subject: Controlling Your Fight and Flight Response will help You in Overcoming Panic Attacks [print this page] Panic attacks have their roots in the fight or flight response that may be a natural reaction to extreme stress. In most cases, people can get this response under control; however, in panic attack sufferers the fight or flight response has gone haywire, causing them to suffer panic when there is no apparent reason for them to feel this emotion. The basic secret to overcoming panic attacks, therefore, is to get this inappropriate response under control so that the physical symptoms associated with panic attacks can be controlled. While there are a wide variety of methods used to treat panic attacks, a holistic approach that includes a variety of therapies is usually favored which involves managing both the physical symptoms and the psychological and emotional causes of attacks.
The favored approach for treating chronic panic attacks and panic disorder (a condition in which regular attacks have so crippled the sufferer that they can no longer function in society) is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy involves identifying the underlying mental factors that may trigger panic attacks so that the sufferer can learn to deal with them over time. The most common approach used is cognitive behavior therapy, which involves changing the sufferer's thinking about situations that may cause panic attacks.
Psychotherapy may be supplemented by medications that help sufferers in overcoming panic attacks. Note that these drugs do not cure panic attacks, but merely alleviate the symptoms associated with them. The most common classes of drugs prescribed for panic attacks are anti-depressants such as Prozac and Zoloft, as well as anti-anxiety medications such as Ativan and Xanax. Anti-anxiety medications should always be used under the supervision of a doctor, due to the risk of addiction. Also, never drive if you're taking these medications since they may hamper your ability to operate machinery.
If you only suffer from mild panic attacks, you may be able to control them by avoiding certain foods and substances that act as stimulants to your nervous system, such as the nicotine in cigarettes and the caffeine in coffee. Alcohol may also trigger anxiety attacks, which are often the precursor to a full-blown panic attack, as well as food additives such as MSG, the artificial sweetener aspartame. Eating a healthy diet rich in B-complex vitamins and magnesium, as well as Omega-3 oils found in fish, calcium and zinc may also help reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Finally, stress reduction disciplines may help in overcoming panic attacks. While these will not address the root cause of panic attacks, they may help prevent the onset of such attacks or even reduce its severity once it has started. One particularly popular stress reduction technique is progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tightening and then releasing various parts of the body, starting with the feet and then gradually moving up to the face. While you can learn PMR on your own, be careful that you don't clench your muscles so tightly that you end up hurting yourself, particularly in the lower back. Yoga and meditation may also be helpful in alleviating panic attacks.
Controlling Your Fight and Flight Response will help You in Overcoming Panic Attacks
