The Big Question: What Is A Panic Attack?
We have all heard of anxiety and panic attacks before, but few people are actually aware of what a panic attack is and what causes them. If you are interested in learning about what a panic attack is, then you will definitely want to read on to find out more.
Why Me?
In response to the question of what is a panic attack, one of the first things that you should know is that it is caused by anxiety. We all experience anxiety from one time to another in our life. However some people experience anxiety much more often than they should, and it can often get to be so bad that it affects their quality of life.
When people experience a panic attack in a certain area, for instance at a mall or in the supermarket, they are then afraid to go back to the same spot for fear of having a panic attack again. This creates a vicious cycle of fear, and often time these people will even become agoraphobic, meaning that they are afraid to even leave their own home.
Also on the topic of what is a panic attack, you must understand that these people are not able to understand what is causing their attacks and what they can do to prevent them from happening in the future. Rather, they feel terrified, think they are going crazy and that they may die - that is what a panic attack is.
Treatment
Treatment is, of course, incredibly important in a condition such as this, and the sooner proper treatment can be decided upon and implemented, the better. The first step in any panic disorder condition should be to try and determine the triggers or causes of the disorder. There are usually certain things in life that trigger the panic attacks and as soon as the person understands what these triggers are in their case, they will almost instantly feel at least a bit better.
Basically the extent of the treatment of panic disorder will depend on how serious the condition is and how long the person has been suffering from it for. Cognitive behavior therapy is presently the most commonly recommended and most effective method of treatment. It focuses on changing your thinking patterns and helping you to develop ways to better cope with your fears.
For instance if you have panic attacks when you are in social situations, this therapy will help you to realize that your fears here are unreasonable and therefore help you to learn how to feel more comfortable when you are socializing.
