By: Kenzie, Mary, Laura Lee, Shelby

 Panic is a feeling of sudden, helpless terror, such as the overwhelming fright one might experience when cornered by a predator.  During a panic attack, a victim experiences sudden and unexplainable attacks of intense anxiety, leading the individual to feel a sense of inevitable doom or event he fear that he or she is about to die.  Panic disorder may be inherited, in part.  The disorder may also be the result of interpreting physiological arousal, such as an increased heart rate, as disastrous.

 Is a type of anxiety disorder in which you have repeated attacks of intense fear that something bad will occur when not expected.  A panic attack begins suddenly, and most often peaks within minutes. Some symptoms may continue for an hour or more. A panic attack may be mistaken for a heart attack.  Panic attacks may include anxiety about being in a situation where an escape may be difficult (such as being in a crowd or traveling in a car or bus).  A person with panic disorder often lives in fear of another attack, and may be afraid to be alone or far from medical help.

 Difficulty breathing.  Pounding heart or chest pain.  Intense feeling of dread.  Sensation of choking or smothering.  Dizziness or feeling faint.  Trembling or shaking.  Sweating  Nausea or stomachache.  Tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes.  Chills or hot flashes.  A fear that you are losing control or are about to die.

 Understand that panic attacks are a mind state.  Realize that you are not alone.  Understand what panic is.  Go see a Doctor.  Let people who are close to you know you have a problem.  Do not try to avoid those situations where panic happens.  Try as much as possible to decrease the speed of your breathing by seeking to relax.

 Do endeavor to make an effort to include a daily exercise routine into your life.  Have a serious look at your overall lifestyle.  Get some rest.  Prescription Medications.

 Panic attacks and panic disorder are treatable conditions. They can usually be treated successfully with self-help strategies or a series of therapy sessions.  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  Exposure therapy

 Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally viewed as the most effective form of treatment for panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the thinking patterns and behaviors that are sustaining or triggering the panic attacks. It helps you look at your fears in a more realistic light.  For example, if you had a panic attack while driving, what is the worst thing that would really happen? While you might have to pull over to the side of the road, you are not likely to crash your car or have a heart attack. Once your learn that nothing truly disastrous is going to happen, the experience of panic becomes less terrifying.

 In exposure therapy for panic disorder, you are exposed to the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment, giving you the opportunity to learn healthier ways of coping. You may be asked to hyperventilate, shake your head from side to side, or hold your breath. These different exercises cause sensations similar to the symptoms of panic. With each exposure, you become less afraid of these internal bodily sensations and feel a greater sense of control over your panic.

 /PMH /  panic/guide/mental-health-panic-disorder  Attacks  order_anxiety_attack_symptom_treatment.h tm  Psychology book