Cognitive behavior therapy is likewise very effective. This type
of “talk psychotherapy” helps the individual to restructure his
or her thinking. Negative cognition associated with the illness
should be addressed in therapy because it creates more harm than good. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises should also help..

Title: Panic Attacks: Effective Ways to Cope

Author: Michael G. Rayel, MD

Jill is a 21 y/o college student who used to do well until about
a few months ago when she started to experience “weird” attacks
almost daily. She described her experience as “horrible.” When
she has the attack, she feels that she’s about to die or develop
a stroke.

One day while she was in a mall, she suddenly developed an
“overwhelming” sensation all over her body. She was sweaty and
tremulous and felt that her heart was pumping so fast. Within a
few seconds, she also suffered from chest pain and shortness of
breath. This episode lasted for about 10 minutes but she felt
that this was her worst ten minutes of her life.

Overwhelmed by her experience, she has stayed away from malls
and has avoided being in a crowd of people. Because of the
frequency of the attacks, Jill can’t anymore function normally.
She is afraid to leave the house and go to work.

Jill’s experience is typical of someone with Panic Disorder. A
person with panic disorder develops anxiety attacks associated
with the thought that he or she would die or develop a stroke or
heart attack. Physical changes such as fast heart beat,
shortness of breath, fainting episodes, sweating and
tremulousness are some of the accompanying symptoms.

A typical episode usually comes “out of the blue” and not
precipitated by any triggers. It can therefore happen any time
and anywhere. An attack can last for a few to several minutes.

One episode can make a person feel scared of having another one.
In fact, a lot of people feel distressed anticipating the
occurrence of another attack. So most individuals prefer to stay
at home and isolate themselves from friends, co-workers, and
even relatives. Eventually they become incapacitated.

If you’re like Jill, is there any treatment that can help?

Yes, there is. Individuals with this condition are successfully
treated with an antidepressant such as the serotonin-reuptake
inhibitors. Usually, the dose should be started low, for
instance 10 mg/day of citalopram. After a few weeks, the dose
should be gradually increased depending upon the person’s
clinical status.

Cognitive behavior therapy is likewise very effective. This type
of “talk psychotherapy” helps the individual to restructure his
or her thinking. Negative cognition associated with the illness
should be addressed in therapy because it creates more harm than
good. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises should
also help.

During treatment, patience is very important because it takes a
while before any intervention helps. However, don’t despair.
After a few weeks, the medication should start working and
should give you a feeling of comfort.

What’s the role of benzodiazepines (e.g. lorazepam or
clonazepam) in the treatment of panic disorder? This type of
drug can provide acute relief but should be used only on a
short-term basis because of its addiction potential. For
long-term treatment, antidepressants and psychotherapy are still
preferable.

About the author:
Copyright © 2005. Dr. Michael G. Rayel – author (First Aid to
Mental Illness–Finalist, Reader’s Preference Choice Award 2002)
psychiatrist, and inventor of Oikos Game: An Emotional
Intelligence or EQ Game. For more information, please visit
www.oikosgame.com and www.soardime.com

GoArticles.com
www.goarticles.com