Anxiety Attack Treatment

Although anxiety attacks can be frightening to the sufferer, the good news is that such episodes are almost always harmless. In most cases, attacks rarely last for more than 30 minutes, with peak of intensity within the first 10 minutes. What makes such attacks dangerous is when they become chronic and begin to affect the overall health and well being of a person to the extent that his or her normal lifestyle is disrupted.

There are several treatments for anxiety disorders which have proved to be very effective in stopping panic attacks.

Some of the more common methods include:

Breathing technique – is one of the most effective ways to control anxiety attacks. Correct breathing helps to slow down the heartbeat and helps soothe the tensed muscles as a result of the attack. Breathing also diverts the mind’s attention away from the "trigger" and calms the self, thus, stopping the attack more rapidly. Furthermore, proper breathing techniques are not difficult to learn and master. 

Self-hypnosis – is a great tool to alter your thought process as well as your body’s reaction to those fearful thoughts. During an anxiety attack, lay down on your back or in any comfortable position and try to process your thoughts. Identify the origin of such fearful thoughts. Know if it is real. If you concentrate enough in finding the origins of your thoughts, you will soon realize that they are really not a valid reason for excessive fear. It may sound simple, and it is. Psychiatrists now recommend self-hypnosis as a treatment for anxiety attacks and other anxiety disorders. (Hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used together by your therapist to stop symptoms of anxiety attacks.)

Meditation – has long been credited to relieve stress and anxiety as it promotes the release of negative energy from the body, relaxes tensed muscles, and calms the mind, which in turn, effectively reduces irrational fear and apprehension. Meditation may not be for all because of the time required to master the technique, however, with proper guidance of an expert or a little bit of patience and dedication, you can reap its benefits.

Herbs – (such as chamomile, passion flower, lavender, and ginkgo biloba) are very effective long-term natural anxiety disorders treatment. Since they are all natural, they posses no side effects. They may not be as aggressive as prescription drugs but they work just as effective.

Prescription medicines – are a major help in stopping the symptoms of anxiety and episodes of anxiety attacks. Antidepressants are the most common anxiety treatment. They must be taken continuously, which may take as long as six weeks before noticing the effects. Beta-blockers are a type of drugs that prevent symptoms from recurring. SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors boost the level of serotonin in the brain which regulates and normalizes emotions.

Therapies – are a very important natural anxiety treatment. These target the psychological aspect of anxiety. CBT or the cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to alter the way of thinking – converting negative thoughts into positive ones. Techniques used in CBT include role-playing and relaxation technique. Exposure therapy exposes the person to the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposure to this form of social anxiety treatment, patients gain greater self control and more confidence in facing fearful situation.

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Anxiety attacks are unhealthy to the overall well-being of a person. It can affect a person’s quality of lifestyle. When experiencing an anxiety attack, a person often thinks, reacts, and behaves abnormally. This happens because the chemicals in the body tip their balance, hence worsening the effects of anxiety even further. As a result, the person feels physical pain, experiences irrational fear, and demonstrates exaggerated reactions.

His social life may suffer including his relationship to his friends, relatives, family, and even to him/herself. If the condition is not addressed and properly treated, the person may think that his life is worthless. In very extreme cases, he may even experience suicidal thoughts. Thus, on the onset of anxiety, treatment is necessary. Here are some of the possible natural treatments for anxiety attacks:

Meditation and relaxation techniques – These are proven effective methods in dealing with anxiety attacks. Through these methods, which include breathing techniques, the mind will be able to control the body. Meditation and relaxation techniques can be used during an anxiety attack to slow down the heartbeat, control breathing, and divert the mind away from the cause of anxiety attack. Although these methods require practice, once you learn the proper techniques, they are very effective.

Diet – The food we eat plays a very large role in our overall health, including our mental health. A well-balanced diet and healthy eating promotes a healthy brain and a healthy body. It is advised to prefer natural or organic foods rather than processed foods or those with preservatives and chemicals. If the cause of anxiety attack is weight problem, adapting a diet that helps you reduce weight can solve the problem.

