It is imperative to your wellbeing to understand why you need to seek anxiety disorder treatment if you suffer from panic attacks or an anxiety disorder. Being anxious from time to time is as normal as anything else in life. However, when your anxiety becomes a regular feature of every waking minute such that normal functioning becomes a hassle, it is then that you are suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders come in many forms, thus treating anxiety disorder conditions has many facets. Before one jumps into the nitty-gritty though it is important that you understand that there is no one all-powering solution. Depending on your particular case, your doctor will chart out a specific plan to treat the anxiety disorder based on what he/she thinks will best suit your circumstance. Moreover, always keep in mind that treating anxiety disorder conditions requires resilience and determination on the part of the patient, therefore make sure that you’re not disheartened if you don’t see results initially. That said, read this article carefully as it provides the basic things you to know when treating an anxiety disorder.
Possibly the most common, and most successful, option to treating anxiety disorders is behavioral therapy. Treating anxiety disorder symptoms in this manner allows for permanent improvements although it does require persistence on the part of the patient since the therapy is spread over numerous sessions. Among the most popular behavioral therapies for treating anxiety disorders is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which aims to first alter thinking patterns so that in turn behavior and actions can be changed. Meanwhile, the other therapy option commonly prescribed to people looking for anxiety disorder treatment is Exposure Therapy. Exposure Therapy, as its name suggests, aims to expose a patient to his/her fears in a controlled and safe environment. By increasing the level of exposure from one session to the next, the patient is slowly shown that his/her fears and anxiety is irrational and unfounded.
While both Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Exposure Therapy have been known to work wonders, some patients prefer to opt for medication instead. This though might not be a wise move since medication, unlike therapy, is not able to target the root causes of the anxiety and instead offers a quick-fix short-term solution to a long-term problem. Moreover, treating anxiety disorders in this manner may give rise to further hurdles since anti-anxiety medications tend to be very addictive and can cause serious withdrawal symptoms. Hence, if medication has to be used, it is highly advised that it be taken alongside behavioral therapy so that the anxiety disorder is treated comprehensively.
Treating anxiety disorders can also be bettered by making small, yet significant, changes to one’s lifestyle. Nicotine and caffeine are both infamous for hindering the treatment of anxiety disorders since they are stimulants and create hurdles in the relaxation process. Thus, one should try and avoid these as much as possible. Similarly, although alcohol may act as a stress reliever for some, its effects are short-term and its withdrawal symptoms end up causing greater and greater amounts of anxiety. Therefore, although it may be hard to do so, it is imperative that alcohol intake be minimized as well.
Instead of acts which add to anxiety, the aim in treating anxiety disorders is to find ways to reduce stress as much as possible. Alternatively, one can find ways of increasing relaxation. One such method is the learning of various relaxation techniques which can take on the form of yoga, or aerobics. Along similar lines, one could also try and incorporate a regular exercise plan which provides relaxation in the various muscles in the body. Lastly, adopting healthy eating habits can also work wonders on reducing stress. By ensuring the body is getting its required amounts of vitamins and minerals, you will be living healthier, which in turn will mean lesser stress and better bodily functioning.

You’re fast asleep after a hard day’s work. Suddenly you’re awake! Your heart is beating at breakneck speed, your head seems to be dizzying out of control, your breaths are short and insufficient, and your stomach spasms…Yes, you are a victim of sleep panic attacks.

If you normally suffer from panic attacks during the day, there is a high probability that you will also experience anxiety attacks during your sleep. While the attack may last only ten to fifteen minutes, sleep panic attacks can become a great nuisance. Since sleep is the time when both your body and mind get their much needed rest, sleep panic attacks cause great annoyance to the course nature has prescribed for you.

Hence, it is imperative that you understand the gravity of the situation. Ensure that you don’t make the mistake of writing off your sleep panic attacks as nightmares because sleep panic attacks are a far more serious matter than an odd bad dream. That said, sleep panic attacks aren’t the end of the world as they can be controlled and are simply the result of your perpetual anxiety and excessive worrying.

