Panic Attacks..

What`s
Attacks..What s This?
What are panic attacks?
Panic attacks may be symptoms of an anxiety
disorder. These attacks are a serious health
problem. Panic disorder are so very sudden
and often unexpected, appear to be
p
unprovoked, , and are often disabling.
g

Once someone has had a panic attack,for

example, while driving,shopping in a
crowded store, or riding in an elevator, he
or she may develop irrational fears, called
phobias, about these situations and begin
to avoid them.
Eventually the pattern and level of anxiety about another
attack may reach the point at which the mere idea of doing
things that preceded the first panic attack triggers future
panic attacks, resulting in the individual with panic disorder
with
ith or
o without
itho t Agoraphobia.
Ago aphobia Like other
othe major
majo illnesses,
illnesses
panic disorder can have a serious impact on a person’s
daily life unless the individual receives effective treatment.
treatment
 • What are the symptoms and signs of
a panic attack?

1. Chest pains
2. Stomach upsetp
3. Nausea,Dizziness
4. Difficultly breathing
5. Hot flashes or chills
6. Trembling and shaking
7.
7. Dreamlike sensations on perceptual distortions
8. Terror, a sense that something unimaginably horrible
is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it
9. Fear of dying.
• What causes Panic Attacks?

There is no specific cause for panic attacks, like most other

emotional symptoms,
symptoms panic is understood to be the
result of a combination of biological vulnerabilities, ways
of tthinking
o gaand
d social
soc a stressors.
st esso s

The duration of a panic attack can vary greatly, it typically

lasts for more than 10min. Is one of the most distressing
conditions that person can experience and its symptoms
can closely mimic those of heart attack.
Panic Attacks
Typically most people who have one attack will
have others, and when someone has repeated
attacks
tt k withith no other
th apparentt physical
h i l or
emotional cause, or feels severe anxiety about
having another attack
attack.
A number of other emotional problems can have
panic attacks as a symptom.
symptom

P
People
l who
h have
h panic
i attacks
tt k att night
i ht also
l tend
t d
to experience more symptoms of depression and
other psychiatric disorders compared to the
people who do not have panic attacks at night.
• What Treatment for panic attacks?

The cause of panic attacks is not clear, so treatment may

be different for each person.
p
Medication is used for prevention and/or immediate
alleviation of symptoms and is usually the main line of
t t
treatment.t IIn addition,
dditi psychoterapy,
h t cognitive
cognitive-
iti -
behavioral therapy, relation and meditation are often
used to help
e p relax
e a tthe
e body a
andd relieve
e e ea anxiety.
ety Anxiety
ety
medications such as xanax,klonopin and ativan are
provided at least in the beggining of medical therapy,
but are not for long
long--term use
use.
Antidepressants often help prevent anxiety and
reduce the frequency
q y and severetyy of panic
p
attacks, but are not used for immediate relief
during g an attack.
Frequently used antidepressants are the selective
serotunin neuptake inhibitors such as prozac,
paxil, celexa lexapro and zoloft.
This group of medications is often considered the
first line of treatment for panic disorders.
THE END