You have started having panic attacks.
You're confused and frightened.
Your are wondering if you are dying or maybe just going insane.
Why is this happening? Why is this happening to ME? If the above sounds like you, the good news is that there is help.
Panic disorders are probably more common than you realize.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 20% of the people in the US are suffering from an anxiety disorder at any given time.
As you begin to talk to more and more people, you will be surprised at how many people are or know someone who is suffering from a panic disorder.
The first step is to go and see your doctor.
It is amazing how many people don't want to take this first obvious step.
The quickest cure for panic attacks may very well be a trip to your doctor.
Many medical conditions can trigger panic attacks.
Your doctor can effectively treat many of these conditions.
Once treated, the panic disorder often just goes away.
Panic disorders cannot be diagnosed directly.
There is no test or procedure you can undergo that will definitively tell you that you are suffering from a pure panic disorder.
By "pure" I mean a condition that isn't caused by an underlying medical condition.
Basically, your doctor must eliminate the known medical conditions that can trigger panic attacks.
Once these have been eliminated, then you can be pretty sure you are suffering from a pure panic disorder.
You may well ask, "What else causes a pure panic disorder?" In most cases it comes down to stress.
Sometimes the cause of this stress is apparent.
Panic disorders often show up after childbirth, or during a divorce, or after a loved one has died.
In these cases, the panic attacks may go away by themselves as the stress of the event that caused them goes away.
Sometimes the stress that triggers the panic condition isn't so apparent.
Stress can "build up" over time.
Modern life itself is stressful.
Hectic workplaces, raising kids and aging parents are just a few of the stressful things most of us have to deal with.
These stressors can combine together to push you over you own personal panic disorder threshold.
No single event may be enough to cause problems, but taken together may be enough to trigger panic attacks.
There are a number of treatments that have been used successfully treat this second or "pure" type of panic disorder.
Your doctor has a number of drugs available to help treat your panic disorder.
These drugs come with advantages and disadvantages.
Long-term drug treatments can be expensive and leave you tied to a pill bottle to remain calm.
Many panic disorder sufferers find therapy helpful.
Your therapist can help you develop techniques to better deal with the stress in your life.
Self-help is another type of treatment that many have found helpful.
These "natural" treatments typically take longer than drugs to work.
However, they very well may provide the best long-term treatment for your panic disorder.
I am not a doctor and I do not dispense medical advice.
This article has been provided for informational purposed only.
I have tried to provide the best and most accurate information that I can.
However, medical issues should be discussed with qualified medical professionals.
Never act on any information you have found on the Internet, including this information, without consulting a medical professional.