Panic Disorder Treatment Options

Apanic attackis a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions such as a rapid heart rate and shortness of breath when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away. But if you've had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder.

恐慌症is an anxiety disorder marked by frequent and often extreme panic attacks. Panic attacks are followed by intense feelings of anxiety and apprehension and often interfere with daily life through attempts to reduce the risk of having the attacks.

治疗Options

There are several options for treating panic disorder, and most often a combination of these is most effective. Treatments may include different types of psychotherapy, medications, lifestyle changes and stress relief.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the backbone of treatment for panic disorder and is the best treatment for reducing the incidence of panic attacks in the future.

The first step in psychotherapy is simply education; explaining what is happening during a panic attack. Clearly, based on the number of people who seek emergency attention for panic attacks, you may feel physical sensations that are of great concern. A therapist will begin by explaining what is occurring in the body, and how the "fight or flight“反射引起这些symptoms.

Psychotherapy approaches that have been successful in treating panic disorder include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

美国精神病学会表明，一种叫做心理治疗的形式cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)is the most effective for panic disorder.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy reflects the importance of both behavioral and thought processes in understanding and controlling anxiety and panic attacks. The focus of treatment is on inadequate, obstructive, and damaging behaviors and irrational thought processes that contribute to the continuation of symptoms.

CBT involves two basic steps when treating panic disorder. The first is to recognize negative thoughts and behaviors. This can be done in a number of different ways with journaling sometimes playing a big role.

Once these negative thought and behavior patterns are identified, you may begin building healthy coping methods to change negative behaviors and thoughts. One method used often with panic is脱敏. In this technique, a person is slowly exposed more and more to a panic-inducing stimulus until it no longer stimulates a panic response.

Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Panic-focusedpsychodynamic therapyis also effective in treating panic disorder. Psychodynamic therapy is rooted in Freud’s psychoanalytic theories. The focus of treatment is to help clients become aware of their unconscious conflicts and fantasies and to identifydefense mechanismsthat influence the continuation of symptoms. Unlike CBT, the focus of this therapy is to unearth the unconscious part of the mind where painful thoughts and memories are stored.

Working With a Therapist

Psychotherapy is usually performed by an experienced counselor, social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist. Keep in mind that just as there are many different personalities among physicians, there are just as many personalities among mental health providers.

Sometimes people need to "interview" more than one provider (get a second opinion) in order to find the best therapist to guide them. Panic disorder treatment isn't a "quick fix" and a supportive relationship with a therapist will go a long way in helping you do the work needed to restore your life.

Medications

The medications used more often for panic disorder include antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. It's important to note that if an antidepressant is recommended, it does not mean that your doctor believes you are depressed. All antidepressants work by altering one or more of the following brain chemicals (neurotransmitters):

• Serotonin. Thisbrain chemicalplays a role in modulating anxiety, mood, sleep, appetite, and sexuality.
• Norepinephrine, which influences sleep and alertness, is believed to be correlated to the fight or flight stress response.
• Dopamine influences body movement and is also believed to be involved in motivation, reward, reinforcement, andaddictive behaviors. Many theories of psychosis suggest that dopamine plays a role inpsychotic symptoms.

Antidepressants

用于治疗恐慌症的抗抑郁药分为四个主要类别。最常见的药物是SSRIS，毛泽士在其他药物失败时均不经常使用。

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) —选择性血清素再吸收抑制剂通过增加大脑中血清素水平的工作。例子包括Paxil (paroxetine),Zoloft (sertraline),andProzac (fluoxetine).
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) —SNRIswork on both serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Examples includeEffexor (venlafaxine), andCymbalta (duloxetine).
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) —TCAsaffect serotonin, norepinephrine, and to a less extent, dopamine. Examples include imipramine and amitriptyline.
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) —MAOIs通过改变脑化学品也抑制恐慌。实例包括Nardil（苯苯齐）和寄生（邻苯甲酸盐）。毛泽斯可能难以使用，并且要求人们坚持非常严格的饮食，因为药物可能危险地与一些食品，饮料和其他药物互动。

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Antianxiety medications such asbenzodiazepinesare occasionally used the short term for panic attacks, but can easily become habit-forming.

Medications to treat panic disorder may be prescribed by a psychiatrist or a primary care physician. The length of medication therapy varies greatly from individual to individual. It may be necessary for some to continue a medication regimen throughout their lives.

Getting Help and Resources

恐慌症is a treatable condition and most people will experience significant symptom reduction with therapy. The sooner treatment begins, the less likely you are to developagoraphobia, and the sooner you can get back on your feet and really start living again. Learn about the common barriers to seeking help as well as the有助于恐慌障碍的人的帮助和资源.