Panic Disorder can be helped by treatment, lifestyle changes
Anxiety is an inevitable part of the human existence. It is a somewhat reasonable and expected response to many situations. However, anxiety disorders are distinguished from normal anxiety in that the anxiety is more intense, lasts longer and leads to phobias that interfere with daily functioning. In any given year anxiety disorders affect about 10 percent of the population.
Many well-known people have reported suffering from anxiety, including Sir Isaac Newton, Sigmund Freud, Barbra Streisand, Earl Campbell, and Oprah Winfrey. One of the most distressing anxiety disorders is panic disorder, characterized by sudden and repeated episodes of acute apprehension that occur without any apparent cause. The symptoms are shortness of breath, pounding and accelerated heartbeat, dizziness, trembling, sweating, nausea, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, feelings of choking, hot and cold flashes, chest pain, fears of “going crazy” and fears of dying, Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will be diagnosed with panic disorder; many people have one attack and then never have another. Panic disorder affects at least 1.6 percent of the population, twice as many women as men. It can appear at any age, but most commonly in early adulthood. The disorder is often accompanied by other conditions, such as alcoholism or depression, and is known to spawn phobias. For example, if a person experiences a panic attack in an elevator, he or she may develop a phobia of taking an elevator, though the location did not cause the attack. Studies show that proper treatment – cognitive-behavioral therapy or medication or both – helps between 70 and 90 percent of sufferers and significant improvement is likely to be seen within six to eight weeks. The award winning book, The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, provides detailed information about anxiety disorders and information about how to reduce their impact. Author Edmund Bourne, Ph.D., believes that beyond therapy and medication people can diminish the devastating attacks by making various lifestyle changes, including: Regular practice of deep relaxation. The book describes the more common types of deep relaxation – meditation, guided imagery, visualization, abdominal breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. All produce a distinct physiological state that is the exact opposite of the state produced by a panic attack. 20 – 30 minutes of daily deep relaxation can, over time, result in a reduction of panic attacks and general anxiety, prevention of cumulative stress, reduction of insomnia and fatigue, and increased energy and productivity. Regular program of exercise. Panic attacks occur when the body’s “fight or flight” reaction – the sudden surge of adrenaline in response to a real threat – occurs excessively and out of context. Exercise is the best outlet, enhancing oxygenation of the body, stimulating production of natural chemicals which enhance the sense of well-being, and improving digestion and circulation. It also allows for a more rapid metabolism of the excess adrenaline that keeps one in a state of arousal and hypervigilence. Reducing or eliminating stimulants. The most notorious dietary factor that can aggravate anxiety and actually trigger panic attacks is caffeine. Excessive sugar, salt and nicotine also increase arousal and tax the body. Learning to acknowledge and express one’s feelings, especially anger and sadness. People with panic attacks tend to withhold strong feelings; it represents a loss of control and sufferers often have a very strong need for control and/or a very strong fear of losing control. Chronically repressed feelings can be overwhelming when they emerge and can produce the exact same symptoms as a panic attack. Altering self-talk and adopting core beliefs that promote a calmer, more accepting attitude toward life. The self-talk (what we tell ourselves about any given situation or event) common to anxious people leads them to expect the worst possible outcome. Negative or anxious self-talk is automatic and subtle; it is only when we step back and examine our interpretations that we can see the damage it produces. This negative internal monologue can be traced to deeper lying beliefs or assumptions about ourselves, others, and life in general. These faulty beliefs are so basic to our thinking that we take them for granted and assume they reflect reality. Examples of faulty core beliefs are “People are basically untrustworthy,” “ I am not allowed to show anger,” I am nothing unless I succeed,” and “Worrying is a natural part of life and if I don’t worry it means I don’t care.” It is easy to see how these core beliefs can lead to a life of anxiety and misery. Anyone who has had panic attack knows it is a most frightening experience. The good news is that, with treatment and lifestyle changes, individuals can learn to cope so well that the attacks can diminish or disappear altogether.