Stress management for better living

Your heart starts to pound and your hands are moist with sweat. Your breathing becomes rapid and you are filled with anxiety. Some people may think that they are having a heart attack but instead they are having a panic attack. It could be brought on by extreme worry or by terror or just by the thought that something terrible is going to happen.  Physically you aren’t in danger but your emotional state is in turmoil.

 Phobias are a major cause of panic attacks. An irrational fear such as a fear of heights or a fear of close places or even a fear of certain animals can lead to panic attacks. Agoraphobia is a common phobia where the individual is afraid of being in certain situations like being in public, being alone and other situations that are quite normal for most people.

 Some people may only have one or two panic attacks in a lifetime but for others it is a common occurrence. For those with reoccurring panic attacks cognitive behavior treatment and medicine are options for treatment.

 A lack of serotonin in the brain is believed to be the cause of panic attacks. That is why Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors became popular medications beginning with Prozac in the eighties. Not only is Prozac prescribed for depression it is also used for anxiety and panic attacks. Those with depression have also been found to be low in serotonin.

 Cognitive Behavior therapy attempts to change the thinking of the panic victim. Replacing negative thinking with positive thinking and relaxation techniques are just 2 of many CBT’s tools for treatment.