Thus it is important that if you do experience a sleep panic attack, you immediately seek the help of a medical professional who will be able to chart out a strategy which will help you overcome your anxiety problem.

When you first go to your doctor, he/she will try and ascertain whether the nocturnal episodes you experience are actually sleep panic attacks or some other illness. He/she will do so because the symptoms exhibited during a sleep panic attack can also be caused by sleep apnea (a condition where not enough air goes into the lungs during sleep).

If the doctor concludes that you do actually suffer from sleep panic attacks, he/she will analyze your lifestyle, following which you may be asked to make certain changes. These changes are aimed to get you to adapt habits which are more conducive to sleeping. Hence, you would be asked to avoid the intake of nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol in the later part of your day. Similarly, you may also be recommended to stop any rigorous exercise routines before sleep time. While all this might mean minimal change for some, for others it might be a complete routine reversal. Remember though that all isn’t gloomy. After all most medical professionals will encourage you to have sex before sleeping because the endorphins produced in your mind during sex act as natural relaxers. Other natural relaxers that could be taken before sleep include a cup of herbal tea.

In addition to these lifestyle alterations, you will also need to undergo treatment for general anxiety. This would mean that you may need to undertake behavioral therapy; in particular Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy which aims to first modify thinking patterns such that behavior can be altered. While this method may take time to show results, research has shown that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy can work wonders for people suffering from sleep panic attacks as well as other anxiety related issues.

Varying on a case-to-case basis, accompanying the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with various medications will help induce sleep. Remember though that these medications can be habit forming and may not be the best solution since one may become dependent on them for something which should come about naturally. Thus make sure you use sleep medication with caution.

Instead, try and lead a healthier lifestyle yourself. Regular exercise during the day can go a long way to ridding anxiety as it allows the various muscles in the body to relax. Similarly, various relaxation techniques can be used to counter anxiety and stress. Panic attacks, be it day or night, can be controlled if you so wish it.

Is there really a cure for panic attacks? Panic attacks, also known as anxiety attacks, are episodes of overburdening and overwhelming fear and panic in which the victim feels he/she is losing all sense of control. From heightened breathing, to nausea and extreme dizziness,  a person undergoing a panic attack usually thinks that he/she is about to die. Even after the panic attack has subsided, the victim is haunted by its memory and may completely alter his/her normal functioning in vain attempts to avoid having any further such episodes.

This approach though is flawed. Instead if you do suffer from panic attacks it is imperative you seek out treatment for it before you develop a panic disorder. Since panic attacks usually occur without warning, there is little planning you can do to avoid them. That said, you don’t need to be disheartened since there are various cures available which will allow you to effectively combat panic attacks.

Like the treatment for various anxiety disorders, the cures for panic attacks also take the form of behavioral therapies. Among these Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has shown to be the most effective cure for panic attacks since it zooms in on the behaviors and thinking patterns that are triggering the panic attacks. As part of the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, the patient is made to look at the triggers in a realistic light. For instance, if a person experiences panic attacks while flying, he/she will be asked to objectively consider what could go wrong while flying in an attempt to show the patient that his/her fears are irrational.

Similarly, Exposure Therapy – which is the second type of behavioral therapy used to counter panic attacks – exposes the patient to his/her fears in a controlled environment, thus giving the patient the opportunity to deal with panic in a safe setting. With increased exposures to the panic attack triggers, it is hoped that the patient will build enough courage and resilience to see his/her fears in a more realistic light.

Both Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Exposure Therapy may be accompanied by medication and should rarely be used on its own since medication doesn’t address the core problem triggering the panic attacks. The types of medications prescribed generally take the form of antidepressants and benzodiazepines, however both should be used with extreme caution. While antidepressants may need to be taken for several weeks before any signs of improvement surface, benzodiazepines are very fast-acting and can provide relief in less than thirty minutes time. Thus the appeal to take benzodiazepine is very strong during the onset of a panic attack. Be warned though that benzodiazepines have a very highly addictive nature and can cause serious withdrawal symptoms as well.

