Panic Attack and The Prescription Drug Paxil

There are many drugs that you may eventually become knowledgeable of when it comes to panic attacks and medication, one of the most common being panic attack and the medication Paxil. Panic attack and Paxil has proven to be a very helpful method of treatment, but with panic attack and Paxil, just as with any other medication, you will want to be well aware of the medication before starting on it.

What Is Paxil?

Paxil is a medication that is frequently used to treat those with depression and anxiety. It is an antidepressant in a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and it works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced.

There are certain precautions that you should be aware using Paxil, including the fact that you may have an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior at the start of treatment with this or any other antidepressant medication. You should contract your doctor if you experience symptoms such as increased anxiety or depression, trouble sleeping, irritability, aggressiveness, mania, thoughts of suicide or other abnormal thoughts.

Using Paxil for Panic attack treatment may prove to be the right solution for you and your attacks, but you may have to try out a few other treatment methods before finding one that works well for you. There are many other medications that are often used to treat panic attacks, including Xanax, Zoloft, Inderal, Tenormin, Nardil, Parnate, and BuSpar, just to name a few.

Try Self Help

There are many self help approaches to treating panic attacks. Since panic attacks seldom cause harm in all honesty I would try a natural non drug approach as all drugs can have dangerous side affects. It can be difficult having to try out several different medications, but it is imperative to keep in mind that only by doing this will you be able to know which medication is best for your panic disorder condition. Therapy also works well for many and often treats a person completely, without the need for medication though it can be expensive just like the drugs. The basic purpose of medication is not for long term, but rather to help a person deal while they go through the therapy and find long term relief.

Panic attacks can be incredibly upsetting, but by taking control of your condition and really putting some effort into helping yourself, you will be able to get back to feeling like your regular old self in no time.

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“In between attacks there is this dread and anxiety that it’s going to happen again. You are afraid to go back to places where you’ve had an attack. Unless you get help, there soon won’t be anyplace where you can go and feel safe from panic.”

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder affects about 6 million American adults1 and is twice as common in women as men.2 Panic attacks often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood,2 but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder. Many people have just one attack and never have another. The tendency to develop panic attacks appears to be inherited.3

Panic disorder is a real illness that can be successfully treated. It is distinguished by sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a pounding heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness, or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their hands may tingle or feel numb; and they may experience nausea, chest pain, or smothering sensations. Panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, a fear of impending doom, or a fear of losing control.

A fear of one’s own unexplained physical symptoms is also a symptom of panic disorder. People having panic attacks sometimes believe they are having heart attacks, losing their minds, or on the verge of death. They can’t predict when or where an attack will occur, and between episodes many worry intensely and dread the next attack.

Panic Attacks Can Occur Any Time

Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack usually peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer.

People who have full-blown, repeated panic attacks can become very disabled by their condition and should seek treatment before they start to avoid places or situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack happened in an elevator, someone with panic disorder may develop a fear of elevators that could affect the choice of a job or an apartment, and restrict where that person can seek medical attention or enjoy entertainment.

Some people’s lives become so restricted that they avoid normal activities, such as grocery shopping or driving. About one-third become housebound or are able to confront a feared situation only when accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. 2 When the condition progresses this far, it is called agoraphobia, or fear of open spaces.

Early Treatment Is Key

Early treatment can often prevent agoraphobia, but people with panic disorder may sometimes go from doctor to doctor for years and visit the emergency room repeatedly before someone correctly diagnoses their condition. This is unfortunate, because panic disorder is one of the most treatable of all the anxiety disorders, responding in most cases to certain kinds of medication or certain kinds of cognitive psychotherapy, which help change thinking patterns that lead to fear and anxiety.

Self Help

Many people who go undiagnosed with panic disorder eventually choose self help with great success. There are many self help methods available. When it comes to panic and anxiety disorder one size does not fit all. Some people go through two or three methods before being cured.

For those who haven’t had an panic attack, this is a foreign subject. It’s time to learn more.

What Are The Symptoms Of An panic Attack?

First, there are both physical and mental symptoms of an panic attack. Both can be debilitating. They can last from only a few seconds to a half hour or longer. (The average attack lasts thirty minutes.) They can be mild, or so intense that a trip to the emergency room seems in order.

The physical symptoms range from;

* racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations);
* chest pains;
* stomach upset;
* dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea;
* difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered;
* tingling or numbness in the hands;
* hot flashes or chills;

The mental symptoms can be just as hard to deal with;

* dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions;
* terror: a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it;
* a need to escape;
* fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing; and
* fear of dying

What Causes Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks can be caused by several things. First, heredity or genetics plays a part. If you have relatives or ancestors who have suffered from panic attacks, you are more likely to have them also. But those without such connections can also have them.

