How to Treat a Panic Attack

A panic attack can be described as an episode when a person's mind is plagued by irrational fear for some unknown reason. It occurs suddenly and is mostly triggered by suppressed sense of anxiousness over a period of time. During such an attack, people complain about suffocation, breathing difficulty, palpitation, etc. Some people may even get chest pain which they wrongly assume as heart attack symptoms and they start thinking that they are about to die. Usually, a panic attack in itself does not cause any physical harm. All symptoms last for barely an hour, and then disappear on its own. However, such bouts tend to recur again and again. Nobody knows when it will occur next, as it does not come with any warning signal. As a result, they stop enjoying their life and spend their waking hours in the thought and fear when the next attack is going to happen. The main aim of treatment is to control this restlessness and restore normal life of the patient.

How to Treat a Panic Attack

In every case, the cause that triggers panic attack is different. Therefore, the course of treatment is also different in every individual case. Here, we are giving a general overview of the clinical treatment for panic attacks. Antianxiety medicines are first given to those who experience panic episodes very frequently. These medicines should be taken at the onset of a panic attack and they will provide relief from the symptoms almost instantly. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to bring down the frequency of such attacks. These medicines also reduce the severity of the symptoms to some extent. Beta blockers are used in those cases where patients experience heavy sweating and rapid pulse rate.

This medicinal treatment continues for a short period of time and is used just for providing relief from the symptoms. It is followed by cognitive behavioral therapy. Here, the therapist first identify the reason behind the anxiety feelings. Then they help patients to learn these skills to cope with a severe panic attack or stressful situation on their own. This way a patient overcomes fear and unwanted thoughts that bother his or her mind at the time of an attack. Yoga and meditation are two effective relaxation techniques, that are often recommended by psychotherapists.

Natural Treatments for Panic Attacks

If you are experience panic attacks quite often, you can manage it naturally. Treatment without medication includes practicing of breathing control, physical exercises and use of some herbs:

Breathing Control: During a panic attack, a person fails to breathe properly. An excellent way to stop the attack is by controlling the breathing. As soon as you feel that you are about to get a panic attack, start breathing slowly. Take deep breaths and then breathe out the air completely. While doing so, the time of inhalation and exhalation should be the same. The best part of this technique is that it will help you focus only on the breathing process and thus distract your mind from the attack.

Physical Exercise: Regular exercises help a lot in relieving stress. It helps to use up the excessive adrenalin hormones released in the body due to the attack and thus, you are saved from the damaging effects of excess adrenalin. A panic attack tenses the muscles of your body. The muscles are relaxed with the help of exercises and this makes you feel good and confident about yourself.

Herbs: There are a number of herbs that can have a relaxing effect on your nerves and senses. Lemon balm extracts and chamomile are two most effective herbs used for this purpose. Take one teaspoon each, of these dried herbs, and prepare a tea by soaking them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. When you take this tea regularly, chamomile works as muscle relaxant and sedative qualities lemon balm helps you to relax.

While undergoing treatment, you should not expect faster results. It will take some time before you can see some improvements. During this time, you should lead a healthy and disciplined life and make efforts to keep yourself calm.