Anxiety Panic Disorder

What is an Anxiety Panic Disorder?

Panic attacks happen to many of us at one time or another. For some, one or two attacks will occur over a lifetime and that will be the end of it. For others, panic attacks can occur with a degree of frequency, affecting how they live their lives and diminishing quality of life overall. In these situations, frequent panic attacks may be a sign of an anxiety panic disorder. The good news is that there are treatment options available for an anxiety panic disorder that will stop the panic attack and allow you to go on about the business of living your life.

Why Anxiety Panic Disorders Need Treatment
While a panic attack will not hurt you over the long term physically, it can certainly cause damage on a mental and emotional level. These attacks can occur anytime and anywhere, come on without warning and affect how you live your daily life. For example, some people will get so concerned over when the next panic attack will occur; they will actually change their daily routine to avoid them. This might include spending more time at home, avoiding locations where the last attack occurred or withdraw from social situations in general. When you realize that the fear of a panic attack is affecting the decisions you are making day to day, you may have an anxiety panic disorder.

What You can Do
The first place you should go if you suspect an anxiety panic disorder is to your doctor's office. Through a medical history and complete physical exam, your doctor can diagnose an anxiety panic disorder and recommend the best treatment plan for you. The good news is that there are many options in treating an anxiety panic disorder today, and the right one can help you reduce the number of attacks you experience and help you get back to a relatively normal way of life without the constant fear over when the next episode will occur.

The most effective treatment options for an anxiety panic disorder will usually include a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Because of this, your doctor will often refer you to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist for treatment. These professionals are specially trained in the anxiety panic disorder and will be best equipped to prescribe a treatment plan that will work the best for you. Many find that treatment will greatly reduce the number of episodes that occur and make the panic attacks that they do experience much easier to manage.

If you suspect that you are suffering with an anxiety panic disorder, you don't have to suffer alone. Talk to your doctor today about the treatment options available and get back to the business of living your life.