The way in which one is raised can influence a propensity to have a panic attack. Studies show that those who are raised with a fearful outlook on life and their surroundings are more likely to have this disorder, as are those who have a very passive communication style.

Other physical conditions can also have an impact. Those have obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, a vitamin B deficiency, or even labyrinthitis can cause panic or panic attacks.

panic attacks can also be caused by chemicals introduced into the body. These include “heavy duty” drugs, like Ritalin, anti-depressants, and all SSRI drugs, but also nicotine, alcohol, and even caffeine.

Mental issues can also trigger panic attacks. Things like phobias, previous panic attacks, or a significant loss or life change (like the death of a spouse) can cause an attack to occur.

What Are The Symptoms?

Many panic disorders have similar symptoms. Among those symptoms are fatigue, fidgeting, and headaches. Nausea, fidgeting, and irritability are also common symptoms experienced by panic disorder sufferers. The list goes on: hot flashes, trouble swallowing, trembling, and especially sweating are also associated with many panic disorders. They may also suffer from heart palpitations.

There are also panic disorder symptoms that are not physical. Moments of intense terror are very common. A person needs to be tested for an panic disorder to be properly diagnosed.

What happens during a panic attack?
Panic attacks are associated with physical symptoms that include the following:

* Shaking or trembling
* Feeling that your heart is pounding or racing
* Sweating
* Chest pain or discomfort
* Shortness of breath
* Feeling that you are choking
* Nausea
* Cramping
* Dizziness or weakness
* An out-of-body feeling
* Tingling or numbness in your hands, arms, feet or legs
* Chills or hot flashes

A person may also have an extreme fear of losing control, going crazy or dying during a panic attack. It is very rare for a person to have all of these symptoms at once. However, the presence of at least 4 symptoms strongly suggests that a person has panic disorder.

Other Symptoms

The panic disorder symptom that is most often associated with panic disorder is, of course, panic attacks. A person is debilitated by intense terror and apprehension. Panic attacks occur after prolonged stress or frightening experiences. The panic attacks can last anywhere from a couple of minutes, all the way up 10 minutes. A panic disorder sufferer experiences panic attacks frequently for no apparent reason.

How Does It Affect Everyday Life?

Symptoms of panic disorders greatly affect people’s lives. Someone suffering from agoraphobia – or fear of certain places or situations – will go out of their way to avoid those situations. For instance, if they suffer a panic attack while driving, they will then avoid driving if possible. Another situation common to someone with agoraphobia is that, if they are around other people, they need to always keep an “escape route” – such as the door – in sight. Social panic sufferers are terrified of being seen negatively, and they can become so anxious that they actively avoid all social situations – including gatherings with their friends and families. The physical symptoms of these panic disorders are also difficult to deal with as well – constant headaches and fatigue can really wear you down.

Panic Attack Hope

While panic disorders are difficult to deal with, they’re not impossible. Behavioral therapies or even medications can help alleviate the symptoms associated with panic disorders. People can go on to live happy lives, thanks to the medical breakthroughs being made right now.

Panic attacks may be symptoms of an anxiety disorder. (SEE OUR ARTICLES ON ANXIETY) These attacks are a serious health problem in the U.S. At least 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have panic attacks at some time in their lives, with the peak age at which people have their first panic attack (onset) being 15 to 19 years.

What Are The Symptoms Of An panic Attack?

First, there are both physical and mental symptoms of an panic attack. Both can be debilitating. They can last from only a few seconds to a half hour or longer.  They can be mild, or so intense that a trip to the emergency room may be required.

The physical symptoms range from;

* racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations);
* chest pains;
* stomach upset;
* dizziness, light headedness, nausea;
* difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered;
* tingling or numbness in the hands;
* hot flashes or chills;

The mental symptoms can be just as hard to deal with;

* dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions;
* terror: a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it;
* a need to escape;
* fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing; and
* fear of dying

What Causes Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks can be caused by several things. First, heredity or genetics plays a part. If you have relatives or ancestors who have suffered from panic attacks, you are more likely to have them also. But those without such connections can also have them.

The way in which one is raised can influence a propensity to have a panic attack. Studies show that those who are raised with a fearful outlook on life and their surroundings are more likely to have this disorder, as are those who have a very passive communication style.

Other physical conditions can also have an impact. Those have obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, a vitamin B deficiency, or even labyrinthitis can cause panic or panic attacks.

Panic attacks can also be caused by chemicals introduced into the body.  These include “heavy duty” drugs, like Ritalin, anti-depressants, and all SSRI drugs, but also nicotine, alcohol, and even caffeine.

Other issues can also cause a panic attack. Things like phobias, previous panic attacks, or a significant loss or life change (like the death of a spouse) can cause an attack to occur.