Your heart is racing, feeling like it is pounding out of your chest. Your throat feels tight and you are having difficulty breathing. Your stomach rolls with nausea. You find yourself fighting to hold down your lunch. All of this is accompanied by an overwhelming fear. You feel out of control, like death is just around the corner.
This is a panic attack. If you have experienced this, you may be one of the many individuals with panic disorder. Panic disorder is a category of anxiety disorder. Approximately two to three percent of anxiety suffers are affected by this condition. However, up to 30% of patients may experience panic attacks at some point.
Panic disorder is a somewhat misunderstood condition. No one knows exactly why it occurs or what makes some people more susceptible to it. It tends to appear in the teenage years and early adulthood. Statistically, more women are diagnosed with the disorder.
It’s also important to understand that the symptoms won’t always be the same either. They can last only a few minutes or even a half hour. The only way you can figure out whether you’re actually having a panic attack is by looking at the symptoms. Whether it’s chest pain, difficulty breathing, feeling the eventual doom around the corner, and a host of other you’re most likely having one. Then again, they can come out of nowhere.
A good way to control your panic disorder is by avoiding the places that are associated with a panic attack. If the case is more severe, the individual may not want to leave his or her home. Instead, the comfort of familiar surrounding is more comfortable. Keep in mind this doesn’t always resolve the problem, and can create other issues.
Research has found some potential causes of panic disorder. If the person previously had a bad experience, they may relate any symptoms experienced then as a harbinger of bad things to come.
You will find that there are several treatments for panic disorder. Whether or not they’re the right one for you remains to be seen. For instance, if you head to the doctor and they prescribe anti-depressants, they probably won’t work. In fact, they’ve pretty much been proven not to work. Instead it’s more like they freeze your emotion, and come with side effects and possible addiction.
For those that prefer more natural means of treatment, there are some options. Sleep, exercise, diet and relaxation can all play a role in anxiety disorder. According to scientific research, getting eight to ten hours of sleep a night can reduce anxiety by up to 50%. They are also some very good self-help book worth reading.
There are also experts who believe stress is a major player in panic disorder. In order to combat this you have to look at the various stress relievers available. For instance, exercise is a great choice. While it will help your stress levels, it will also help you maintain a healthy body weight, which is important for a proper hormone balance.
Another area to look further into is the use of food. Research has discovered that some foods can increase anxiety. Things like coffee, dairy products, refined sugar, honey, and even maple syrup on those pancakes or waffles. So we recommend keeping a food log and figure it out for yourself.
Relaxation is also key. When you are relaxed, anxiety and fear are diminished. Your nerves are more stable and you are better able to handle situations you may be faced with. Yoga and meditation can help soothe your spirit. Some patients have found aromatherapy helpful in relaxing and keeping stress at bay. Bergamot, chamomile, lavender and ylang ylang are all well-known for their calming properties.
While it may not be possible to completely cure your panic disorder, these treatments can help reduce the severity of it. This will enable you to live a somewhat normal life without the constraints imposed by the disorder.
In the meantime, Julie U. Stevenson has suffered from panic attacks for fourteen years. We recommend checking out at her story by visiting here website: My Anxiety Solution and discover how she was able to rid herself of this burden and get her life back.
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