Lets just refresh our memories of the medical causes of anxiety disorder. Before you blame stress for your difficulties consider this list of possible causes associated with panic/ anxiety disorders:
Hypothroidism: Overactive thyroid gland
Hypoglyccaemia: Low blood sugar levels
Thyrotoxicosis: Excessive thyroid hormone in the blood.
Caffeinism : Overuse of Caffeine
Daibetes mellitus: Disturbed insulin imbalance
Depression: Serious mood disorder
High Blood pressure: hypertension and elevated pressure in arteries
Cerebral arteriosclerosis: Hardening of arteries inside the brain
Hyperventilation : a disturbance of regular breathing.
Mitral valve prolapse: a common disorder of a heart valve
To overcome panic attacks its important to do the following:
- Look for the primary cause- biological , psychological behavioural
- Remember that achieving a reduction in the symptoms of panic is one step towards a final cure. Persist with the treatment prescribed for you.
- Address the larger stress picture in your life at the moment and for the past.
- Learn the principles of correct breathing.
- Lear and practice deep muscle relaxation.
- Get your GP to prescribe a course of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for you.
- Work hard at changing how you think, challenge your irrational beliefs.
- Avoid exercise as this makes you more panic much more. Choose exercise that's less aerobic.
- Avoid seriousness, try to be less intense in conversation,crack a joke or watch a funny DVD or listen to calming music.
- Avoid foods or additives which seem to make your symptoms worse. Keep a diary of your diet each day and also record each panic attack so as you can monitor the food -panic association.
- Stress avoidance: Think carefully want causes you stress and then develop a plan to choose alternatives to the problem. Close friends will help you with this.
- Avoid alcohol & smoking.: Alcoholism a depressant and causes harm to your internal physiological system, it makes a panic attack worse as does smoking.