When panic attacks become recurring events in your life, your condition has transformed into full-blown panic disorder. Panic disorder is characterized by a cycle of avoidance of the things that cause your attacks, followed by fear of having another attack, then of actually having the panic attack. There are multiple techniques that you can use and learn for how to treat panic disorder. Generally the techniques and approaches that you can use fall into 3 categories.
- The first category is made up of counseling.
- The second category is medication.
- The third category is made up of relaxation and self-help techniques.
1. The two most used counseling techniques are Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Interoceptive Exposure Therapy. CBT is the most widely used techniques where you learn how to treat panic disorder by reviewing and isolating the specific events and feelings from your youth that are associated with the panic attack. These events and feelings from your childhood that trigger your attacks are normally caused because you never learned how to successfully deal with that type of situation or feeling. By isolating and identifying these situations, you can relearn how to manage and deal with them. The other counseling approach is called Interoceptive Exposure Therapy. With this technique, you actually induce the situations, events, or feelings that cause the panic attacks. You are then able to confront those feelings and situations directly. The key to success of this approach is when you purposely induce the attack and directly address it, you are able to break the cycle of panic disorder and replace it with positive experiences. Each time you successfully do this, you begin to diminish and eliminate the attacks. viagra tablets for men
2. Another category for how to treat panic disorder is the use of medications. Medications should be used sparingly and only when necessary. They do not resolve your condition. They only mask the physical symptoms. In addition, they can have some very bad side effects that are sometimes as bad as the attack itself, or they can become addictive. Generally, a counselor might prescribe medications if your condition is so intense, that you cannot make progress with your counseling.
3. The final category that you can use as an approach for how to treat panic disorder is using relaxation and self-help techniques. There are multiple methods you can use for this. One of the more popular techniques is called self talking. When you have a panic attack, you are generally letting fear get out of control. It is caused by the over release of adrenaline. This is good when you are being attacked by a bear because you run on instinct. It is not good when you are simply going to watch a move at the theater. With the self talking technique, you essentially begin talking aloud or to yourself if you around other people, about what is really happening around you. This helps you stay grounded in reality. The fear begins to dissipate and the adrenaline release slows or stops, so that your panic attack comes under control. Another self-help approach that helps you learn how to treat a panic disorder is exercise. Once again, since panic attacks are rooted in the over release of adrenaline, exercising helps relax your body and therefore slow the adrenaline release into your body.