CURE ANXIETY AND PANIC DISORD

Panic Attack Medication

If you are on anti–anxiety medication for your panic attacks‚ well done for having gone out and seeking medical advice. Many who experience panic attacks fear that a visit to the doctor will only lead to being told that their condition is much worse than they had imagined. There seems to be too much information out there on panic attack medication that makes one feel guilty and weak‚ simply for using pharmaceuticals to help one through the day.

Medication for panic attacks can be very beneficial if‚ like everything else‚ they are not abused. There are thousands of people who would not be able to hold down a job or regain any sense of a fulfilled life were it not for the medication they have been prescribed with by their doctor. In my mind‚ the danger with medication occurs when the user becomes over–dependent on the panic attack medication‚ when the very thought of forgetting to bring the medication out with you will trigger a panic attack.

Most good medics advise a proper treatment plan‚ ensuring that once the user starts to feel more in control of their panic attacks‚ they will then gradually decrease the dosage. Under no circumstance should such a patient eliminate the use of pharmaceuticals completely without consulting the doctor. When you feel you are making good improvement‚ discuss a reduction of panic attack medication with your doctor.

What are the different kinds of panic attacks medication out there?

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines have shown to be effective in reducing panic attack symptoms in many cases but not in all. It can be taken as a single dose therapy or several times a day for months or years. Side effects include drowsiness‚ decreased mental sharpness‚ slurred speech‚ clumsiness‚ less occupational efficiency‚ sexual side effects‚ low moods‚ irritability‚ agitation and increased susceptibility to the effects of alcohol. Examples of benzodiazepines are Klonopin‚ Valium‚ Serax and Librium.

Tricyclic antidepressants

These drugs are used to treat severe depression or depression with anxiety. Some of these anti–depressants are also used to treat obsessional disorders and panic attacks. Side effects include a dry mouth‚ blurred vision‚ constipation‚ difficulty urinating‚ postural hypotension‚ tachycardia‚ loss of sex drive‚ erective failure‚ sensitivity to sunlight‚ weight gain‚ sedaction‚ sweating‚ jitteriness‚ irritation‚ unusual energy and disturbed sleep patterns. Examples of tricyclic antidepressants are Tofranil‚ Sinequan‚ Anafranil and Effexor.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These are a newer type of anti–depressant introduced into the US in the 1980s beginning with Prozac. They work differently to traditional antidepressants and by assisting the brain in maintaining levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin which is often found to be low in sufferers of depression‚ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety and panic disorders. Side effects include nausea‚ insomnia‚ headaches‚ sexual difficulties and initial agitation. Examples: Prozac‚ Zoloft and Paxil. Beta blockers

Beta blockers have proven to be helpful in controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks‚ particularly social anxiety and are prescribed to control rapid heartbeat‚ shaking‚ trembling and blushing. The side effects are less than other medications but can cause light–headedness‚ drowsiness‚ short–term memory loss‚ decrease in heart rate‚ insomnia‚ diarrhea‚ cold extremities‚ depression and nightmares. Beta Blockers include Atenolol and Propranolol.

Other panic attack medication

Buspar is a mild tranquilizer and has been approved for use for anxiety with mild depression‚ social phobias and OCD. This drug has few side effects‚ headache‚ drowsiness and dizziness can occur in some cases but this usually clears within a few days of use.

When discussing medication‚ it is only right to examine natural or herbal methods‚ which are becoming increasingly popular‚ to lessen the strength and frequency of panic attacks. The argument of using a natural approach is that they tend to be less addictive and have fewer side–effects than conventional medicine. The most effective natural approach I want to mention briefly is Bach herbal remedies.

The late Edward Bach‚ M.D.‚ B.S.‚ M.R.C.S.‚ L.R.C.P.‚ D.P.H. (CAMB.)‚ gave up his practice and research in 1930 to devote his time fully to the finding of the remedies and the perfecting of his method of flower healing. He sought for remedies in the plant world‚ which would restore vitality to the sick and ailing‚ so that the sufferer would be able to overcome their worry‚ their fear‚ or depression‚ and in that manner‚ assist in his own healing.

The remedies used in this method of treatment are all prepared from the flowers of wild plants‚ bushes‚ or trees. None of them are harmful or habit–forming. They are prescribed‚ not directly for the physical complaint‚ but rather according to the sufferer’s state of mind‚ according to his moods of fear‚ worry‚ anger‚ or depression. According to Bach‚ “An inharmonious state of mind will not only hinder the recovery of health and retard convalescence‚ but it is the primary cause of sickness and disease.”

