Panic Attacks Treatment

Symptoms of Panic Disorder

Fear of panic attacks or recalling a panic attack can result in another attack. The common symptoms associated with a panic attack include:

Panic Disorder Diagnosis

If you experience panic attack symptoms, you may seek emergency medical care. However, many who have experienced a panic attack for the first time thought that they were having a heart attack. Initially, the emergency provider will do several tests to see if your symptoms are caused by a heart attack. After that, they may run blood tests to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, or an electrocardiogram/ECG to check your heart function. If there is no emergency basis for your symptoms, you will be referred to your primary care provider. Then, your primary care provider may perform a mental health examination and ask you about your symptoms.

In conclusion, we cannot say we can possibly prevent panic disorder. However, we can work to reduce the symptoms by avoiding alcohol and stimulants such as caffeine as well as illicit drug abuse. It is also helpful to be aware if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety following a distressing life event.

Potential Triggers for Panic Attacks

Panic Attacks Treatment Without Medication

Psychotherapy. A type of psychotherapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is useful. CBT focuses on thinking patterns and behaviors. For example, if you experience a panic attack while driving, what is the worst thing that would really happen? You might have to pull over to the side of the road for you not to crash your car or have a heart attack. Once you learn that nothing truly disastrous is going to happen, the experience of panic becomes less terrifying.

Panic Attack Treatment Medication

Medications are a temporary solution to control some of the symptoms of panic disorder. However, it doesn’t treat or resolve the problem. It can be useful in severe cases. But it should not be the only treatment.

Medication is most effective when combined with other treatments. Such as therapy and lifestyle changes that address the underlying causes of panic disorder.

Examples of Medications used:

Antidepressants. It may take several weeks before it takes effect. Therefore, it has to be taken continuously, and not just during a panic attack.

Benzodiazepines. Anti-anxiety drugs that act within 30 minutes to an hour. However, benzodiazepines are highly addictive and have serious withdrawal symptoms. So they should be used with caution.

A co-occurring panic attack disorder can occur when a secondary disorder or other mental illnesses contribute and become part of the entirety of mental illness requiring treatment. For this more complex Panic Attacks Treatment, an experienced team that can treat the multiple diagnoses can be invaluable in achieving recovery success.

The Link Between Alcohol and Panic Attacks

Alcohol and panic attacks go hand-in-hand for some individuals, leading to the other. If you are concerned about your panic attacks and feel that you have been using alcohol as a way to self-medicate them, it is crucial to understand the potential impact of this form of self-medication. 

There are healthier ways to handle your panic attacks, which won’t leave you at risk of damaging your health and wellbeing in the long run. Remember, having panic attacks is not a weakness; it is a condition that may need professional treatment.

And, if you have been consuming alcohol excessively, which has been leading to panic attacks, it is highly recommended that you reach out for help to deal with your drinking as soon as possible. Getting professional support can be a positive step for you to take to regain control of your life.

Why alcohol is an unhealthy coping mechanism for panic attacks?

Panic attack symptoms are terrifying, causing many individuals to experience chest pain, breathlessness, palpitations, vision problems, nausea, diarrhea, and often fear that you are going to die.

While alcohol can lessen or stop the anxious thoughts that frequently lead to panic attacks, drinking will only ever be a temporary fix. It will stop working once the alcohol leaves your body, and if you continually drink to quash your panic attacks, this can lead to long-term damage.

Self-medicating your panic attacks in this way can leave you psychologically dependent on alcohol, as you come to rely on it to keep your anxious thoughts and feelings at bay. You become vulnerable to physical dependency too. You may have already found that you have to drink larger quantities to get rid of your anxieties or are now drinking to stave off withdrawal symptoms.

If you have been drinking alcohol to manage panic attacks, it is time to think about different ways to deal with your emotions, as alcohol is a highly unhealthy and dangerous way of doing so.

Long-term Treatment

Several numbers people have panic attacks regularly. You may want to talk to your doctor about treatments that can help you reduce the attacks and prevent them from happening in the future. These treatments may include: