Therapy for Panic Attack Sufferers

Treatment is important when it comes to any condition that can potentially hinder your way of life. One such condition is panic attacks. A panic attack may last only minutes but can be very traumatic to those who experience them. Getting at the root cause of the problem may be the only way to eliminate panic attacks from your life.

What is therapy?

The term therapy covers a lot of ground. It actually means “a service, an attendance” and should be looked on as such – a professional serving and attending your needs, and nothing more. No dark mysteries. No hocus pocus.

For the purposes of “panic attack therapy” we're going to look at the most commonly used forms of therapy. The types of therapy that have been effective with people with panic attacks or panic disorders are psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and exposure therapy.

Psychotherapy

This form of therapy covers the emotional side of panic attacks. For whatever reason, the body has received stimulus that puts it in the “fight or flight” mode of operating. This is fine when you are in real danger, say in a dark alley, but in the middle of your office, shopping, or your child's recital don't qualify as imminent danger. In order to delve into the emotional feelings you'll be asked a few questions such as; “What were you feeling before the attack occurred? What other situations are going on in your life at this moment?”

In psychotherapy it is believed that the attack is triggered by something that happened just beforehand. You may not be aware of the association, but it is the job of the therapist to bring that to the forefront so you can work on these triggers. Sometimes, just talking about these triggers will desensitize them and allow the panic attacks to cease.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy

This therapy stresses more of the thought process that may have led to the panic attack or the chronic thought patterns that give rise to panic disorder. We all have a way of thinking that is learned from others or through experience. At some point, it seems almost unconscious that negative thoughts pop into our heads in certain situations. It is these thoughts that may develop into panic disorder.

This type of therapy helps to identify your way of thinking and gives you methods to slowly convert those negatives into positive affirming thoughts. It helps to realistically see your situation for what it is instead of imagining what it could be.

Exposure therapy

Another technique that can help lower your sensitivity level to anxious situations is known as exposure therapy, or desensitizing therapy.  Little by little, you are exposed to situations that trigger panic disorder. During these sessions, you will be taught how to use different coping skills to battle back that impending fear to be able to face the situation without panicking. This therapy is very successfully used in the case of irrational fears of mice, snakes, and heights. By approaching a mouse or snake slowly, or climbing up one rung at a time, in a controlled atmosphere, our mind slowly releases its hold on the fear, and thus, the panic.

Therapy is often a helpful tool for minimizing and even eliminating panic attacks and panic disorder. What was once conceived by the brain as a very real threat can oftentimes be fully discredited, leaving the sufferer free to return to a life free of panic attacks.

What happens when you are put in an unpleasant situation? Do you shrink back or come out fighting? Stress is a major component of each of our lives and learning to deal with it constructively can make all the difference in the world. Ask a panic attack sufferer about what precipitates an attack and you'll most likely hear that it was stress.

What is Stress?

We generally think we know what stress is. We often throw the word around pretty freely. But what is “stress” actually? Stress is the response, both emotional and physical, to an outside event.

Let’s say you are sitting in the living room on a very stormy evening and your lights suddenly go out, plunging you into total darkness. That can certainly cause stress. Or, your company is laying off people and no one knows who or when or if. That’s another big stressor.

How you deal with these situations indicates your level of stress management or coping skills. And, no, avoidance is not a coping skill that is useful in either of the above situations. If a bully was trying to pick a fight with you, then avoidance may work, but not in most situations that adults face every day.

Stress Management

Here are a few ways to manage your stress and lessen your chance of ever suffering a panic attack. If you have already experienced a panic attack, these tips can reduce the chances of having another one or developing panic disorder:

Get organized. Use a calendar to chart bill due dates and other events to keep it all straight. Knowledge is power. Control the irritating things in your life to overcome them and reduce stress and panic.

Talk to a trusted friend or family member. Just getting the problem off your chest can reduce your anxiety over it. Besides sharing the burden, you may get some actual information. A supportive circle of people will boost you up and keep you grounded at the same time.

Use relaxation techniques. When faced with a difficult situation, take a step back and prepare yourself first. Simple deep breathing will do wonders for your stress. For as much as negative thoughts produce panic attacks, positive thoughts can help reduce them.

How are you managing your stressors? If the answer is “not well” you could be heading down the panic attack road.

Deal with the Problem

This is a stress management technique that many people have trouble with. Facing a problem leaves no room for speculation or doubt. The more you roll a problem over in your mind, the greater the chance that you will talk yourself out of doing anything.

Here’s an example. Let’s say that you are having issues with paying your bills. Just about everyone does at one point or another. There are more bills than money to pay them. Do you ignore them? Or, do you call the companies and ask for ways to lower your payments?

