Cognitive Behavior therapy is composed of mental help and counseling to enable someone going through panic fits to understand, confront and eventually overcome the sickness. The best results are got by a combination of Cognitive behaviour therapy ( CBT ) and using the right medication for panic attacks. CBT works by helping the patient understand the underlying reasons of the attacks and in this way, helps the natural reduction in the frequency and intensity of these attacks.There are two causes for panic fits – the environmental where external conditions cause fear and panic to set in and the biological where the body itself produces chemicals that increase the feelings of uneasiness and panic. Medications for panic fits are designed to combat both these causes and not just suppress the symptoms, like a head ache pill.That is why treating panic fits with medication needs time.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ( SSRIs ) are the commonest of medications for panic attacks and include Prozac, Paxil and others.These medications increase the levels of serotonin which is low in the case of those affected by panic attacks.Side effects include nausea, irritation, sleeplessness and headaches.SSRIs promote the production of these chemicals and help with reducing the intensity of the attacks and the facility to control them.Side effects can include irritation, sexual dysfunction, slurred speech and drowsiness.Often a patient using this form of medication will learn to confront the panic fit and be in a position to fight it off. Among the most common side effects are sexual dysfunction, trouble in urination, rapid weight increase, and a constantly dry mouth.
The most typical medications for panic attacks are antidepressants like Paxil, Tofranil, Prozac and Zoloft which is what most doctors prescribe to start with. In case the results arenot as expected, the medication for panic attacks might be bolstered by tranquilizers like Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin and others. All medications for panic attacks have some side effects and knowing what to expect before you start taking them will permit you to deal with these Problems more successfully – without knowing about them could lead to increased levels of anxiety and panic when they do occur. You need to be able to handle the side effects of these medications because the period of the panic attack treatment is long and some patient need to stay on these medications for years .
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