internet copyright

Recovering from panic attacks may include talking with support groups, 
family, friends, a therapist, or your doctor. In most cases of anxiety, heart 
palpitations and chest pains have nothing to do with heart disease. 
However, you may have difficulty completely eliminating this fear until you 
have had appropriate diagnostic tests. Family and friends who are willing to 
read information on panic disorder can help in many ways:

• Become thoroughly familiar with information about panic disorder and 
  anxiety.

• Do not tell people their fears are silly, that it’s “all in their heads,” or 
  that they’re “not trying hard enough.” Instead, help them understand 
  how an adrenaline rush can make symptoms feel so awful.

• Discuss beliefs that will reduce concerns about symptoms of anxiety. 
  Offer feedback that panic episodes are barely noticeable or 
  information about other family members who have experienced 
  problems with anxiety or depression. This can help people realize 
  that an (inherited) sensitive temperament is a contributing factor.

• Help relabel and reattribute symptoms when a person is not thinking 
  clearly during a panic attack—“You may not have realized how 
  stressful that visit from your mother was.”

• Help people refocus on their breathing, something interesting in their 
  surroundings, or silly trivia questions if sensations of panic start.

• Do not constantly try to divert people’s attention to prevent panic, but 
  encourage them to find out if panic will come and offer reassurance 
  that you will help them refocus if it does.

• Help people “flood out” anxiety by offering to “worry for them” in your 
  silliest Mickey Mouse voice.

• Encourage people to expose themselves to difficult situations and 
  offer to go with them to help them through any panic that occurs.

• Do not suddenly withdraw support, but find clever ways to gradually 
  help people gain confidence in their independence after helping 
  them refocus, float through, and face panic. Let them know you will 
  be in another room, in the yard, at a neighbor’s house or following 
  behind in your car in case you are needed.

FRIENDLY CAUTIONS

• Avoid asking for help from friends and relatives who are pushy, 
  disinterested, inept, or rigid. Attempts to involve them in your 
  recovery or make them change will hinder you.

• Do not argue with people who give you bad advice or try to make 
  them understand. Let them know that you are glad they are 
  concerned and just feedback what they are saying—”So you think it’s 
  silly that I keep driving around the block and that by now I should be 
  able manage downtown traffic. It must be frustrating for you to see 
  me struggle and not be able to fix things for me.” Even if comments 
  are cutting, respond to them as if they had been kind! Then find 
  someone understanding with whom you can talk or write to yourself in 
  a journal.

• Watch out for friends and family who discourage recovery because 
  they benefit from the limitations that panic places on your life. They 
  may be afraid of losing you or need you to be “weak” so they can be 
  strong. As you start to recover, they may become suspicious, 
  jealous, accusatory, irritable, or even start to develop panic 
  themselves!

NATIONAL NETWORKS AND SUPPORT GROUPS

If you are fortunate, you will be able to find one or two people who will give 
you assistance. However, this is not necessary. Many people do fine on 
their own or working with a therapist. You may also be able to find a support 
group in your community. There are national networks, web sites, and 
books that can offer additional assistance:

• TERRAP (Territorial Apprehension) INC., 932 Evelyn Street, Menlo 
  Park, CA 94025 (800-2-PHOBIA) offers a nationwide network for 
  panic disorder and agoraphobia.

• Anxiety Disorder Association of America, 6000 Executive Blvd., Suite 
  513, Rockville, MD 20852, Anxdis@aol.com (301-231-9350) has a 
  newsletter and can provide information about therapists, research, 
  and self-help groups.

• Anxiety-Panic Internet Resource is a self-help network dedicated to 
  overcoming and curing overwhelming anxiety: www.algy.
  com/anxiety/menu.shtml.

• Treat Your Own Panic Disorder reviews self-treatment for panic 
  disorder: http://e2.empirenet.com/~berta/.

• General Internet sites and links: www.athealth.com/, www.cmhc.com.

• Books: From Panic to Power by Lucinda Bassett (HarperCollins, 
  1997).

MEDICATION

Both antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are commonly used in 
the treatment of panic disorder. Antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, 
and Paxil increase serotonin levels in your brain, which makes problems 
less likely to happen without preventing them entirely. In mild cases, the 
herb, Saint-John’s-Wort has been shown to relieve both depression and 
anxiety. Anti-anxiety medication such as Xanax, Valium, and Ativan may 
prevent panic attacks and keep you from learning how to refocus or float 
through reactions. Refocusing and floating actually desensitize anxiety 
triggers. However, medication can be an important part of treatment when:

• Depression is suggested by indecisiveness, withdrawal, and reduced 
  concentration, energy, interest, and pleasure. Often, this is a 
  physiological condition and with current medications, is more 
  treatable than many other illnesses! An antidepressant may be 
  necessary to “jump-start” your body’s chemistry so you can return to 
  your usual level of functioning.

• Reassurance is needed that you can take a pill if you are not able to 
  reduce symptoms on your own. Knowing that you can take anti-
  anxiety medications will ease your mind enough to get through the 
  worst moments of panic. Taking this medication when you are not 
  actually experiencing panic can cause drowsiness. If taken during an 
  episode, anxiety will “absorb” the medication and sleepiness will not 
  occur.

PROFESSIONAL HELP

If thoughts of panic or memories of some of your episodes are 
overwhelming, a therapist can help you reexperience and “work through” 
your anxiety in the office setting. This can give you the confidence to know 
that you can diminish anxiety on your own. By exploring your first, worst, 
and most recent panic attacks with a therapist, you may discover the origin 
of your problem and make real strides in changing your reactions. 
Therapists can also identify and treat any depression, obsession, or social 
phobia that is contributing to your problems.