Exercise – Aside from diet, another important factor that helps promote a healthy well-being is exercise. Studies suggest that as little as 30 minutes of exercise, 3 to 5 times a week can have great effects to the body as well as the mind.

Herbal Anxiety Remedies – St. John Wort, Hyperforin, 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), Melissa officinalis, Ginkgo Biloba, passionflower, valerian, scullcap, California poppy, hops and lavender are used as an alternative to prescription drugs to treat anxiety. Natural herbs can be made as tea, but some of these are already available over-the-counter as powder, liquid, capsule, oil, tincture, tablets and tea. 

Pray – If you believe in the power of prayer, pray. Many studies show that prayer is an effective way to relieve stress and anxiety as prayers have soothing and calming effect both on the body and on the mind.

Laugh – Laughter still holds the title as the best medicine. This is because when you laugh, your body releases endorphins or "happy chemicals" that help you to feel good and happier – the natural anxiety treatment which leaves you with a smile on your face!

Identify where anxiety is coming from – Sometimes, panic attacks happen for no apparent reason. But that doesn’t mean that there is really no reason. After all something cannot happen out of nothing. Thus, if you experience an episode of anxiety attack, there must be a trigger (it might be directly linked to the attack or it might come from something else, totally apart from the event).

Once you identify the cause of the attack (which is as important as recognizing that you are having one), it is easy deal with it directly and process your condition using the methods of natural anxiety relief discussed above or through medication and therapy.

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A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear and anxiety, usually without any clear reason and without warning. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, health and status. Many attacks are a one-time occurrence, but some people experience recurring episodes. Recurring episodes are often caused by a "trigger" – like speaking in front of a crowd or doing a presentation at work. Panic attacks may be a part of another disorder such as depression, panic disorder, or social phobia. These, however, are generally harmless, but sufferers still feel that their life is in danger. Either way, panic attacks are treatable.

Anxiety Disorders Symptoms

A panic attack can happen anytime, but it usually happens when you are away from home. You may be at a store shopping, at work preparing for a presentation, in a class, driving, walking down the street or even during asleep.

The signs and symptoms develop quickly and usually arrive at its peak in 10 minutes. The majority of panic attacks do not last for more than 30 minutes and it rarely lasts for more than an hour.

A person during an attack shows these signs and symptoms:

• Increased heartbeat or palpitation
• Chest pain
• Hyperventilation or shortness of breath
• Stomach churning, upset stomach
• Trembling and shaking
• Muscle tension
• Sweating
• Dizziness and light-headedness
• Hot or cold flashes
• Tingling sensation or numbness
• Fear of dying, going crazy or losing control
• Feeling detached from the surroundings

Panic Disorder

A panic attack may happen just once without any problem or complication. And there is almost no reason to be concerned if you have one or two episodes. But those who have experienced several episodes usually develop panic disorder.

Recurring panic attacks along with persistent anxiety for future attacks and major changes in behavior can be considered as panic disorder. There are two symptoms of panic disorder: (1) phobic avoidance and (2) anticipatory anxiety.

Phobic avoidance – When you begin to avoid certain things or situations based on the belief that it would trigger another attack. It can also be avoiding situations that have caused the previous attack. You may also avoid places or situations where escape is difficult and help is unavailable, like riding an elevator or an airplane. Extreme case of phobic avoidance may lead to agoraphobia.

Anticipatory anxiety – The "fear of fear" or the fear of having future panic attacks. The person manifesting this symptom is usually tensed and anxious. When ignored, the condition can be disabling.

Panic disorder with agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is traditionally believed as fear of open places or public places, thus, it literally means "fear of the marketplace." However, now it is believed that agoraphobia is fear of experiencing panic attack in a place where help is difficult or where escape would be difficult.

People with agoraphobia tend to avoid the following situations or activities:

• Being away from home

• Driving

• Confined places where there is a possibility of being trapped (elevator, theaters, public transportation, stores)

• Going out with "unsafe" person or someone he or she is not comfortable being with.

• Places where it would be embarrassing to have a panic attack like parties and other social gatherings.

In severe cases, people with agoraphobia see their home as the only safe place.

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