Hence, it is best to turn to medications only after all other options have failed. Meanwhile, research has shown that small lifestyle changes can go a long way to curing panic attacks. For starters, those prone to panic and anxiety should try their best to completely avoid caffeine and cigarettes since both these products have been known to provoke anxiety attacks. Furthermore, if you are susceptible to panic attacks, you should read up on various relaxation techniques. These techniques will go a long way to helping you cure panic attacks by allowing you to control your breathing and counter the physical symptoms which any panic attack usually brings.

Remember always that panic attacks can be controlled if you so see it fit. Don’t live your life in fear and instead take on the cures mentioned in this article. Also make sure you consult a medical expert who will help guide you through this. And before you know it, your panic attacks will become a thing of the past!

Living in constant fear and perpetuating worry is no joking matter. Regardless of the anxiety disorder one suffers from, it is important that professional help be taken so that one can regain control of one’s life. Anxiety disorder treatment comes in many forms and are known to be very successful in helping people cope and combat their anxiety.

Since there are numerous types of anxiety disorders, the treatment for each tends to vary from one patient to the next. However, in general there are three main approaches which medical professionals prescribe as part of an anxiety disorder treatment plan; medication, behavioral therapy, or a combination of the two.

Among the behavioral therapies used, two of the most common are Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy. As its name implies, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy concentrates on a person’s cognitions, i.e. his/her thoughts, as well as his/her behaviors, and aims to help the patient identify and combat negative thinking patterns and the irrational thoughts that trigger and augment the anxiety. Meanwhile, exposure therapy puts the sufferer in the ‘hot seat’ by directly exposing the patient to his/her fears in a controlled and safe setting. With repeated and increased exposures to the fear, it is hoped that the patient will be able to gain control over his/her senses and realize that the panic being felt is irrational, as the thing causing fear will cause no (or minimal) harm. While both CBT and Exposure Therapy have been known to work miracles for most patients, it should be noted that behavioral therapies require time and patience as they can take anywhere between 6  to 20 weeks to show substantial improvements.

Hence, some patients might be more inclined towards opting for the pill-popping route. This though may not always be a wise move since anxiety disorder treatment medications can become habit forming and may also cause various side effects. Among the most common medications used to treat anxiety disorder patients are benzodiazepines and antidepressants. The exact dosage of the medications though is proportional to the type of anxiety disorder a person suffers from. For instance, those suffering from a mild phobia may only need to take medication before an event which triggers panic, such as before addressing a large congregation. Contrarily, people suffering from more severe anxiety disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder may need to take medication for a regular and extended period of time. Research though shows that medications alone are not always successful, with the best possible results achieved when medication is accompanied by behavior therapy.

That said, there are numerous self-help techniques one can use as part of the anxiety disorder treatment plan. Foremost among these is regular exercise as various studies show that exercise is a great stress killer which allows both the body and the mind to relax and feel at ease. Along similar lines, are various relaxation techniques one can make use of, which when practiced regularly, help you to counter the emotional and physical symptoms associated with anxiety.

Alternatively, hypnosis may also be used alongside Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to induce stress relief, thus enhancing the anxiety disorder treatment. While a person is hypnotized, the hypnotherapist induces a state of deep relaxation and then uses different methods to help that person face his/her fears and then show that the fears are irrational and uncalled for.

Remember though that if you try one type of anxiety disorder treatment and it doesn’t work for some odd reason, you shouldn’t be disheartened. Improvements won’t come overnight. Hence, always keep in mind that you need to be patient as well as hopeful. If one option doesn’t work, there is a plethora of other anxiety disorder treatment options open to you which will help you to counter your anxiety disorder and win back your life.

