Understanding a Panic Disorder

Your heartbeat is going fast, and at any moment it’s going to come right out of your chest. Your throat is feeling tight, it’s hard to breathe and at any moment you could lose your lunch thanks to the nausea. The overwhelming fear is becoming too much, and at any moment death is around the corner.

This is a common panic attack. If this sounds like an experience you’ve had, you may be one of the many who have a panic disorder. A panic disorder is just one of the many categories of anxiety disorder. You will find that 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are afflicted by this condition. However, around 30% of the patients will go through a panic attack at one point in their lives.

The truth is panic disorders are misunderstood. We don’t know how they come about exactly, or even what makes someone like yourself susceptible to them. Then again, we do know it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. Oddly enough, more women are hit with panic disorder than men.

Symptoms can vary widely between sufferers, but can last anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour. They generally include chest pain, difficulty breathing, an impending feeling of doom, shaking or trembling, feeling faint, nausea or vomiting, or hot or cold flashes. These often appear out of the blue, with no apparent triggering event or place.

There are ways to control a panic disorder, and one of the best ways is by avoiding the places associated with your attacks. Maybe its small spaces, the mall, or a million other places, but the point is if you can stay away from them you can control your panic disorder a little better.

Research has found some potential causes of panic disorder. If the person previously had a bad experience, they may relate any symptoms experienced then as a harbinger of bad things to come.

The good news is there are several treatments for panic disorder. However, it’s important to find the right one for you. One angle is when your doctor prescribes anti-depressants. We definitely don’t recommend going this route, simply because they’ve pretty much been proven not to work. Instead you will end up covering up the real issue. Plus you have to think about the side effects and possible addiction.

If you already deny medication, then a natural approach may be more suitable. Things like proper rest, exercise and dieting can play major roles in anxiety disorder. Did you know getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night can reduce anxiety by 50%? There are some really good self-help books worth reading regarding these benefits and solutions.

Experts will tell you that stress is a major player in panic disorder. So if you’re incurring several stressful situations, you have to look for the most appropriate relievers. Exercise is probably the #1 choice. Plus, even though it helps with stress, it can help you maintain healthy body weight. This will give you a proper hormonal balance.

The use of food as a method of preventing panic disorder is a relatively new concept. Research has found that some foods tend to increase anxiety. These include coffee, dairy products made of cow’s milk, refined sugar, honey and maple syrup. It may be helpful to keep a food log so you can identify what foods appear in conjunction with panic attacks.

Just relaxing can also be helpful. Just being relaxed can actually diminish the anxiety and fear. This will allow the nerves to become more stable, and help with those stressful situations. A good combatant for this is Yoga and meditation. Oh, and let’s not forget about aromatherapy, which relaxes you and keeps the stress at bay.

Granted, it’s possible this won’t cure your panic disorder. However, it can reduce and control your panic attacks. The idea is to have as much of a normal life as you can.

Meanwhile, Julie U. Stevenson has tolerated panic attacks for fourteen years. We recommend checking out at her story by visiting here website: Panic Attacks and find out how she was able to rid herself of this burden and get her life back.