I’ve been talking about panic attacks a lot, often quoting anxiety or stress as one of the root causes. It would be helpful at this point to define the different terms and establish the proper relationship between panic attacks and anxiety.

What is a Panic Attack?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a panic attack as:

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There might be times when you feel that a panic attack is so severe that you need immediate relief. Panic relief is available through the use of anxiety medication, but it’s vital that you’re aware of the pros and cons before you consider the use of drugs.

These are the broad classes of medication aimed at providing stress and panic relief:

• Tranquilizers – Also known as anti-anxiety drugs, they work by slowing down the nervous system. They’re quite fast acting and can produce a calming effect within half an hour. The most common class of drugs in this category is “Benzodiazepines” whose examples include “Xanax” and “Valium.” Although they are the most widely prescribed group of drugs for panic relief purposes, there are some significant disadvantages to their use. Improper dosage can cause over-sedation and create side effects like drowsiness, depression, feeling drunk/hangover, etc. Continued reliance on these drugs (over 4 months of regular usage) can cause addiction, and if the patient tries to stop taking the medication they usually experience severe physical withdrawal symptoms.
• Antidepressants – Some of the drugs primarily intended for depression treatment are also used as anti-anxiety medication. However, they’re designed to act gradually over time and their slow-acting nature means they would be of no use in combating immediate panic attacks. Their major advantage over tranquilizers is the fact that they are not as easy to become addicted to and have milder withdrawal effects. However, mild symptoms are present whenever you stop taking them.
• Beta Blockers – These are a type of medication used for high-blood-pressure patients but are prescribed “off-label” as anxiety medication. Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of a particular stress hormone involved in the “fight/flight” response, and subdue the physical symptoms of nervousness such as rapid heart rate, sweating etc. They do nothing to calm the emotional aspects of a panic attack such as fear or worry over the triggering impulse. For this reason, beta blockers are used when triggers are already identified.

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Panic attack remedies and cures fall into two categories: drugs or medical treatments, and natural remedies for panic attacks.

Drugs or medical treatments

Sometimes panic attacks are so severe that you want instant relief. Drugs and medicines can offer such relief, but they often have a variety of side effects, and can only be prescribed by a physician. Most of the time, people can cure themselves of panic attacks by using natural remedies and solutions, but insist on medication because they’re ignorant of such remedies.

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