Differentiating between an anxiety disorder symptom and that of many other health problems can be sometimes difficult. Worrying when faced with a problem, or fretting when everything seems to be going wrong is quite normal and in fact even healthy, as it allows one to effectively chart out a strategy to overcome evident hurdles and problems. However, when the same worrying and fretting becomes a constant and overwhelming presence in life such that normal functioning is altered, then one is said to be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

It is important that one recognizes and counters an anxiety disorder symptom as early as possible, since the more you allow the anxiety to dictate terms, the greater the damage it will do to you. Hence, it is imperative that one knows the symptoms of an anxiety disorder and seeks professional help if the symptoms are being exhibited regularly.

Since there are many types of anxiety disorders, the symptoms of each tend to vary and care needs to be taken in diagnosing a particular anxiety disorder. For instance, while a person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) may feel the uncontrollable inclination to wash his/her hands after very short intervals, another person may get panic attacks at the thought of sitting on an airplane. Nonetheless, allow this article to help you get a basic understanding about the symptoms of an anxiety disorder since most forms of anxiety disorders tend to share certain characteristics.  Regardless of the anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder symptoms can best be classified as emotional and physical, with the severity of both proportional to the severity of the disorder.

Forefront among the emotional symptoms is irrational and perpetual worrying coupled with anticipating the worst possible scenario to every situation. In most cases, anxiety disorder victims are willing to admit that their anxiety is uncalled for, yet they can’t help stop their constant fretting. This fretting in turn may cause hindrances in concentrating and instead leave one being very irritable and restless.

Meanwhile, these emotional symptoms tend to be accompanied by various physical symptoms. Among the most common physical giveaways of an anxiety disorder are frequent headaches, excessive sweating, racing heart, and dizziness. Other physical symptoms which an anxiety disorder victim may exhibit include shortness of breath, insomnia, muscle tension, diarrhea, frequent urination, tremors and/or twitches.

It is not necessary for all the symptoms mentioned above to be displayed by an anxiety disorder victim. Usually, people suffering from an anxiety disorder tend to exhibit a variety of physical and emotional symptoms based on the particular type of disorder they suffer from.

It should also be noted that while these physical and emotional symptoms may be the prelude to some other illnesses, the underlying symptom of perpetual worrying in most cases is an evident sign signaling the presence of an anxiety disorder. More so, if the anxiety is accompanied by depression since these two tend to usually go hand-in-hand.

It is critical that one does not take the issue of an anxiety disorder lightly since the occurrences of panic attacks may cause severe disturbance to normal functioning. Panic attacks, also known as anxiety attacks, are episodes of intense fear and panic where the victim feels he/she is completely losing control or going crazy. Since panic attacks generally occur without warning, their effects can be very damaging to a person both emotionally and physically; leaving a lasting impact on the victim’s memory.

While this might sound scary, it shows why it is important for you to seek help if you feel you are experiencing the anxiety disorder symptoms mentioned above. Remember that anxiety doesn’t need to be the force commanding the way you live your life. Treatment for anxiety disorders is now common and available in various forms. From self-help techniques to various behavioral therapies, you can be the master of your own life by keeping your anxiety within controllable limits.

When an individual suffers from a panic attack, they typically feel extreme anxiety about something.  The onset and the symptoms of panic attacks are often very sudden and immense.  Some panic attack sufferers instantly believe they are having a heart attack or that the physical sensations they are experiencing will lead to a heart attack or that they are going to die. Whilst it is very unusual for a person to actually die from a panic attack, the symptoms are intense and feel very real.

Appearing suddenly and without any real cause, the symptoms of panic attacks may be felt in the person’s body as it reacts to an uncontrollable fear including:

• a pounding or racing heart,
• chest pains,
• difficulty with their breathing,
• stomach upset or nausea,
• dizziness,
• lightheadedness,
• tingling or numbness in the hands,
• hot flushes or chills.

