Panic Attack and Anxiety

Disorder

Different facts about panic attacks

• A panic attack can last a few minutes up to a few hours.

• Panic attacks are not dangerous. People do not die because of panic attacks although they might describe the feeling as if they were about to die.

• Their implications are more severe than the attacks themselves.

Symptoms

SweatingShort breathHeart beats rapidlyLoosing sense of controlChest pain (many people think they

experienced heart attack)

Who is likely to have a panic attack

• It is important to understand that having panic attacks doesn’t mean you are crazy or suffer from mental illness.

• Anyone can have it. Many people will suffer from 1-2 unprompted panic attacks.

• Many people who suffer from repeating panic attacks develop a strong fear of having future attacks in public.

What are the causes?

• The causes are unclear but it seems that life major decisions and transitions can trigger panic attacks: getting married? going to college? Moving a city?

• Can result in a traumatic situation occurred in the past and wasn’t treated.

• having different phobias: claustrophobia, agoraphobia, social phobias etc…

What are the treatments?• Panic attacks are treatable.• The treatment usually combines counseling or

cognitive behavioral therapy with antidepressant pills, usually from the SSRI family such as Prozac, Cipramil, Recital ETC..

• There are also many herbal and natural remedies but there is a lack of empirical research regarding their effectiveness.