The latter leads to a better result because you are finding out the options you actually have instead of imagining them. Our imaginations always conjure up doom and gloom way before the silver lining. The simple act of making a phone call puts you back in control of the situation and reduces the stress that you're feeling. If it works for one problem, you will implement it in other situations as a coping skill.

When we are short on time, what is the first thing to go? It’s sleep. We cut our rest short in order to get more things done. But, sleep is even more crucial when we are feeling stress.

The Benefit of Sleep

Why does the body need sleep? During the sleep phase, the body uses that time to repair the wear-and-tear of the day. Changes that occur on the cellular level from free radical damage due to stress, pollution, smoking and other factors are dealt with during sleep.  Sleep also boosts your body’s immune system making it better able to fight off opportunistic invaders. That's why when you are sick with a cold or flu, you sleep.

Sleep is also good for concentration. The brain needs a lot of oxygen. When you sleep, oxygen consumption from the rest of your body is minimal so that the brain can have full attention without competition. No one wants to go through their day in a fog, and sleeping a full night through will oxygenate your brain so you won't have to.

For children and teenagers, sleep is a time for growth hormones to do their thing. Not only are growth hormones working, but all hormones need to have that time to rejuvenate your body. You really are getting your beauty rest with a full night’s sleep.

So, sleep is rather important for the body. It not only repairs the body but the mind and gets you ready for another day in the trenches.

Sleep Deprivation and Panic Attacks

Anyone can go without a lot of sleep for a day or two. Maybe you have an exam and have started the caffeine IV at a steady drip. Or maybe you're worried about something and just can't sleep. We all go through those times. However, when lack of sleep is routine, constant over a period of time, the body and mind will begin to suffer.

Partially, panic attacks are rooted in unreality. A situation, whatever it may be, has been magnified in such a way that your body starts seeing it as a danger and begins the “fight or flight” response. That type of overreaction can be caused by the results of repeated lack of sleep.

Lack of sleep over time will bring on a host of symptoms including but not limited to:

1.     Lack of concentration and focus

2.     Higher stress levels

3.     Irritability

4.     Hallucinations (in prolonged cases)

5.     Weight gain

6.     Compromised immune system

When your defenses are down due to lack of sleep, you are more likely to suffer a panic attack. If you notice this is happening to you, seek medical attention. The stress level and panic attacks will only get worse until you shut the blinds, turn out the lights, and return to a good night’s sleep.

You don’t have to become a victim to panic attacks. While medication and therapy are both helpful to produce a successful outcome to the problem, self-care is also important.

Panic attacks are quite scary and can leave you embarrassed and ashamed. Resist the urge to scold yourself about it. Panic attacks can happen to anyone, at any place, and at any time.  But, using the following tips can lower your risk for having a panic attack, or, if you have already had one, it can help you avoid having more.

1.     Reduce your alcohol consumption – Alcohol is a depressant.  For people who are trying to reduce their stress, this will only backfire. As a depressant, alcohol can lead to irrational behaviors that can trigger a panic attack.

2.     Reduce or eliminate caffeine – Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake, depriving you of much needed sleep. Caffeine also can cause your heart to race. This is one of the symptoms of a panic attack, and we know that even the symptoms of a panic attack can bring on a panic attack.

3.    Begin an exercise program – If you are not already active, now is the perfect time. Exercise helps to improve concentration and releases those “feel good” endorphins that improve mood and help you to see your stressful situations in a new, positive light.

1.     Practice meditation – You don’t have to sit in the lotus position and chant all evening to soft sitar music to engage in meditation. It is a quieting of the mind and body so that you can reconnect the two. One such tool is yoga. Many people have learned to control their breathing, change their thought patterns, and manage their physical response to outside stimuli by using yoga and other meditation techniques.

2.     Music therapy – Music calms us and stirs the emotional side of us at the same time. Therefore, calming instrumental music, soothing nature sounds, or even soul rousing rhythms can lift your spirits and clear your mind, reducing anxiety in your life.

3.    Talk to someone you trust – Sometimes you just want to get it all off of your mind so that you can start sorting the problem out. That’s what you need a sounding board for. Talk to someone who is trustworthy and can even offer advice should you need it.

4.     Recognize your triggers – Therapy can help you recognize the situations that can lead to a panic attack. If you can see a panic attack coming, then you can potentially head it off before it gets too bad. Eliminate triggers that need eliminating, and deal with those that can't be eliminated.

Do something today to help yourself avoid panic attacks. These seven tips will help reduce anxiety, manage stress, and put you in the right frame of mind to deal with the everyday stresses of life.