Panic attack symptoms may also be felt in the person’s mind by experiencing a feeling of terror, a dreamlike sensation, doing something embarrassing, the need to run away or escape, or the fear of losing control or even the fear of dying.

One of the most common symptoms of a panic disorder is the fear of having another panic attack. Most individuals that have had one panic attack are often likely to have others.  The fear of having another attack can cause the individual to avoid places or situations where the previous attack had occurred or where they believe another attack may occur.  They may go on to develop a phobia about these situations or places.  Whilst the term panic attack and anxiety attack are often used interchangeably, panic attacks differ from other types of anxiety in that they typically happen suddenly and so unexpectedly.  They may come on without prior warning or provocation and are more often than not disabling.  The panic attack itself can sometimes be a symptom of an anxiety disorder.  Once a person gets into a pattern of anxiety and avoidance, they are said to have a panic disorder.  A Panic disorder can become serious and have an impact on a person’s daily life unless the individual receives effective treatment.  Around 3 million, almost 2% of the adult American population suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives, with the peak age at which a person may first experience a panic attack being between the ages of 15 and 19.

A panic attack will normally last for a few minutes to several minutes and can often be one of the most distressing situations that a person can experience.  Since their symptoms can mimic closely those of a heart attack, an individual typically fears the attack itself by believing that what they are experiencing will lead to death.  Panic attacks can even come on whilst a person is fast asleep.  Known as nocturnal panic attacks, they tend to occur far less often than panic attacks that happen during the day.

Between 40%-70% of those people who suffer from daytime panic attacks are also likely to suffer from nocturnal panic attacks.  These attacks typically cause a sufferer to wake suddenly from deep sleep in a state of sudden panic or anxiety, though with no apparent cause and will have all the other symptoms of a panic attack.  Even though night time panic attacks seldom last more than 10 minutes, it’s the time that it takes a person to fully relax after such an experience, which can be much longer.

Although its usual that individuals suffer in different ways when it comes to panic attacks, the symptoms for all individuals almost always fall into the same state of mind; that of an uncontrollable and involuntary fear.

Those suffering from panic attacks will be intimately familiar with the symptoms such as shortness of breath, pounding heart, dizziness, and stomach issues that are associated with this problem.  However it’s likely that an outsider may not understand that, panic attacks are a very private thing.  The individual who is suffering from them is usually concerned or even intensely worried about an irrational fear.  Deep down inside they most likely know it is irrational but, this does not prevent them in fearing it.  They normally feel an element of shame or embarrassment about how far their fear has developed and how much it has affected their life.  The unfortunate truth is that because of this, a large percentage of sufferers never seek panic attack help.  Those who manage to seek help often find it in a variety of ways.

Most doctors and specialists have agreed that the best kind of panic disorder or panic attack help is provided through a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies. On most occasions a person can find the help they need simply by becoming informed and gaining an understanding of what panic attacks are or what a panic disorder is.  This cognitive restructuring helps to change the way that person is thinking;

• they are not going crazy.
• they are not having a heart attack.
• and they are not going to die from a panic attack.

Cognitive therapies help sufferers to replace their negative thoughts with more positive and realistic thoughts. By changing the associations they have attached to the very things that bring on the attacks helps remove or diminish the root cause. For example someone who fears death and gets bodily feelings that they attach to the thought that something is wrong with them, can bring on a panic attack. By changing these neurological associations the sufferer eventually is able to recognize these bodily feelings or sensations as not being life threatening. What you focus on becomes real to you. It has been shown that through a constant negative thought process a panic attack sufferer who is worried about specific health problems for example can actually bring on the physical sensations through a constant focus on them and the vicious circle continues.

Conversely behavioral therapies focus on exposure to the actual physical sensations that someone actually experiences when they are having a panic attack.  The majority of people are not actually afraid of the experience or object, they are more afraid of the attack itself.  For example they may not be afraid of the people in a social setting, but they are afraid of having a panic attack in a social environment.  These behavioral therapies deal with exposing a panic attack sufferer to the symptoms of the attack whilst in a controlled environment and then allowing the person to see that symptoms such as an increased heart rate or hot flushes do not always develop into a full blown panic attack.

