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a-z mental
health :
panic disorder
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Background
information |
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Panic Disorder is a serious condition
that around one out of every 75 people might experience. It
usually appears during the teens or early adulthood, and while
the exact causes are unclear, there does seem to be a connection
with major life transitions that are potentially stressful:
graduating from college, getting married, having a first child,
and so on. There is also some evidence for a genetic predisposition;
if a family member has suffered from panic disorder, you have
an increased risk of suffering from it yourself, especially
during a time in your life that is particularly stressful |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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I
sometimes experience severe choking sensations as well as unbearable
chest pains. This usually happens to me when I am under an enormous
amount of stress. But recently it has been happening to me for
no apparent reason. Am I experiencing panic attacks? What exactly
are panic attacks? |
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A panic attack is a sudden surge
of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without
any obvious reason. It is far more intense than the feeling
of being 'stressed out' that most people experience. Symptoms
of a panic attack include: |
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You probably recognize this as
the classic 'flight or fight' response that human beings experience
when we are in a situation of danger. But during a panic attack,
these symptoms seem to rise from out of nowhere. They occur
in seemingly harmless situations - they can even happen while
you are asleep. |
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In addition
to the above symptoms, a panic attack is marked by the following
conditions: |
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A panic attack is not dangerous,
but it can be terrifying, largely because it feels 'crazy' and
'out of control.' Panic disorder is frightening because of the
panic attacks associated with it, and also because it often
leads to other complications such as phobias, depression, substance
abuse, medical complications, even suicide. Its effects can
range from mild word or social impairment to a total inability
to face the outside world. |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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My
mother and grandmother were both diagnosed with panic disorder
at a very young age. Does this mean I am also going to experience
panic attacks? What exactly causes panic attacks? |
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Body: There may
be a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders; some sufferers
report that a family member has or had a panic disorder or some
other emotional disorder such as depression. Studies with twins
have confirmed the possibility of 'genetic inheritance' of the
disorder. |
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Mind: Stressful
life events can trigger panic disorders. One association that
has been noted is that of a recent loss or separation. Some
researchers liken the 'life stressor' to a thermostat; that
is, when stresses lower your resistance, the underlying physical
predisposition kicks in and triggers an attack. |
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Both: Physical
and psychological causes of panic disorder work together. Although
initially attacks may come out of the blue, eventually the sufferer
may actually help bring them on by responding to physical symptoms
of an attack. |
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For example, if a person with panic
disorder experiences a racing heartbeat caused by drinking coffee,
exercising, or taking a certain medication, they might interpret
this as a symptom of an attack and , because of their anxiety,
actually bring on the attack. On the other hand, coffee, exercise,
and certain medications sometimes do, in fact, cause panic attacks.
One of the most frustrating things for the panic sufferer is
never knowing how to isolate the different triggers of an attack.
That's why the right therapy for panic disorder focuses on all
aspects - physical, psychological, and physiological - of the
disorder. |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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Two
weeks ago I was diagnosed with panic disorder. Can people with
panic disorder lead normal lives? What are the side effects
of panic disorder? |
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YES, people with panic disrder
can lead very normal lives IF they receive treatment for their
disorder. |
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Panic disorder is highly treatable,
with a variety of available therapies. These treatments are
extremely effective, and most people who have successfully completed
treatment can continue to experience situational avoidance or
anxiety, and further treatment might be necessary in those cases.
Once treated, panic disorder doesn't lead to any permanent complications. |
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Panic disorder can however have
serious consequnces if left untreated. The immediate danger
with panic disorder is that it can often lead to a phobia. That's
because once you've suffered a panic attack, you may start to
avoid situations like the one you were in when the attack occurred.
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Many people with panic disorder
show 'situational avoidance' associated with their panic attacks.
For example, you might have an attack while driving, and start
to avoid driving until you develop an actual phobia towards
it. In worst case scenarios, people with panic disorder develop
agoraphobia - fear of going outdoors - because they believe
that by staying inside, they can avoid all situations that might
provoke an attack, or where they might not be able to get help.
