Standing in line, any line, you start to feel your heart race. Within moments your hands are sweating, your breathing becomes short and rapid, you feel hot, dizzy and overwhelmed with a sense of fear. You could use a panic attack treatment.

So you think you are having a panic attack?

Reacting to stress, panic is a physical reaction. Called the 'fight or flight' response, panic is a usual response to danger and is actually your body's signal to get out of harm's way. When there is no basis of danger and panic sets in it can be linked to two causes - tension or possibly, a panic disorder. Panic attack treatments will lessen the problem

A panic attack is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:

Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath or inability to breath, dizziness or nausea, sweating, shaking or trembling, a sense of fear or dread, tingling sensation in the fingers or toes, chest pain, hot flashes or chills, thinking you are going to die or go crazy, trembling or shaking, feeling of choking, de realization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself).

What causes panic attacks?

Panic disorder may or may not be directly related to over stress. Some researchers are linking the panic attacks caused by panic disorder to a physical cause. If this is the case you need to seek professional for a panic attack treatment to help in dealing with the symptoms.

Panic attack treatment concerns

Some medications used to care for anxiety have an addictive element. You may be at risk using some of the following drugs. These Anti anxiety drugs - like Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, and Ativan will help reduce anxiety. The problem is once you try to wean yourself from the drug the anxiety returns. Finding a non pharmaceutical resolution is critical to long lasting cure.

Divulged, some panic attack treatments.

Do you feel you have had panic attacks? Get examined by your doctor or referred to a psychiatrist. Although the physical symptoms may not be associated to a mental condition, frequently the fear of having panic attacks in public leads to phobias that may need to be treated as well.

Learning how to relax

How to relax is a monumental breakthrough for some and can be the biggest panic attack treatment realized. This knowledge will help you head off a panic attack. You can discover how to relax through a variety of techniques, muscle relaxation, relaxed breathing and guided imagery (visualization).

Relaxation is more than getting away from the work-a-day grind, and it's more than the absence of stress. It's a deliberate action that's encouraging and rewarding - a feeling in which you experience peace of mind. True relaxation requires becoming insightful to your basic needs for tranquility, self-awareness and considerate reflection and having the willingness to meet these needs.

Relaxation techniques can help diminish the anxiety and duration of the signs and symptoms of stress, such as headaches, anxiety, high blood pressure, trouble falling asleep, hyperventilation, and clenching or grinding your teeth. One simple method is to remove yourself from a stressful situation, block the world out and concentrate on your body. These panic attack treatment steps can help you relax:

Sit or lie in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Allow your jaw to drop and your eyelids to be relaxed and heavy, but not tightly closed.

Mentally scan your body. Start with your toes and work slowly up through your legs, buttocks, torso, arms, hands, fingers, neck and head. Focus on each part individually. Where you feel tension, imagine it melting away.

Tighten the muscles in one area of your body. Hold the muscles for a count of five or more before relaxing and moving on to the next area. This is a good method for releasing tension. Tighten the muscles of your face, shoulders, arms, legs and buttocks. I love this panic attack treatment.

Allow thoughts to flow through your mind, but don't focus on any of them. Many people find using autosuggestion to be a great help. Suggest to yourself that you're relaxed and calm, that your hands are heavy and warm (or cool if you're hot), that your heart is beating calmly, and that you feel perfectly at peace.

Breathe slowly, regularly and deeply during the procedure. Once you're relaxed, imagine you're in a favorite place or in a spot of great beauty and stillness. After five or 10 minutes, rouse yourself from the state gradually.

You will need to be patient with yourself before you can flow with them. While some of these panic attack treatments may seem odd, try them out before dismissing them.

Resources

MedicineNet

Dr Hoffman

Mayo Clinic

Please pass this on to people you care about that you think would be helped by this article.