As we go to overcome the panic attacks, we must be clear about the meaning of panic attack and its symptoms. The symptoms of panic attacks are obscure and these do not seem to be caused by the panic. We should clear this in our mind that anxiety is neither a clinical disorder nor a disease; it is the alteration of behavior. All the symptoms of the panic attacks come from the stimulation of anxious nerve signals which are produced by the brain. The symptoms of panic attacks are usual and without any harm. These symptoms are not toxic, but these are unpleasant. As we react differently in a response to the same stimulus, so the symptoms of the panic attack vary from individual to individual. The symptoms of the attack are following
1) Chest pain
2) Dizziness
3) Profound sweating
4) Rapid heart beat
5) Nausea
6) Abdominal discomfort
7) Hot flushes
Numbness
9) Urgency of urination and defecation
10) Obsessive worries
11) Shortness of breath
12) Heart with tingling sensations
Overcoming panic attack is very simple because there are some useful techniques, but overcoming the cause pf panic attack is a different issue. Panic attacks are caused by the autonomic nervous system which controls the sub conscious activities like breathing, digestion and circulation. The particular area in the autonomic nervous system is called amygdale which is responsible for decision making and regarding the things about anxiety. During panic attacks the amygdale remains turned on and it needs to be turned off to enable the person in controlling the panic attack because if amygdale remains stuck, it is responsible for the onset panic attack.
Our main purpose in the treatment should be to reduce the senseless fear and to abolish panic attacks and to stop the use of those medicines which are used by the people to perform the regular activities.
There are many pharmacologic drugs which have anti anxiety action and these reduce anxiety and are used in the treatment of panic attacks. The most important is BENZODIAZEPINES. These drugs are important and effective but have limited use because of physical and psychological dependence. Physical dependence is most important in this regard. It usually develops after the discontinuation of the medicine and is also called abstinence syndrome. The features of this dependence the photophobia, hyperacusis and unsteadiness. Benzodiazepines are the class of anxiolytic drugs and include alprazolam, diazepam, temazepam, ketazolam etc
Another drug which in important in this regard is buspirone. It is preferred over the benzodiazepines because it has minor side effects. Another important drug which is used in the prevention of panic attack is barbiturates which include barbital and Phenobarbital etc. But side effects are also there for example respiratory depression and cardiovascular depression.
So we can say that anxiety and panic attacks can be reduced by the use of anxiolytic drugs, but these should be used with great care because almost all the anti anxiety drugs cause dependence and have side effects in their own way
