person suffers from anxiety disorder they are very emotionally drained and the constant feeling of anxiety and dread can lead to panic attacks.

Phobias – if a person has a phobia to a certain situation or thing, then that fear can cause a panic attack and if that person continues to have that phobia then there is a good chance that they will continue to suffer panic attacks when faced with that particular situation or thing that they fear.

Diet – a healthy diet is great for most health related issues and mental health issues are no exception.  A good, healthy diet is always going to benefit any disorder as it will give you energy and help you to feel good, reducing stress and anxiety.

Personal Loss – a stressful time in anyone’s life is at the loss of a loved one, whether it is the death of a loved one or just a permanent separation.  This feeling of loss and stress that accompanies it can lead to a negative mental state which can lead to panic disorder.

The good news is that panic attacks are curable and finding the cause is a big step to recovery.  Once you know your panic attacks causes then you can work with that and try to resolve the issue or fears that may be leading to your disorder.

Click here to learn more about overcoming panic attacks

Panic attacks and anxiety are actually two separate issues but can often be related.  It is quite common for a person that suffers from anxiety disorder can go on to develop panic attacks and a panic disorder.

Let’s take a closer look at anxiety disorder vs panic disorder.

Anxiety Disorder

Everyone will suffer from anxiety at some point in their life and this is a perfectly normal reaction to certain situations.  For example, let’s say I have to give a speech in front of 100 people tomorrow, then today I might be feeling anxious about giving that speech.  If I’m not very comfortable with public speaking then this is a situation that could cause me quite a bit of anxiety.  And that’s ok, that is perfectly normal.

However, if you are feeling anxious for no particular reason and you tend to feel anxious all the time, then this is when it becomes a problem.  To have that anxiety on a constant basis for no reason then you are likely suffering from anxiety disorder.  When suffering from anxiety disorder you may find yourself worrying about everything, even things that are probably not even likely to happen.

Panic Disorder

As with anxiety, everyone will also suffer from panic at some point in their life.  Let’s look at an example of panic, I walk out my front door and a huge spider drops down and lands on my top – my reaction:  panic.  I hate spiders and especially big ones so if one is sitting on my top I am sure I would panic (in fact I’ve been in this situation and yes I did panic).

This is perfectly normal if faced with a scary or fearful situation the normal human response is to panic.

Panic disorder however is if you are panicking regularly over situations that really don’t require a panic response.  Panic disorder usually begins with a panic attack and once a person experiences one panic attack then the fear of having another is enough to bring another attack on.  So then you may have recurring attacks and a full panic disorder.  An example of panic disorder could be when a person is too frightened to even walk into a supermarket for fear of having a panic attack while they are in there and often this fear will drive them to have an attack when they are in the supermarket.

Conclusion

Panic attack anxiety disorder is really a mixture of two different disorders – panic disorder and anxiety disorder.  You may suffer from just one of these disorders or perhaps you suffer from both.  The good news is that these disorders can be treated and often quite successfully.  There is no reason to live your life in fear and anxiety, seek treatment and get rid of your disorder and go back to living a happy life.

Click Here to seek treatment for your panic attacks

Panic disorder, on the other hand, is the result of recurring panic attacks followed by significant behavioural changes and continuous fear over other such attacks. Sometimes a single panic attack or repeated panic attacks may emotionally drain a person’s mind leading to panic disorder.

Panic attacks treatment includes medication, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and exposure therapy. However, treatment may be different for each person. Meditation and other relaxation therapies are often used as alternative methods for the relaxation of the body and peace of mind.

• Medication for panic attacks treatment – Benzodiazepines, Klonopin, Xanax and Ativan are some of the anti-anxiety medications used for the treatment. However, they are very addictive and therefore, must be used in very severe cases. Antidepressants, on the other hand, take weeks to work, therefore, must be consumed regularly.

• Cognitive behavioural therapy for panic attacks treatment – It is generally viewed as being effective and realistic. The therapy studies the behaviours, thoughts and feelings of the mind that lead to the panic attacks and tries to bring about a realistic view, thus, reducing the panic.

• Exposure therapy for panic attacks treatment – This therapy involves the patient exposed to a situation where the patient learns how to manage and implement his/her skills in different places, thereby, reducing panic attacks.

Often it is best to combine the therapy treatments with medication as medication on it’s own will not solve the problem.  Combination treatments can be quite successful with many patients.

It is important to be determined to beat your panic disorder as it is only you who can make that decision to overcome your panic attacks and take back control of your life.

