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Panic attacks are a common mental health problem that often starts in teenage or early adulthood. Additionally, women are at greater risk of panic attacks compared to men. Although the reason behind this is not lucid, a genetic link might be responsible for it.
Learn all about this disorder, its types, causes, symptoms and treatments in this article.
A panic attack is usually referred to as sudden episodes of fear, triggering a physical reaction without any reason. These episodes can be dangerous, and they might lead to losing control, with a risk of a heart attack. Although most individuals generally witness two panic attacks during their lifetime, they might be brief and usually abate as the stressful situation wards off.
If you are experiencing unexpected or repeated panic attacks, then you might have panic disorder. It creates an overwhelming fear without a specific cause. Also, if you have panic disorder, you might fear the next time you will experience it.
Furthermore, medically, it is a complex mental health condition involving feelings of apprehension and anxiety. Additionally, it is also classified as an anxiety disorder with some specific sets of diagnostic criteria.
The types of panic attacks can be differentiated depending on their duration and intensity. Additionally, they can also be differentiated by the cause behind those attacks.
Panic attacks usually have multiple variations, and their symptoms generally peak within minutes. Nevertheless, a few of the common symptoms of a panic attack include the following –
A panic attack usually abates in 5 to 10 minutes, but in a few instances, it might stay for hours. Additionally, these attacks also depend on the severity of the condition. Hence, some people experience it only once or twice a month, while others might experience it several times a week. So, be aware of these symptoms to detect a panic attack before it hits you.
Although the causes of panic disorder are not straightforward, it is believed that it has something to do with the sensitivity of responding to fear. There is also a link between phobias and panic attacks, so this might be another reason. Another study shows that in adults, CO2 hypersensitivity is also linked with panic attacks, which tricks your brain into believing that you are suffocating.
Apart from this, a few other causes behind it include –
A panic attack might also start after –
A few medical experts also believe that there are solid relationship between panic attacks and –
Lastly, if you are above 40 and experiencing panic disorders, you might also be suffering from anxiety. So, to diagnose the actual cause, you should talk to your doctor as soon as you start experiencing the panic disorder.
Panic disorder is severely associated with serious health problems such as thyroid diseases, heart diseases, and other problems. Hence, your health care prescribes several tests for the diagnosis of panic disorder.
Apart from a physical examination, you may also have to go through -
Panic disorders are also mostly associated with panic attacks and other mental health disorders, and these are also used for diagnosis. Also, they are often related to other mood disorders such as –
In general, medications, psychotherapy or a combination of both is an effective treatment for panic attacks. However, it is essential to remember that the treatment method will depend on the severity of the situation. Regardless, a few treatment options include the following –
A few antidepressants can make panic disorder less severe and less frequent. So, your doctor might prescribe tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These SSRIs include paroxetine (Paxil) and fluoxetine (Prozac). On the other hand, SNRIs include venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta), while the TCAs include doxepin (Sinequan) and amitriptyline (Elavil).
Another essential treatment method for panic disorder is psychotherapy, and one of the most widely used is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). In this type, you will discuss your emotions and thoughts with a mental health professional, licensed psychologist, or counsellor. A medical expert will then try to diagnose your panic attack triggers by diagnosing your behaviour, thinking and reactions.
In the case of anti-anxiety medication, Benzodiazepines are the most commonly prescribed medication. This helps treat anxiety and reduces the risks of addiction or dependence. A few of the medications primarily include alprazolam and lorazepam.
Regardless, before consuming medications, it is advised to take medical advice or consultation.
If you are experiencing panic attacks, seek immediate help. Although panic attacks might be uncomfortable, these are not fatal in most cases. But, it is essential to remember that it is very difficult to manage panic attacks of your own, and the condition might deteriorate if you don’t seek medical help.
Besides this, you should call your doctor if you experience –
The most efficient way to manage panic disorder is by seeking medical help. This will help reduce most symptoms and halt the emergence of new symptoms. Apart from this professional medical help, you can also try a few things to prevent panic attacks in future –
Besides this, you can also join support groups if these are available within your reach. This will help you meet people with the same condition, and you can put in extra work to recover.
Panic disorder is treatable, and most patients make it to full recovery. But, without medical help, panic disorder can get worse, and you might find performing daily tasks difficult. For instance, you might find yourself uncomfortable in social conditions and experience a false fear of getting trapped, which is hard to escape.
Additionally, you might also develop a risk of developing other mental health conditions such as agoraphobia or a drug or alcohol problem.
Regardless of the symptoms and severity, seeking treatment as soon as possible is essential. This is also true for teenagers, as panic attacks at an early age can hamper their learning and development.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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