Anxiety attacks are scary, but the good news is that the episodes are usually harmless. In most cases, the attacks rarely last more than 30 minutes, peaking in intensity within the first 10 minutes. What makes such attacks dangerous is if it becomes chronic and already affects a person’s well-being and already disrupts his normal way of life.
Several treatments have proven to be very effective in stopping anxiety attacks. Let’s look at some of the most popular:
Breathing technique: it is one of the most effective ways to control anxiety attacks. Proper breathing helps slow your heartbeat and helps calm muscles that have been tense as a result of the attack. Breathing also diverts attention away from the “trigger” mind and calms the self, thus stopping the attack even faster. Proper breathing techniques are easy to learn and master.
Self Hypnosis – is a great tool for altering your thought process as well as your body’s reaction to those fearful thoughts. During an anxiety attack, lie on your back or in any comfortable position and try to process your thoughts. Identify the source of such fearful thoughts. Know if it’s real. If you focus hard enough on finding the source of your thoughts, you will soon realize that they are not really a valid reason for excessive fear. It may sound simple, and it is. Psychiatrists now recommend self-hypnosis as a treatment for anxiety attacks and other anxiety disorders. (Your therapist may use hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy together to stop the symptoms of anxiety attacks.)
Meditation – has long been credited with relieving stress and anxiety by promoting the release of negative energy from the body, relaxing tense muscles, and calming the mind, which in turn effectively reduces irrational fear and apprehension. Meditation may not be for everyone due to the time required to master the technique, however with proper guidance from an expert or a little patience and dedication, you can reap its benefits.
Herbs (such as chamomile, passion flower, lavender, and ginkgo biloba) are very effective long-term treatment for anxiety attacks. Since they are totally natural, they have no side effects. They may not be as aggressive as prescription drugs, but they work just as effective.
Prescription medications: They are very helpful in stopping anxiety symptoms and anxiety attack episodes. Antidepressants are the most common anxiety treatment. They need to be taken continuously, which can take up to six weeks before you notice the effects. Beta-blockers are a class of drugs that prevent symptoms from coming back. SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors increase the level of serotonin in the brain that regulates and normalizes emotions.
Therapies – are a very important anxiety treatment. These point to the psychological aspect of anxiety. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to alter the way you think, turning negative thoughts into positive ones. Techniques used in CBT include role playing and relaxation techniques. Exposure therapy exposes the person to the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposure, patients gain greater self-control and more confidence to face fearful situations.
Prescription drugs and therapies, when combined and used in treatment, are very effective. Medical studies show that the response rate of patients is much higher if both methods are used compared to those who are treated with either method.
