by Amy Hartley

Created on: September 27, 2009

Panic, we all have had it at some time in our life. A car pulls out in front of you on a rainy road and your heart races, you begin to sweat, your breathing becomes shallow and very rapid. These are al signs of panic. Yet for many people panic comes from small triggers and not just dangerous situations.

Panic and anxiety can be very helpful in dangerous situations. When you panic your foot pushes down on the brake of your car your senses become more focused and you react quicker to that car that has pulled out in front of you. This is an appropriate response to this dangerous situation. But imagine being in a panic attack just walking out your door to go to your mailbox. The fear builds as the front door is opened, and the outside surrounds you. Panic disorder is like constantly being in that car on the rainy road with cars pulling out in front of you.

Panic disorders are characterized by irrational fears associated with panic. Fears include ridicule from peers, unable to get out of places, large crowds, and many others. These fears are irrational because the person experiencing them believes they may die if this panic does not cease. Many anxiety prone people will state they feel they are going to die. From what? That is why the fears are irrational. A crowded place can not harm you, if people ridicule you will this kill you. The answer is no, but try to convince an agoraphobic that being out of their comfortable zone is okay.

Panic attacks also elicit a secondary response from their victims. The disorder sufferer will avoid situations where they have had anxiety. Sometimes just thinking about the place or situation they had an anxiety attack will elicit anxiety. This merry go round of emotions then represses the persons want or need to go in possible stressful situations.

Genetics can be linked to the causes of excessive anxiety and panic. The exact science is not known but it has been noted that a child is more likely to suffer an anxiety disorder if their biological mother of father had an anxiety disorder. This may also point to anxiety being a learned behavior in some situations. Immersion therapy is an appropriate treatment for genetics or learned behavior as the cause of anxiety. This therapy begins with finding the anxiety provoking situations and putting the person in those situations very slowly . The point of this therapy is to provoke small panic attacks and help the person to realize the anxiety will not kill them. The person is to stay at the panic attack place until the anxiety improves. They gradually increase panic provoking situations and learn to deal with these is a correct manner.

Chemical imbalances can also cause or worsen already existing anxiety. That is where medications can sometimes help. SSNRI can effect the chemicals that keep mood in balance. Serotonin and nor-epinephrine are the feel good chemicals in the brain that. These medications inhibit the re-uptake of these substances so that more substance is available for the brain to use. The increase of these chemicals available to the brain in active form improves depression and decreases anxiety.

Living with these panic episodes can be very scary. Treatment at the earliest stages is essential. If medications and therapy are initiated and followed correctly most panic and anxiety disorders can be improved although never resolved.

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