Behavioral therapies also involve the sufferer being allowed to go through small manageable steps of the situation or action they are afraid of.  Once again, using our social setting example, these particular practices involve for instance, just getting in the car to go to an event or party.  This then allows the sufferer to just deal with the emotions and feelings of just being in the car in isolation.  Soon enough they learn to not focus on the situation that awaits them or the consequences of their fear.  This is an important achievement as a lot of what a panic disorder is about, is to do with anticipating an attack before it happens, so by dong this they quickly learn that sitting in the car will not bring about a panic attack.  During these types of therapies each individual goes through similar steps in their own time and at their own pace.  One sufferer may need to arrive at a social setting, stay for ten to fifteen minutes and then leave a dozen times or more, before they start to show decent progress.  Whilst some other person may be able to force themselves through the situation with increased heart rate and palpitations and maybe even other symptoms before they learn that they were able to get through the event and that the next one will be easier.

Those suffering panic attacks may also find the help that they need from medication.  Medication is often used to control the symptoms of panic attacks. Medications can also limit the quantity of panic attacks as well as their intensity.  Also, they will reduce the level of fear and anxiety that is associated with onset of another attack.  Relaxation techniques may sometimes help a sufferer deal with an attack.  Certain relaxation techniques include positive visualization and diaphragmatic breathing exercises. Attending a support group or belonging to an online or offline community of other people who suffer from panic attacks can be extremely helpful.

Despite the fact that panic attacks are often a very private thing, it does affect a large number of people.  Because of the fact that there are so many people that are affected by panic attacks or panic disorders a sufferer is going to find it much easier to get the help and support they need.

Panic attacks can often prove to be debilitating and cause the person that is suffering from it immense stress and discomfort.  This is frequently seen in someone who has a panic disorder and fortunately it can be treated through the use of panic attack therapy and/or panic attack medication.  Therapy tends to focus on changing the individuals associations, thinking and behavioral patterns with the fear or cause of the anxiety.  Typically therapies that combine the mental/thinking with physical behavior patterns, relapses of panic attacks tend to occur far less frequently than when only one treatment is used.  Medication can further aid the rehabilitation process.

There are several different types of panic attack medication that can be used to treat or to control the symptoms of panic attacks.  Medications may also limit the number and intensity of panic attacks as well as, reduce the anxiety of having another attack.  There are a number of effective medications that will treat panic attacks like Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil which are all “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” (SSRI).  SSRI’s are antidepressants and often prescribed by doctors in the treatment of depression.  These particular types of medication affect chemicals in the body known as neurotransmitters that nerves within the brain use to send and receive messages to one another.  These chemicals (neurotransmitters) are released by one nerve and taken up by other nerves.  The same nerves that released the chemicals will “reuptake” the neurotransmitters that are not taken up by other nerves.

SSRI’s inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (a neurotransmitter), which in turn allows more serotonin to be made available for uptake by other nerves.  Before SSRI’s were readily available, medications from the group known as the tricyclic anti-depressants (TCAs) such as Anafranil, Norpramin or Tofranil were frequently prescribed to treat panic disorders.   Despite the fact that TCAs can be equally as effective in treating panic attacks, SSRI’s have been proven to be safer with less side effects in sufferers.  As such TCAs are now used less often as a result, although, if closely monitored and used in the right individual, these medications can still be a very effective treatment for panic disorders.  But as with most medications, there is still the risk of side effects which may vary from minor to severe or even life-threatening in some very extreme cases.  It is therefore important to work closely with your doctor to decide whether medication is an appropriate form or treatment and if so, which particular form of panic attack medication should be prescribed. Note: pregnant women should not be treated with these kinds of prescribed medicines due to the possible risks to the unborn child.

