Panic Attack Medication
Panic attacks can be a debilitating affliction that can occur when we feel that our identity is threatened in some way, and in response activates the fight or flight part of our brain. The good thing is that there are ways out there to curtail that reaction and help make some progress in curing this disorder. Some more conventional ways are through therapy and medication. Therapy is more focused on changing certain thinking and behavior patterns. When these types of therapies are combined together, insetead of incorporated singularly, panic attacks occur less frequently. Panic attack medication can also help with rehabilitation.
Several different types of medications can be utilized to treat panic attacks or to control its symptoms. Medications can reduce the number and severity of panic attacks as well as the anxiety of having another panic attack. Drugs can lower anxiety act by dampening down the nervous system activity through their effect on nerve endings both around the body and inside the brain. But there are also controversial view points in regards to medication, which say that medication may diminish the effects of panic attacks but it does not help cure the basic problem, which may lie in an emotional or psychological arena.
Nevertheless, below are several types of medication which are said to treat panic attacks:
- Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil; these are antidepressant which are commonly prescribed to treat depression. These types of medications affect neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that nerves in the brain use to send messages to one another. These drugs also inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, an action that allows more serotonin to be available to be taken up by other nerves. But like most medications, there is the risk of side effects, which can vary in some cases from minor to even life-threatening. It is therefore important to work closely with the your doctor to decide whether treatment with medications is an appropriate avenue and if so, which medication should be administered. Pregnant women are at risk if treated with these kinds of medications due to the possible impact on the fetus.
- Xanax, Valium, Ativan, or Klonopin; these are medications from the benzodiazepine families which are also approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat panic attacks or panic disorders. These medications work on reducing anxiety and nervous tension. They are sometimes prescribed if an individual needs immediate relief from symptoms.
Panic disorder symptoms are said to start to improve within a few weeks after taking medications. If there isn’t an improvement within 6 to 8 weeks, a higher dosage or another medicine may be prescribed by your doctor. Most medications are usually taken for a year or even longer to see solid results. After this period, the panic medication might decrease gradually over a period of several weeks. Sometimes after the medications have decreased, the individual might still experience panic attacks again. In these cases the medication might have to be continued for at least a few more months. There are those who will need to stay on medications for an extended period of time to keep symptoms under control.
Causes of Panic Attacks
A broad definition of a panic attack is the feeling of extreme fear and anxiety, which is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, heart palpitations, shaking plus a few other symptoms. Although most people are aware of what a panic attack is, the causes of panic attacks are still unknown. There isn’t any conclusive evidence on what is the specific cause of panic attacks, but it is lead to believe that there may be several factors such as biology and environment that could help trigger this condition.
There is research that indicates that for some people, panic attacks could be passed on through their genetics. Like how parents can pass down hair or eye color to their children, a panic disorder has also shown to run in the family. This could also mean that the individual might be predisposed to having these attacks. In some cases the family members of panic attack sufferers have had previous emotional disorders such as depression.
Abnormalities in the brain could be another possible biological cause for panic attacks. There are some certain changes in the brain that could contribute to a panic disorder. Research has indicated that disorders such as post-traumatic stress can co-occur with panic attacks. Although there is no concrete evidence that biochemical abnormality causes panic attacks specifically, what has been determined is a general hyper-arousal of the adrenal system, which occurs in all of us whenever there is a challenge or danger present. This is part of your nervous system that gears you up to handle incoming threats. Panic always begins in an environment of stress, anxiety, pressure or fear. This might be confusing for some people whose first panic episode seemed to be in a climate that was particularly stressful. But if they take a deeper look they usually realize that it was at least a time of challenge and struggle or extra pressure to deal with. Panic attacks rarely occur when life is peaceful and free from any worries.
As mentioned above panic attacks can also be caused by major life stresses. This stress may come in the form of a traumatic event or a major life transition like the death or separation of a loved one. Some researchers have discovered that in these cases, when stresses lower your resistance, the underlying physical predisposition kicks in and may trigger an attack.
Addictions could be a type of environmental cause that can bring about an onset of panic attacks. The intoxication or withdrawal of drugs or alcohol due to substance abuse, can possibly also contribute to a panic disorder. Biological and environmental causes of a panic disorder might sometimes even work together. Recurrent panic attacks are often triggered by a specific situation, such as heights or speaking in public – especially if that situation has caused a panic attack before. Typically, attacks can occur quite randomly, but eventually the sufferer might bring them on themselves by reacting to the physical symptoms associated with an attack. For example, if a person suffering from a panic disorder experiences accelerated heartbeat caused by an outside source, like taking a certain medication or watching a scary movie, they might interpret this as a symptom of an attack. They might even bring on an attack since the intense fear of having a panic attack can actually trigger one. Since the exact cause of panic disorders are not fully understood, and are different for each person, it is important to seek advice and treatment that can be obtained through several different forms of therapy.
Anxiety Disorders in Children
Most people would not expect children to suffer from anxiety disorder. Stress and anxiety are symptoms that one would commonly associate with adults. But in actual truth, anxiety disorders in children and teenagers are quite prevalent. Most children will experience fear or anxiety during their life-time. Events such taking a test, starting a new school or losing a parent can trigger a case of anxiety disorder. But there are also other triggers for panic attacks. By taking into account the wide range of stressors that can be present while growing up, it is vital that our children have the appropriate knowledge and skills for dealing with anxiety and other difficult emotions.
Research has indicated that if this disorder is left untreated, children have a higher risk of performing badly at school, being more vulnerable to substance abuse and having less developed social skills. As much as we would like to, it is not always possible to protect the innocence of children and prevent anything from interfering with their lives. Children can be afflicted with certain types of anxiety disorders that can be also seen in adults. They might worry excessively about everyday occurrences like school or situations at home. They might also have the tendency to beat themselves up for their failures and constantly strive for perfection. They may hunt for constant approval and reassurance from others.
There are different types of disorders that occur in different stages of growth. Some of these disorders are:
- Six to nine year olds – specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder
- Mid childhood to adolescence – generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder
- Adolescence and beyond – panic disorder and depression
Another type of anxiety disorder that might be seen in children is obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is characterized by intrusive or unwanted thoughts, repetitive actions aimed at reducing stress or obsessive behavior. It is said that although the common age a child might be diagnosed with OCD is ten, it can also be seen in children as young as two or three. Some of the traits seen in children with this disorder is excessive hand washing, excessively rechecking or counting items, the feeling of terror that they will accidentally do something wrong etc.
As mentioned above, children can also exhibit an anxiety disorder though specific phobias such as irrational fears towards specific objects, places or situations. Childhood fears like being fearful of storms, the dark or certain types of animals can go away on their own, but it is said to become a phobia if a fear continues for at least six months and interferes with daily activities. Some of the symptoms that might be apparent are headaches, tantrum, stomach aches, clinginess, or being extremely cold when scared.
Anxiety disorders, like the ones mentioned above, can affect both adults and children, and the emotional and physical signs might be very different. For example, children may feel that the fears they possess are very real and of great concern, and they may not always be able to verbalize these feelings. Instead they might behave by throwing tantrums, being clingy or even crying. If you think that your child is suffering from an anxiety disorder you should consider visiting your regular pediatrician.
