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The first thing you should do is talk to your family doctor and he or she will decide whether you have a medical problem that is causing these symptoms or whether it is anxiety attacks. There are some medical and psychological conditions that cause anxiety attacks as side-effects. What happens next depends on the severity of the attacks, but generally you would be referred to a specialist - a therapist or counselor.
Before you start looking into treatments for panic attacks, you first need to realise the implications and think very carefully about which route you should take. You first need to be familiar with the symptoms, causes and implications of having a panic attack. Fortunately, panic attacks are not physically harmful in any way and though unpleasant, you can actually live a fairly normal life if you do not suffer from them too frequently.
The first thing you should do is talk to your family doctor and he or she will decide whether you have a medical problem that is causing these symptoms or whether it is anxiety attacks. There are some medical and psychological conditions that cause anxiety attacks as side-effects. What happens next depends on the severity of the attacks, but generally you would be referred to a specialist - a therapist or counselor.
However, if you are suffering frequently from panic attacks and they are becoming extremely detrimental towards your everyday life then you should probably start considering the various options for treatment. The main problem which often causes panic attacks is fear. When you conquer the fear of a possible onset of an anxiety attack, you will then be feeling much better.
The problem with things like panic attacks is that it is generally not something that you want to admit to anyone, even your doctor. However, getting over this is essential and as with any medical or psychological problem, you can be sure that there are highly trained professionals out there who can come to your aid.
Psychiatrists will often be able to help you and since panic attacks are a psychological problem, you may be able to overcome the problem just by talking to a psychiatrist without having to start taking any medications.
There is also the option of medication, which may be required if the problem is particularly severe and you suffer panic attacks frequently. Drugs that have been tested and proven to work effectively against panic attacks are anti-depressants such as sertraline and paroxetine and have also been approved by the general medical community.
There are some other medications on the market, but you will find that the doctor will be able to give you exactly the prescription that you need. It is very important that you stick very close to the recommendations of your doctors since some of the drugs used to treat panic attacks can be severely harmful if taken incorrectly. Certain drugs are more potent than others but the potency of the drug required will be something dealt with by your doctor so make sure that you stay with the given dose.
Panic attacks are not an uncommon problem, but treatment is right around the corner so there is no need to live with them. You just need to get over the fear of asking your doctor for help. There is nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to be embarrassed.