For more information on how to overcome panic attacks visit Panic Away

Panic Disorder Symptoms are a result of recurring panic attacks followed by significant behavioural changes and continuous fear over other such attacks. Panic disorder symptoms are usually related to alcoholism, depression and feelings of fear. Sometimes a single panic attack or repeated panic attacks may emotionally drain a person’s mind leading to panic disorder symptoms.

They are:

• Persistent attack – Continual and unpredictable panic attacks
• Tension – Perpetual worry or concern about another attack
• Changes in behaviour – Indifferent or significant behavioural changes such as avoiding places where the person has experienced a previous panic attack
• Physical symptoms - Physical symptoms include tremendous sweating and pounding heart along with nervousness and extreme fear
• Avoiding specific places – People with panic disorder symptoms tend to avoid places where they have experienced a panic attack before because of fear of having another one
• Anticipatory anxiety – Some people expect to have another panic attack and are thus, living in fear
• Agoraphobia – People begin to avoid specific places or areas because of the belief that it may lead to another panic attack or where a previous attack has taken place. Sometimes, the affected persons tend to avoid public gatherings or crowds because of fear.

Cognitive behavioural therapy and medication are used for the treatment of Panic Disorder.

Click here to learn more about how I overcame my Panic Disorder

Panic attacks are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers.

Although these episodes may appear to be random, they are a subset of an evolutionary response commonly referred to as fight or flight that occur out of context. This response floods the body with hormones, particularly epinephrine (adrenaline), that aid it in defending against harm. Experiencing a panic attack is said to be one of the most intensely frightening, upsetting and uncomfortable experiences of a person’s life.

According to the American Psychological Association, the symptoms of a panic attack commonly last approximately thirty minutes. However, panic attacks can be as short as 15 seconds, while sometimes panic attacks may form a cyclic series of episodes, lasting for an extended period, sometimes hours. Often those afflicted will experience significant anticipatory anxiety and limited symptom attacks in between attacks, in situations where attacks have previously occurred.

Panic attacks are commonly linked to agoraphobia and the fear of not being able to escape a bad situation. Many who experience panic attacks feel trapped and unable to free themselves.

The effects of a panic attack vary from person to person. Some, notably first-time sufferers, may call for emergency services. Many who experience a panic attack, mostly for the first time, fear they are having a heart attack or a nervous breakdown.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attack

So there it is – the wikipedia definition of a panic attack.  Of course as stated, attacks will vary from person to person so just because you don’t have one or two symptoms that other people have, doesn’t mean anything.  Different people will experience different symptoms and also the length and severity of each attack will vary from person to person.

The panic response is actually the body’s response of protection.  You naturally go into this response in reaction to a dangerous situation and your body is getting you prepared to take action.  The panic response is perfectly normal and everyone does it.

It is when it happens all the time and at irrational times that it becomes a problem and is then classified as a panic disorder.

To learn more about using techniques to stop your panic attacks visit PanicAway.com

Do you suffer from a panic disorder?  Has your panic disorder reached the stage where it really is interfering with your daily life? Well you are not alone as there are thousands of people worldwide that are struggling to cope with the panic attacks that they face.  Many are so scared of their attacks that they are afraid to leave their home in fear of having an attack in public.

Panic attacks can vary in severity with some having the occasional attack, while others may suffer attacks a few times a week, some even suffer them every single day.

Panic attacks are extremely scary and when you have your first attack you have no idea what is happening to you.  Many people actually think that they are having a heart attack due to the symptom of chest tightness and a racing heartbeat.

Other symptoms you may experience with panic disorder are trouble breathing, shivering, sense of fear, cold hands, dizziness and upset stomach.  If you start to experience these symptoms when you are out in public you will add the fear of people watching you and how you must be embarrassing yourself. This is the reason that people who suffer from attacks quite regularly do not want to leave their house, for fear of embarrassment by having an episode in public.

So what can you do about your disorder?

If you are a panic disorder sufferer you are probably also a negative thinker, or if you weren’t in the past you probably are now.  It is hard to think of anything else but your panic attacks and you end up constantly thinking negatively.  Although it isn’t easy, you do need to change the way that you think to be able to get rid of your panic attacks.

Your thoughts play a very, very big part in your attacks and the more you think about them and fear them, the more you will have.  It is easy to sit and say that you will change your thinking, but it is so much harder to do it.  Even if you take medication, which can help, you will never get rid of the disorder completely without changing your thoughts and behavior.

There is help out there for panic disorder and you can read more about how I learned how to cope with and get rid of my panic attacks at Panic Away ]]> http://panicattackscure.info/panic-disorder-treatment-what-can-you-do-about-your-panic-disorder/feed/ 0