Best Treatments For The Panic Attacks! 

Everything is seemingly fine! Nothing is out of the ordinary then someone makes a comment or a facial expression or anything that might trigger you and in the blink of an eye you can’t breathe. It feels like a heart attack, you’re sweating profusely, your heart is pounding hard enough to climb out of your chest, you feel like you’re going to scream and sob and die all at once, and sometimes you don’t even know why it is happening if you’re sitting on a train or in a classroom or behind your desk at the office. 

An Episode of Intense Fear! These feelings are often known as “panic attacks”. Panic attacks are very real situations where someone has a sudden period of fear or discomfort that something bad is going to happen, and there is some imminent threat or danger.

They are accompanied by physiological symptoms including heart palpitations, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

It is normal to feel the sensations when we are in a real dangerous situation like an animal chasing us or before an important event, including a presentation for school or work. But in case of unexplained and frequent panic attacks, you should consult a psychologist or perhaps visit the cheapest online ketamine clinic.

Prevalence of Panic Attacks in Population: 

It is estimated that the lifetime prevalence of panic attacks affects up to a third of the general population at some point in their lives. Hence, a third of the population at some point in their lives has a panic attack. Now with panic disorder, the lifetime prevalence is

estimated to be about 4.9% of the random population with regard to differences between males and females. It appears that females suffer from panic disorder more than males.

Symptoms of Panic Attacks: 

In order to understand the symptoms of panic attacks, have a look at this quick memory trick:

STUDENTS fear 3Cs

• Sweating
• Trembling
• Unsteadiness
• Depersonalization which is being detached from oneself
• Excessive heart rate
• Nausea
• Tingling sensations
• Shortness of breath

Fear of dying, fear of losing control, or going crazy.  

Chest pain, Chills or Choking.

Treatment Methods for Panic Attack: 

The treatments that are mainly involved in treating panic attacks are given below:

1. Psychosocial Intervention: 

A. Cognitive behavior therapy CBT:  It includes the following major components:

• Psychoeducation 

• Identification of patient’s minor to moderate symptoms. 
• Outline proper planning for effective treatment. 

• A continuous pattern of observing panic attacks and anxiety. 

• Regular anxiety-handling techniques to lessen the physiological reactivity.
  
• Cognitive restructuring 

• Proper identification of distorted thoughts about sensations (e.g.,  catastrophic thinking, overestimation of negative consequences)

• Encourage the patient to look upon the evidence and consider alternative possible options.

2. Pharmacotherapy: 

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors:
• For most patients, SSRIs give the most effective balance of effectiveness versus side effects. 
• The response generally takes at least 5 weeks; for some patients, a complete response takes 7 to 10 weeks. 
• Tricyclic Antidepressants: 
• For all suicidal patients, TCA may be a sub-optimal treatment option. 
• Take initial 100mg/day doses for 5 weeks and maintain this pattern. 
• Increase to the total if no response or inadequate response.
• Wait at least 6 weeks after starting TCA treatment (at least 3 weeks of full dose administration) before determining whether TCA is appropriate for effective functioning. 
• Benzodiazepines:

Benzodiazepines may be highly effective in the following conditions:

• It is essential to control symptoms very quickly (e.g. if the patient drops out of school, loses a job, or requires hospitalization).
• An effective dose of alprazolam may be 1 to 2 mg/day. Although many patients require 5-6 mg/day (in divided doses) 2-4 times a day); Other benzodiazepines are at equal doses. 
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors:

MAOI is a more powerful form of antidepressant that is used to treat depression and panic attacks. These inhibit the action of the monoamine oxidase family of enzymes. 

MAOIs are safe to use if taken according to recommended dosages. There are numerous side effects of using MAOI that can be fatal in overdose.

• Beta-Blockers:

Another form of treatment called beta-blockers can help regulate most of the physical symptoms of panic disorder, including rapid heart beating. Doctors generally do not prescribe beta-blockers for patients with panic disorder, but they can be beneficial in specific conditions preceding a panic attack. 

According to research, “Beta blockers are a viable treatment option for short-term panic attacks, particularly before any stressful event.”

Caution: Beta-blockers are not effective for long-term panic attack treatment.

Concluding Thoughts:

It is a rocky road and things do not always work on their first try. Things can be better if you follow a recommended dosage of treatment options that have been discussed in the article. It is more important that you consult the best psychologist in Lahore for a better diagnosis of your condition and an effective plan of treatment for panic attacks. 

FAQs:

• What are the triggers for panic attacks? 

The major triggers for panic attacks are mainly composed of: longer periods of unnecessary stress, activities that can cause severe physical reactions (for instance exercise, excessive intake of coffee), and physical modifications usually occurred after illness or any external change in environment.

• What is the duration of panic attacks? 

Panic attack varies from person to person. For some people, it usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes. Panic attacks always depend on the severity of the situation. Some patients have reported lasting up to 2 hours.