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WHAT IS PANIC?
There is a clear dividing line between anxiety and panic. People who are anxious may experience a range of symptoms from sweating, to palpitations, to faintness. But this is always less than a real sense of terror. People who are genuinely terrified often feel as if they are having a heart attack or about to die. The symptoms of panic are violent: a pounding heart, chest pain, nausea, acute trembling, and so on. Because the terror is not related to any specific situation, it is difficult to predict when it may strike. It can even come on while people are asleep. This leads to a secondary fear of the panic attack itself with many living in a permanent state of anxiety they are about to lose control again.The tendency to panic appears to be inherited and affects twice as many women as men. It is also associated with depressive disorders, alcohol and drug abuse. Those who have repeated attacks rapidly find their lives affected.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TREATMENTS?
This is a highly treatable problem. It is better tackled earlier rather than later. The longer a person has to learn new habits of avoidance, the more difficult it is to divert the mind into a more socially constructive view of the world. The first step is an honest admission of the problem. Too many people attend at the emergency room complaining of a variety of different symptoms. This delays proper diagnosis. The best next step is an appointment with your regular doctor who will confirm the diagnosis and refer you on to a mental health specialist. There is no stigma attached to this. Your family, friends and colleagues will support all efforts to restore life to its old pattern.Almost all the health insurance plans cover panic disorders, even the usually less flexible Health Maintenance Organizations. If there is no health insurance, the local Health and Human Services Division may offer subsidized treatment. The Medicaid plan may pay if you are on public assistance.
The most effective treatments you could apply are Xanax to stop the panic attacks and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to learn new ways of getting through everyday situations without having another attack.
Many also find it useful to join support or self-help groups whether in the real world or online. It helps to talk through problems with others who share the same disorder. Family and friends should be shown how to offer real support. If they are dismissive of the problem and believe panic can be overcome if people "pull themselves together", this can actually make the situation worse.
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HOW ANXIEY AFFECT ONE'S LIFE
They try to avoid situations in which they have felt the panic. So, if someone has a panic attack in an elevator, he or she may never set foot inside another elevator.This can have immediate consequences depending on where people live and work. It may even affect the person’s ability to seek medical advice if the usual physician has offices on a high floor. Approximately one-third of those who suffer panic attacks develop agoraphobia and stay at home.