The fear of an attack is so debilitating, they prefer to spend
their lives locked inside their homes. |
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Even if you
don't develop these extreme phobias, your quality of life
can be severely damaged by untreated panic disorder. A recent
study showed that people who suffer from panic disorder: |
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• are more prone to
alcohol and other drug abuse
• have greater risk of attempting suicide
• spend more time in hospital emergency rooms
• spend less time on hobbies, sports and other satisfying
activities
• tend to be financially dependent on others
• report feeling emotionally and physically less healthy
than non-sufferers.
• are afraid of driving more than a few miles away from
home
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None of this needs to happen. Panic
disorder can be treated successfully, and sufferers can go on
to lead full and satisfying lives. |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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How
can my panic disorder be treated? |
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Most specialists agree that a combination
of cognitive and behavioral therapies are the best treatment
for panic disorder. Medication might also be appropriate in
some cases. The first part of therapy is largely informational;
many people are greatly helped by simply understanding exactly
what panic disorder is, and how many others suffer from it.
Many people who suffer from panic disorder are worried that
their panic attacks mean they're 'going crazy' or that the panic
might induce a heart attack. 'Cognitive restructuring' (changing
one's way of thinking) helps people replace those thoughts with
more realistic, positive ways of viewing the attacks. |
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Cognitive therapy can help the
patient identify possible triggers for the attacks. The trigger
in an individual case could be something like a thought, a situation,
or something as subtle as a slight change in heartbeat. Once
the patient understands that the panic attack is separate and
independent of the trigger, that trigger begins to lose some
of its power to induce an attack. |
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The behavioral components
of the therapy can consist of what one group of clinicians has
termed 'interoceptive exposure.' This is similar to the systematic
desensitization used to cure phobias, but what it focuses on
is exposure to he actual physical sensations that someone experiences
during a panic attack. |
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People with
panic disorder are more afraid of the actual attack than they
are of specific objects or events; for instance, their 'fear
of flying' is not that the planes will crash but that they
will have a panic attack in a place, like a plane, where they
can't get to help. Others won't drink coffee or go to an overheated
room because they're afraid that these might trigger the physical
symptoms of a panic attack. Interoceptive exposure can help
them go through the symptoms of an attack (elevated heart
rate, hot flashes, sweating, and so on) in a controlled setting,
and teach them that these symptoms need not develop into a
full-blown attack. Behavioral therapy is also used to deal
with the situational avoidance associated with panic attacks.
One very effective treatment for phobias is in vivo exposure,
which is in its simplest terms means breaking a fearful situation
down into small manageable steps and doing them one at a time
until the most difficult level is mastered |
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Relaxation techniques can further
help someone 'flow through' an attack. These techniques include
breathing retraining and positive visualization. Some experts
have found that people with panic disorder tend to have slightly
higher than average breathing rates, learning to slow this can
help someone deal with a panic attack and can also prevent future
attacks. In some cases, medications may also be needed. Anti-anxiety
medications may be prescribed, as well as antidepressants, and
sometimes even heart medications (such as beta blockers) that
are used to control irregular heartbeats. |
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Finally, a support group with others
who suffer from panic disorder can be very helpful to some people.
It can't take the place of therapy, but it can be a useful adjunct.
If you suffer from panic disorder, these therapies can help
you. But you can't do them on your own; all of these treatments
must be outlined and prescribed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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How
long does treatment take? |
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Much of the success of treatment
depends on your willingness to carefully follow the outlined
treatment plan. This is often multifaceted, and it won't work
overnight, but if you stick with it, you should start to have
noticeable improvement within about 10 to 20 weekly sessions.
If you continue to follow the program, within one year you will
notice a tremendous improvement. |
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If you are suffering from panic
disorder, you should be able to find help in your area. You
need to find a licensed psychologist or other mental health
professional who specializes in panic or anxiety disorders.
There may even be a clinic nearby that specializes in these
disorders. |
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When you speak with a therapist,
specify that you think you have panic disorder, and ask about
his or her experience treating this disorder. |
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Keep in mind, though, that panic
disorder, like any other emotional disorder, isn't something
you can either diagnose or cure by yourself. An experience clinical
psychologist or psychiatrist is the most qualified person to
make this diagnosis, just as he or she is the most qualified
to treat this disorder. |
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For professional assistance
with panic disorder please call Wellnet on 084 944 9444 and
a consultant will refer you to a counselor in your area. |
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