Stop Panic Attacks- Confront Your Anxieties

Did you ever experience the tramatic situation when all of a sudden you couldn't seem to catch your breath, an incredible sense of panic descended upon you and you felt like you were losing control or were going insane?

What you probably went through was your first incident of having a panic attack, or on occasion referred to as an anxiety attack. Exactly what is it? Is there something mentally wrong with you or is this a widespread experience brought on by the fast paced society we live in today? Can you eliminate them from your life? This article will supply some of the basic essentials about panic attacks and how you can deal with them successfully.

Panic Attacks Can Strike Anyplace and Anytime of the Day.

No one really knows for sure what sets off a panic attack, but many experts feel that significant changes in your life, job related stress, sickness and other situations can be a factor to their onset. How long an attack will last can vary rather significantly. It could be for 5-10 minutes or it could go on up to an hour or more. It is dependent on the intensity of the attack. In some cases, it might be a single episode or occurs in rare instances. For others it can be a daily occurance. Anxiety attacks will often occur in the same circumstances that triggered it in the first place.

The person suffering panic attacks generally displays signs or symptoms such as:

· Shortness of breath or respiration difficulties
· Rapid heart rate or palpitations.
· A sense of being disconnected from your surroundings.
Heavy perspiration or chills.
· Light-headedness, dizzy or like you are going to pass out.
· Being afraid of dying, losing control or going crazy
· Experiencing numbness, tingling, or other unusual body sensations.
· Pain in your chest.
· Shaking and trembling that seems unmanageable

Although anxiety attacks are not life threatening in nature, it can be emotionally draining and wearisome. Because a lot of the signs or symptoms are similar to heart attacks or other life threatening illnesses, many people tend not to grasp what is really gone on with them producing further frustration and doubt of one's emotional wellbeing.

Luckily, there are a number of ways to stop to panic attacks. Possibly one of the simplest and easiest ways to deal with anxiety attacks is take prescribed drugs. Doctors will often employ the use of anti-depressants and benzodiazepines to help people manage the issue. Not surprisingly there can be, and often are, some irritating side effects with these medications, but they can be useful. Notably when taken in combination with pyschotherapy. There are also several natural treatments in the form of herbal supplements that have been shown to be helpful in keeping tension and anxiety in check.

However, the most effective way to stopattacks is to use a form of psychotherapy counseling. Cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of psychotherapy treatment is the most extensively used form of treatment. People experiencing anxiety attacks are made to understand and realize that their irrational thoughts are without foundation and are also taught to except and understand that occasional panic is a normal part of our lives.

A change in lifestyle is an additional way of reducing panic attacks - such as an increase in physical exercise, less consumption of caffeine, alcohol and using stress management techniques. Experts seem to agree however, that the best treatment for anxiety attacks is cognitive behavioral therapy. This is a type of psychotherapy that is frequently used in overcoming fears and phobias. Throughout this treatment method, individuals are taught that their fears and reactions are dependent on irrational thinking patterns that trigger severe physical and emotional reactions. They also learn to acknowledge the fact that all people go through fear, panic and anxiety at various times in their life and that it is part of the human eperience. The person is encouraged to adopt lifestyle changes that lower tension and apprehension, such as regular physical exercise, a reduction of stimulents like caffeine, and practicing breathing and meditation exercises.

To stop anxiety attacks, sufferers need to learn to acknowledge that panic and fear are part of our lives at times and that we must learn to cope with it. When stressed or exposed to experiences in which we feel a loss of control, we ought to take a deep breath and face the challenge headlong.

Do you want to be able to face your fears and get rid of your panic attacks? If so, you are highly encouraged to take a serious look at a highly successful therapeutic program at .