Those who have had an anxiety attack know what it is and how it feels. They know the terror of the heart racing in their chest, and the other symptoms, which combined leave them concerned for their life. They may have been in to the doctor and told it is “all in your head”  - and they’ve worried that it truly was all in their head and they are losing their mind.

For those who haven’t had an anxiety attack, this is a foreign subject. It’s time to learn more.

What causes an anxiety attack?

First, there are both physical and mental symptoms of an anxiety attack. Both can be debilitating. They can last from only a few seconds to a half hour or longer. (The average attack lasts thirty minutes.) They can be mild, or so intense that a trip to the emergency room seems in order.

The physical symptoms range from sweating and chest pains, inability to catch the breath, racing pulse, shaking or hot flashes or chills. Feeling dizzy, or faint, is also a common symptom to an anxiety attack.

The mental symptoms can be just as hard to deal with. Sufferers report feeling like they’re going to lose their mind, they are losing control, going crazy, or going to die. While they aren’t likely to die from an anxiety attack, the terror of an attack can be literally paralyzing. The feeling of fear, panic, and dread can leave the sufferer feeling like they’re either going to go crazy or actually die. .

What Causes Anxiety Attacks?

Anxiety attacks can be causes by several things. First, heredity or genetics plays a part. If you have relatives or ancestors who have suffered from anxiety attacks, you are more likely to have them also. But those without such connections can also have them.

The way in which one is raised can influence a propensity to have a panic attack. Studies show that those who are raised with a fearful outlook on life and their surroundings are more likely to have this disorder, as are those who have a very passive communication style.

Other physical conditions can also have an impact. Those who have obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, a vitamin B deficiency, or even labyrinthitis may induce panic or anxiety attacks.

Anxiety attacks can also be caused by chemicals introduced into the body.  These include “heavy duty” drugs, like Ritalin, anti-depressants, and all SSRI drugs, but also nicotine, alcohol, and even caffeine.

Mental issues can also trigger anxiety attacks. Things like phobias, previous panic attacks, or a significant loss or life change (like the death of a spouse) can cause an attack to occur.

Panic attack medication has developed and come a long way in helping people who suffer from panic attacks manage their symptoms and their underlying root causesThe stress and anxiety of these panic attacks is quite severe and one of the prime causes of their recurrences is the fear itself of another possible attack.Medication alone can be a palliative and offer some temporary relief, but when used in conjunction with good therapy can provide benefits of a long lasting and more significant order.

Therapy approaches the behavioral aspects of panic attacks, such as reacting to different stimuli or situations, whereas panic attack medication focuses on the biological, or more specifically, the chemical behavior of the brain.

There are several different types of panic attack medication available and many of them are quite recognizable including Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. These medications can help ease the symptoms of panic attacks and reduce the fear that sufferers often have about enduring another one in the future. These medications are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They are anti-depressants and are commonly prescribed to help deal with depression.

They work by acting on the neurotransmitters in the brainand aid in blocking particular events which are precursors of depression, or when treating panic attacks, the fear receptors that tend to cause the heart to increase its rate or breathing to increase, frequently observed symptoms (or conditions) which occur just before a panic attack is experienced.

SSRIs are not the first medications available to help ease the conditions or symptoms of panic attacks. TCAs, or tricyclic antidepressants were earlier prescribed as panic attack medication, but SSRIs have been proven to be safer and more effective in long-term control of the symptoms.

Tofranil, Anafranil, and Norpramin are three of the most common TCA medications.Sometimes, however, a TCA panic attack medication will be more effective than its SSRI counterpart, as long as it is taken under the close supervision of a qualified and licensed medical professional. TCA side effects cover a wide range from minor (insignificant) to life-threatening (dangerous). Under no circumstances is it generally recommended for a pregnant woman to use any of these medications as all will pose a potential threat to the unborn child.

Also, medications that help reduce or alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress, such as Xanax, Valium, or Klonopin, are useful in treating panic attacks or panic disorders. These are recommended to be used more to deal with an immediate set of symptomswhile SSRIs have to be taken over a period of time. SSRIs must build up a level of sustainability in our bodies before their effects can be measured, whereas TCAs will act immediately and wear off in time.

With the use of SSRIs as a panic attack medication, it usually takes 6-8 weeks for their effect to be noticed on the panic attack occurrences. If no improvement is noted, a dosage adjustment or change in medication may be prescribed. Most of these medications are intended to be used for a year or longer before being reduced. These decisions concerning prescription medicine for panic attacks should only be made by a licensed and qualified practitioner. In any case, it should be understood that medication alone may ameliorate certain symptoms, but only when combined with effective therapy will the true value of treatment be found to be most effective, combating the ailment itself and not just the symptoms.

Although many people turn to anti-anxiety drugs to get relief from panic attacks, such medication is a treatment of the symptoms not of the health condition as such. Improvement will be noticeable but recurrent anxiety episodes are nevertheless possible. Doctors do recommend drugs but only for short-term administration and as a support for some form of therapy meant to address and solve the real causes of anxiety. Anti-anxiety drugs trigger serious health concerns because of the many side effects and the risk of developing a physical addiction. Lifestyle changes and therapy work better for the treatment of anxiety as compared to any other medication. Click over here for extra information relating to how to cure panic attacks .

Anxiety disorders have been traditionally treated with bezodiazepines. Other newer variants include beta-blockers and antidepressants. Although they are new and less harmful for the body, such anti-anxiety drugs still fail to solve the real cause of anxiety, as they temporarily improve the condition. Experts all over the world agree that anti-anxiety drugs are just a temporary solution, and they are part of a more complex treatment process. Therefore, patients have to be informed about what other options they’ve got to improve health permanently.

Another name for anti-anxiety drugs is tranquilizers because of the impact they have at the level of the central nervous system. They relax muscles, calm the nerves and allow one to continue regular activities normally, or get a good night rest. The reaction to the medication becomes manifest pretty quickly: results will be obvious in no more than an hour, plus, when administered during a panic attack, the efficiency is incredible. However, there is a big downside to such anti-anxiety drugs: side effects. First and foremost, physical addiction is the main problem. Even if you want to stop the treatment, you’ll find it very difficult because of the craving for the substances. You can gain extra valuable info relating to panic treatment here.

Then, drowsiness or poor coordination are other adverse reactions related to the use of anti-anxiety drugs, benzodiazepines in particular. This means that you won’t be able to drive or carry on with some regular activities: some drugs even give a hangover feeling. The problem results from the slow metabolism of these anti-anxiety drugs that actually accumulate in the system, causing oversedation. What you’ll actually feel is like being drunk; therefore, maximum caution even with short term administration is the only way to best deal with this kind of medication. You should acquire stacks of complementary info on separation anxiety disorder here.