Medical News

Panic attacks occur when you experience a sudden and extraordinarily intense state of fear or extreme anxiety. The American Psychological Association tells us that it is a condition that one out of seventy five people may suffer from, generally occurring usually during teen or early adult years.

Panic attacks typically come on suddenly, with no warning, producing an intensity of fear that far exceeds reality. While panic attacks often end within minutes, a series of subsequent attacks may continue causing you hours of discomfort.

A panic attack is not life threatening but may feel as if it is. Many people report a sensation that they are having a heart attack or dying. I have experienced this sensation on many occasions.

As a result, one of the first reactions many people have is to reach for the phone and call for help or even an ambulance, hoping that help will arrive in time to save your life and if necessary, get you to a hospital. The time that elapses between a call to loved one or professional and help arriving may be only a matter of minutes but may seem like hours.

I once has a severe panic attack. I speed dialed my wife and asked her to come home. Eight minutes later she arrived…but I was in such a state of fear and having heart palpitations that it felt like hours had passed.

If this happens to you, try to think of relaxing thoughts, keep telling yourself that this is just an episode and that reassuring help is on the way. It may or may note lessen the severity of the episode but will at least help to keep you distracted and pass the time until a loved one or whoever you call for help arrives.

If your call is for medical help and an ambulance arrives, the paramedic may be able to quickly ascertain if a heart attack has not occurred and this may provide a lessening of symptoms once you hear the assurances of a health professional.

In essence, these attacks can be dealt with as they occur but the best solution for handling panic attacks is to eliminate the onset of a panic attack through methodologies such as self help, herbal supplements, yoga, exercise or music therapy to name a few.

The key to finding a solution that works is to be persistent and stick with it. The problem that some sufferers have in eliminating panic attacks is to find a remedy, experience relief and then discontinue what is working for them,

For example, if yoga helps, keep doing yoga. If music therapy is your choice, make a regular appointment with yourself to listen to calming classical music, opera or a genre that is soothing and relaxing for you.

Once you adopt an approach or therapy that works for you, the onset of panic attacks will diminish or be eliminated entirely and you will be able to enjoy life without fearing the possibility of an attack, just around the corner.