Many panic disorder sufferers can be successfully treated without resorting to medication. It is also rarely appropriate to provide medication without the use of psychotherapy to help educate and change the patient’s behaviours related to their association of certain physiological sensations with fear. When medication is needed, the most commonly prescribed class of drugs for panic disorders are the SSRI antidepressant medications, such as Zoloft and Paxil, the tricyclic antidepressant medications like Imipramine, and the benzodiazepines, such as clonazepam and alprazolam. These medications can provide much relief from panic attacks and help the patient to return to their normal level of functioning. Prescription drugs can treat Anxiety Disorders.
Deciding whether to try a benzodiazepine or an anti-depressant is best left to a psychiatrist, and will depend on the severity of the symptoms, as well as which one works best for each individual person. Benzodiazepines work quickly and can be taken just prior to a situation that might provoke a panic attack, but they can also produce strong physical and psychological dependence, in addition to the possibility of unpleasant side effects such as significant drowsiness that can impair the ability of the patient to function effectively.
Antidepressant drugs for anxiety include the SSRI medications, such as Zoloft and Paxil. These are taken on a continuous basis, but while they usually have few side effects, they can produce headaches, nervousness, stomach upset, and changes in appetite, sleep, and libido. The other antidepressant medications prescribed for panic include the tricyclic, Imiprimane. These medications can produce some nasty side effects such as dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, low blood pressure, and they can also affect cardiovascular functioning. The MAOI antidepressant medications such as Nardil can also be used to treat panic, but these require eating a strict diet that does not include foods high in the amine presser, Tyramine, such as cheese, beer, wine, fave beans, concentrated yeast extracts, and many more. Eating these foods while on an MAOI can cause a severe hypertensive crisis, leading to stroke, heart attack or even death. Because of the restrictions on one’s diet, MAOIs are not often prescribed.
Self-Help
The medical profession often overlooks self-help methods for the treatment of panic and anxiety disorder because very few professionals are involved in them. Many support groups exist within communities throughout the world to help patients with this disorder share their experiences and feelings. Patients should be encouraged to try out new coping and relaxation skills with those whom they meet in support groups. These can be an important part of expanding the individual’s skill set and developing new, healthier social relationships.
Sufferers of panic disorder should engage in healthy lifestyle activities such as exercising, correct eating habits and getting plenty of rest. These activities can be a great start to helping to reduce panic symptoms. This is because exercise, in particular the cardiovascular variety, strengthens the communication centre in the brain that deals with the fight-or-flight response system to stress. Exercise also relaxes the body and improves mood.
Eating at regular intervals throughout the day is also important in reducing panic and/or anxiety feelings. This is because if we go for periods longer than 5-6 hours without something to eat, our blood sugar levels begin to fall. People who are prone to panic attacks are much more sensitive to the effects of low blood sugar. When blood sugar levels fall, it can produce feelings of anxiety severe enough to cause a panic attack. Therefore, it is important to eat regularly throughout the day.
Getting enough sleep is also important, and 7-9 hours a day is optimum. Lack of sleep can produce physiologic arousal, especially in those with sensitive bodies. This in turn can produce symptoms of anxiety and panic, such as feelings of unreality or depersonalization, nausea and rapid heart rate, which can make it more likely for a sensitive person to have a panic attack.