Your heartbeat is going fast, and at any moment it’s going to come right out of your chest. Your throat is feeling tight, it’s hard to breathe and at any moment you could lose your lunch thanks to the nausea. The overwhelming fear is becoming too much, and at any moment death is around the corner.
Even though it doesn’t always feel this way, this is a panic attack. If you’ve experienced any of this, you may be one of many who have a panic disorder. It’s important to understand that a panic disorder is a category of an anxiety disorder. While the number may seem small, 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are affected by this condition. However, around thirty percent of the patients may experience panic attacks at some point.
The truth is panic disorders are misunderstood. We don’t know how they come about exactly, or even what makes someone like yourself susceptible to them. Then again, we do know it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. Oddly enough, more women are hit with panic disorder than men.
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.
There are ways to control a panic disorder, and one of the best ways is by avoiding the places associated with your attacks. Maybe its small spaces, the mall, or a million other places, but the point is if you can stay away from them you can control your panic disorder a little better.
You will find research out there that there have been findings of potential causes. It only takes one bad experience, and when you keep it inside, the bad things to come is always on your mind.
The good news is there are several treatments for panic disorder. However, it’s important to find the right one for you. One angle is when your doctor prescribes anti-depressants. We definitely don’t recommend going this route, simply because they’ve pretty much been proven not to work. Instead you will end up covering up the real issue. Plus you have to think about the side effects and possible addiction.
Since medication of that nature is out the window, a natural approach might be your best bet. Having the proper rest, exercising, and changing your diet may play a major role in controlling and reducing your anxiety disorder. Heck, just getting 8-10 hours a sleep can reduce anxiety by 50%. You can find some good self-help books on this and other natural benefits online.
Experts will tell you that stress is a major player in panic disorder. So if you’re incurring several stressful situations, you have to look for the most appropriate relievers. Exercise is probably the #1 choice. Plus, even though it helps with stress, it can help you maintain healthy body weight. This will give you a proper hormonal 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 can also be helpful. Whenever you are relaxed, anxiety and fear seem to diminish. It allows the nerves to become more stable, which in turn helps for those stressful situations and times. So you may want to try something like Yoga and meditation. Then of course there is aromatherapy, which helps you relax and keep the stress at bay.
Granted, it’s possible this won’t cure your panic disorder. However, it can reduce and control your panic attacks. The idea is to have as much of a normal life as you can.
In the meantime, Julie U. Stevenson has suffered from panic attacks for fourteen years. We recommend taking a look at her story by visiting here website: Panic Attacks and find out how she was able to rid herself of this burden and get her life back.