As an example‚ the remedy for terror or extreme fear (rock rose) is given when the patient or those near and dear to him are seized with sheer terror‚ i.e.‚ a panic attack. The nature of the condition‚ or the name of the disease‚ makes no difference. If terror is present‚ then the remedy for terror is the one‚ which the patient (and his family or friends about him) requires.

Along with this‚ a mixture of five Bach flowers‚ aptly named “Rescue Remedy”‚ is good for general day–to–day fear and anxiety or panic attacks. This remedy is commonly used for anxious moments‚ e.g.‚ before exams‚ visits to the dentist‚ or an important interview. Bach Remedies are benign in their action; they do not produce an unpleasant reaction. They are usually taken as a number of drops in a glass of water. Both these herbal products are readily available in most health food stores‚ or over the Internet.

The purpose of this article is to highlight that there are always options when dealing with panic attack medication. Never let your mind mislead you into believing there is no solution.

I am sure you will agree that the only true successful recovery is the one independent of any crutches such as alcohol‚ medication‚ or even an understanding partner or friend. When you start to recover it is important to release any crutches such as panic attack medication. It is important to feel you alone are driving your own anxiety free life and can do so without any aid.

Visit www.what–really–works.net to read reviews about different panic attack medication. The reviews are posted by other people suffering from panic attacks and you can read about their experience using a variety of different medications recommended to them by their GP’s.

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Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Panic Away

The "Panic Away" Program:
Proof at Last That Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated for Good

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

It is only when we struggle with‚ or run away from our anxieties‚ that they gain momentum. We can only be victims of fear if we allow ourselves to be.

“Do the thing you are afraid to do and the death of fear is certain.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have spoken on this web site about panic attacks in detail now I want to tackle the side–effects of panic attacks. Most people who experience frequent panic attacks describe a lingering background generalized anxiety that stays with them long after the panic attack is over. Panic attacks are not spontaneous‚ random experiences. They are rooted in an underlying general anxiety that acts as the feeding ground for them to occur. Some people claim the attacks come totally out of the blue‚ but in fact on closer examination the person is usually already feeling an above average level of generalized anxiety before the panic attack begins. It is this generalized anxiety that we are going to tackle in this chapter.

People describe the generalized anxiety like a knot in the stomach accompanied by recurring fearful thoughts. This condition is referred to as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD. This generalized anxiety disorder is the breeding ground for future panic attacks‚ and it is important that it be addressed and eliminated so the individual can go about daily business unimpeded by the uncomfortable stress sensations.

If we create a scale of anxiety from 1 to 10‚ a full blown panic attack would register at 10 and total‚ blissful relaxation at 0.

In a typical day‚ the average person in a metropolitan area might have a stress/anxiety rating of somewhere between 4 and 5. In comparison‚ people who experience panic attacks would say they reach the top of the scale (9/10) during the panic attack and do not fully return to feeling normal for quite some time. What is of particular concern is the fact that a large percentage of people never fully return to normal levels.

Many individuals who experience frequent panic attacks often report that they feel themselves to be in a constant state of generalized anxiety‚ floating between 6 and 7 almost everyday. They wake in the morning with the anxiety and go to bed with the same feeling of unease. It is almost as if their body is stuck on a permanent setting of high anxiety. This constant generalized anxiety makes them feel jumpy‚ irritable‚ and physically unwell. The body becomes tense and uncomfortable and the mind obsessed with the anxious sensations. This permanent tension in the mind and body leads to troublesome sensations such as:

Nausea
Dizziness
Exhaustion
Vision problems
Cramps
Intrusive thoughts
Feelings of unreality and depression
This condition (Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD) is frequently connected to the experience of panic attacks.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If you have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder‚ do not convince yourself that you have a clinical illness. You do not. This disorder does not mean that you have a physical or mental illness. Your brain is fine; your body is fine. If I had editorial authority over what was printed in text book psychology‚ I would eliminate the use of the term “disorder”. The term is over prescribed and misleading. It conjures up ideas of chaos and a total breakdown of mental function. That is not the case. GAD is a behavioral condition that is habitual‚ and it can be reversed easily by following a series of steps. You can return to a more relaxed level of living if you follow the steps and psychological techniques I am going to outline for you below.

Once people practice the One Move technique for the elimination of the panic attacks as explained in my course‚ the intense fear surrounding the anxiety collapses in on itself. As the panic attacks become less frequent‚ the generalized anxiety begins to evaporate as a state of solid calm returns.

The "Panic Away" Program:
Proof at Last That Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated for Good

Visit Panic Away

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