Help For Anxiety And Panic Attacks

To a certain degree, most people experience a mild bit of panic during every day life. For example, if you have to give a speech, you may be anxious about not embarrassing yourself or not forgetting the speech material. If you are starting a new job, you may be anxious about making a good impression and may worry about learning new procedures. If you are going out on a first date, you may worry about how you look or if you'll like the person you are dating. But, many people routinely suffer from panic or anxiety that keeps them from living a "normal" life. If you are one of the more than 6 million Americans who frequently experience an overwhelming degree of anxiety, you may need help for your anxiety and panic attacks.

The first thing to do after experiencing a panic attack is to go through a medical evaluation so physical conditions can be ruled out as the cause of the panic attack. Thyroid disorders, anemia, pheochromocytoma, heart problems, fluctuating hormones caused by pregnancy or menopause, too much nicotine or caffeine, and certain medications can cause symptoms similar to panic attacks. The physical symptoms of a panic attack include a sense of impending doom combined with a pounding and rapid heart beat, sweating, shakiness or dizziness, a feeling of shortness of breath or hyperventilating, and sometimes either chills or flushing. The sense of panic during an attack is increased by the knowledge that these same symptoms can be signs of more serious conditions, such as a heart attack, which raises the person's level of anxiety.Although scientists aren't sure what causes true panic attacks, they suspect that they may be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Also panic attacks can be an inherited condition. Many times there is no physical reason for an attack, but it is best to get medical help to rule out physical causes first when taking steps to get help for anxiety and panic attacks.

If you routinely experience several of these symptoms, you may be living with an anxiety disorder:

• Do you feel like every day experiences make you anxious (driving, social interactions, etc)?


• Does your anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities?


• Do you experience fears that you know are irrational, but can’t shake?


• Do you believe that something bad will happen if certain things aren’t done a certain way?


• Do you experience sudden, unexpected attacks of heart-pounding panic?


• Do you feel like danger and catastrophe are around every corner?

So, how can you get help for anxiety and panic attacks? Sometimes you can get relief through natural methods and sometimes you need to seek help through counseling and medication. If the natural route is what you would like to try first, you should think about learning and practicing tai chi, yoga, or meditation to help you relax and reduce stress. Healthy eating habits and an exercise program can also help to reduce the stress of the day. Deep breathing exercises practiced during stressful times of the day (the commute, after a talk with the boss, etc) can help calm and center your mind.

If these techniques are not enough to provide help for your panic attacks and anxiety, counseling and medication are an important next step. Find a therapist who has experience in dealing with panic attacks and can provide help for your anxiety. Treatment such as cognitive behavior therapy can alleviate or eliminate panic attacks for many people. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you change the way you "see" things and helps you alter behaviors that contribute to panic attacks or keeps them going. It helps you see your fears more realistically. Exposure therapy can also help you with panic attacks and anxiety. This type of therapy mimics the sensations you feel when you have a panic attack. For example, you might hold your breath or be asked to hyperventilate with a counselor present and while in a safe environment. In this way, you can learn how to cope with the feelings you experience so that you have more control over the sensations and your reaction to them.

Anti-anxiety medications can also help for anxiety and panic attacks. Dr. Darvin Hege provides help for panic attacks in the Atlanta area. Dr. Hege most commonly prescribes Xanax XR, Klonopin, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Effexor, or Cymbalta. For more information from Dr. Hege about panic attacks and the most effective medications for anxiety and panic attacks, go to the Panic Attacks Information page on his website.

Dr. Hege has 25 years of experience dealing with patients who need help for anxiety and panic attacks. Call him today at 770-458-0007 for an evaluation for relief of your panic, and for help deciding the most effective and safest treatment for your anxiety attacks. 

Panic Attacks And Depression

Panic attacks can be devastating for those suffering from the condition. Attacks come at random and can occur frequently or can have long periods of time between episodes. The fact that attacks can't be anticipated causes more anxiety. Ultimately, two thirds of the people who have a panic attack will be diagnosed with a panic disorder within a year following their first attack, and half of those who go through a panic attack will develop clinical depression within a year. It seems that panic attacks and depression often go hand in hand.

The first thing to do after experiencing a panic attack is to go through a medical evaluation so physical conditions can be ruled out as the cause of the panic attack. Overactive thyroid, heart problems, too much nicotine or caffeine, certain medications, and abuse of alcohol or illegal drug use can cause symptoms similar to panic attacks. Scientists aren't sure what causes true panic attacks. They may be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Sometimes panic attacks are an inherited condition. Many times there is no physical reason for an attack, but it is best to get medical help to rule out physical causes.

Repeated anxiety attacks can cause depression and panic attacks can turn into a panic disorder. The anxiety of wondering if another panic attack is on the way causes severe stress and sometimes thoughts of suicide in people who suffer from them. Since panic attacks are frighteningly similar to symptoms of serious medical conditions such as heart attacks, people naturally become more anxious that their attacks may be life-threatening. The lack of control that sufferers go through is often depressing as is the fact that they can't anticipate an attack. If a person has lived with panic attacks for a while, the anxiety they feel can give them low self-esteem or may lower their self-image which also can result in depression. Panic attacks and depression combined can make people feel like they are in a downward spiral that can never be escaped.

When panic attacks and depression occur together, it is best to get help from a qualified psychiatrist. Early intervention can help the person before the condition affects their lives too much since often people will avoid the places or situations they feel bring on their panic attacks, leading to a decreased quality of life. Depression is a serious condition and needs to be treated separately from the the panic attacks. But, anti-depression medication, certain types of psychotherapy, or a mixture of the two can effectively treat the individual who suffers from panic attacks and depression. Dr. Darvin Hege, an Atlanta-based psychiatrist, says "addressing the core panic disorder or other condition with the vast selection of tools with which psychiatrists are familiar will likely result in relief and success."

Dr. Darvin Hege has 25 years of experience dealing with patients who have panic attacks and depression simultaneously. He offers evening and weekend office hours at his Atlanta, GA practice. Call today at 770 458-0007 for an evaluation for relief of your panic attacks and depression and for help deciding the most effective and safest treatment.