There are a number of medications from the benzodiazepine family of drugs that are also approved in certain countries to treat panic attacks or panic disorders.  These medications include Valium, Xanax, Klonopin or Ativan. These medicines are effective in reducing nervous tension and anxiety. They are sometimes prescribed by doctors to be taken as and when needed, for immediate relief to the symptoms whereas SSRI’s which have to be taken every day.

Those that take medication as indicated above for a panic disorder should start to see an improvement in the symptoms within a few weeks after starting medication. If there appears to be no improvement within 6 to 8 weeks, then the doctor may prescribe a higher dosage or an alternative medicine.  Most medicines that are used in the treatment of panic attacks need to be continued for around a year or even longer.  After this initial time period they may be reduced gradually over a period of several weeks.  On occasion after the medications have been reduced, an individual may experience panic attacks again.  In these cases the medication may have to be continued for a few more months.  Some sufferers may need to remain on medications for a long time in order to keep their symptoms under control.

A panic attack is often defined as a  sudden onset of intense anxiety and normally characterized by feelings of intense fear and apprehension. Although the causes of panic attacks are still not really understood, several things can play a role which can include a combination of biological and environmental factors.

Panic Attacks are more often than not accompanied by one of the following:

• heart palpitations,
• shortness of breath,
• sweating,
• trembling plus several other symptoms.

Doctors and experts alike have investigated genetics as being a possible cause for panic attacks in some people.  In the same way that other ailments or problems such as genetic heart disease can be  passed down by one or both parents, a panic disorder has also been proved to run in families.  It could be that a person is predisposed to having these attacks.  It has been shown that some panic attack sufferers have had a family member has had or has panic attacks or some other emotional problem such as depression.

There are other possible biological causes for panic attacks which could be associated with small abnormalities in the brain.  As such a panic disorder can be the result of specific changes in the way that areas of the brain function.  In recent studies it has been shown that panic attacks can often coexist with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia or post traumatic stress disorder.  It may even be possible that psychotic symptoms could lead to panic attacks.

Research suggests that a person may get psychotic episodes in advance of, or that these may even predict the onset of specific anxiety disorders as well, like for example post traumatic stress disorder.  It is also now well documented that the body’s natural “fight-or-flight” response to danger is involved in panic attacks. The body’s natural alarm and response system is a set of mental and physical mechanisms that allows a person to respond to a threat such as an intruder breaking into their home. These physiological mechanisms date back to the times when man had to fight and hunt for food and even though man has evolved over thousands of years, these basic instincts or mechanisms have not changed and are hard wired into our core make-up. Any car driver who has experienced the red and blue flashing lights from a police car in the rear view mirror have most likely felt the instantaneous fight or flight mechanism kick in, when adrenalin is pumped into the heart which causes the heart to beat faster and breathing increase rapidly.

Here is where the problem lies you see because, in the onset of a panic attack, these same physiological feelings are triggered unnecessarily when there is no danger.  Unfortunately scientists are still unsure why a panic attack occurs when there’s no obvious danger present. In normal circumstances this instantaneous and involuntary response prepares us to face our foe and fight or run away or hide up the nearest tree, hence the term “fight or flight” which as stated previously predates our most recent ancestors. The purpose behind adrenalin being pumped into the heart is to increase the blood flow around the body so that muscles can work at their optimum to help us either fight or flee. However adrenalin is not needed when a person is not in these situations and this is one of the main issues for individuals that suffer a panic attack. In a calm or resting state, adrenalin takes time to be absorbed in the body if it is not used up in the process of “fight or flight” and is the primary reason why it takes some time to become relaxed again following an attack.

It is thought however that major stress or stresses in our life in some cases may be a cause of panic attacks as well.  Stress may come in the form of a stressful event or a major life transition like the death or separation of a loved one. The trouble is that in the 21^st Century most of the western world is seeing a vast increase in the levels of stressed induced or related sickness, brought on by our work environment and social lives in the main. Some specialists have discovered that in cases when these stresses lower your natural resistance, the underlying physical sensitivities kick in and may trigger an attack.

An example of an environmental cause of a panic attack could be seen as an addiction.  The physiological and physiological effects of intoxication or with the withdrawal of drugs or alcohol due to alcohol or drug abuse could also possibly contribute to a panic disorder in an individual person as well.  Biological and environmental causes of a panic disorder have been thought to possibly work together.  Typically, panic attacks come out of the blue.  However, ultimately the panic attack sufferer might bring them on themselves, by responding to physical symptoms associated with an attack.  For example, if someone that suffers from a panic disorder experiences a racing heartbeat caused by an event or situation like taking a certain medication, then they might interpret this as a symptom of an attack.  In turn they may inadvertently bring on an attack because of an increase in their anxiety since a lot of the fear associated with an attack is fear of having another panic attack.  Since the exact cause of panic attacks and panic disorders are not fully understood, it is important to seek treatment through several different forms of therapy.

Although anxiety disorders in children are nowhere near as common as in adulthood, most children will at some point during their lifetime experience a typical fear or anxiety.  They may be nervous about taking an exam or moving to a new school.  In almost all cases, these fears do not become irrational and develop into a panic attack or worse, develop into a panic disorder.  However, some children that may go on to show signs of a panic disorder for other reasons.

No matter how much we want to protect the innocence of children and prevent anything from interfering with their development or lives, unfortunately it is not always possible.  Children can be affected by certain types of anxiety disorders that are more common in adults.  A generalized panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), may be seen in children in a variety of ways.  They may become overly concerned or worry about everyday events like school or life in general.

They may

• have a tendency to be extremely hard on themselves and constantly strive for perfection.
• continually redo tasks in an effort to get them to come out perfectly.
• also seek constant approval and reassurance from others.

Another type of anxiety disorder that might be seen in children is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is invasive or unwanted thoughts or obsessions that a person cannot seem to get out of their head.  A sufferer may also display strong urges to repeatedly carry out ritualistic behaviors or routines in an attempt to try to ease or mitigate their anxieties.  Even though 10 years old is the peak age at which a child may be medically diagnosed as suffering OCD, it has been known to affect children as young as two or three.  This particular anxiety disorder can be seen in children who:

• excessively wash their hands, or
• have the feeling that they will accidentally do something wrong,
• recheck or count items again and again to prevent unwelcome or unwanted thoughts, etc.

A panic disorder in children may be diagnosed in those who suffer from at least two unexpected panic attacks that are followed by at least one month of worry or anxiety over having another attack.  This is not typically seen in younger children but has been diagnosed in adolescents.

Children may also exhibit an anxiety disorder though certain phobias; irrational fears towards specific places, objects or situations.  Even though childhood fears like being afraid of animals, thunderstorms or the dark can go away on their own, if a fear is relentless in a child for at least six months and interferes with their day to day activities, the child is said to have a phobia.  The symptoms may include:

• suffering from a headache or stomach ache,
• a paddy or tantrum,
• becoming clingy,
• or freezing in place when confronted with the fear or scary episode.

Any child that is exposed to an extremely stressful experience such as, the sudden death of a parent, a natural disaster, an accident or a physical abuse, or a child who is witness to a traumatic event can suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, which in itself is another type of anxiety disorder.  In these situations children might display symptoms of:

• low appetite or simply not eating or sleeping
• emotional numbness,
• reliving the experience through nightmares
• fear that the event might happen again.

Even though these types of anxiety disorders might be found both in adults as well as in children, the emotional and physical signs can often be very different.  For instance, children do not have an understanding that their fears are irrational, equally they may not be able to express their feelings either.  Children therefore often display symptoms such as:

• crying,
• throwing tantrums or becoming extremely clingy.

Children who are suspected of suffering an anxiety disorder should be referred to their doctor.