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There are thousands of people who suffer many forms of panic disorder who live in total isolation and fear with no one to understand or relate to the misery they are going through. Here is an individual who has been through the frightening experience and come out the other side, free of panic disorder and wishes to relate her story to help others to break free from the panic and anxiety symptoms they are suffering in their lives.

“I felt like I was standing in the middle of a freeway with cars attacking me from either side”. That’s how 27 year old Susan felt whenever she was about to suffer panic attack symptoms while trying to leave her home. Susan suffered from one of the most common of all disorder phobias, agoraphobia. Anxiety brought on by not having a connection with a safe person or place.

Just the thought of leaving her home would bring on a panic attack. “One moment you feel fine, the next moment you feel as though you are going to die,” she says. “Physically my heart would start pounding, I would get a sickening feeling in my stomach and a sensation that I was about to faint.”

For Susan these were the symptoms of a full blown phobia. She now can go out of the house because she overcame her phobia. Now she’s out visiting people, trying to help those still stuck inside.

“You need to recognize the panic attack symptoms,” says Susan “If a panic attack comes on, be aware of what it is. You’ve had them before, so you know you are not going to die although, you think you are at the time. Recognition is the key.”

Panic attacks are unexpected occurrences of acute fear that develops without any obvious explanation or origin causing certain reactions. It frequently boils down to fear of losing control and the humiliation of what would happen

“Panic attack sufferers are usually hard on them-selves, but you shouldn’t be, you can overcome your panic disorder” says Susan. “You need to understand your symptoms and causes and how to overcome them.”

There is no getting round it – panic attacks are horrendous and can leave you feeling confused, depressed and absolutely isolated. It may not feel like it but you are not alone – innumerable people suffer from these attacks and, like you, are asking questions such as ‘why is this happening to me?‘. They are seeking panic help but do not know where to find it.

Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?

Panic attacks are the result of a build up of tension and anxiety. Perhaps you have been through a traumatic experience which caused you obvious stress but somehow your body ‘forgot’ to switch off and continued in its stress mode. This build-up of adrenalin (the hormone responsible for your body’s anxiety response) being produced when it isn’t needed can cause an over-reaction of panic symptoms that leads your body to react physically and mentally. Your heart starts racing and your throat tightens which makes it difficult for you to breathe. You start to shake and tremble – in fact it’s as if you are being faced with an immense trauma when there is absolutely no real reason for it. Your body has no control and it gets so bad that you believe you are going mad or even that you are dying.

Some people suffer one attack and then never have another one; others have repeated episodes and this is then diagnosed as panic disorder. Remember that this is through no fault of your own – it is an illness that many people suffer from but it is an illness with a very high rate of recovery.

Where To Find the Answers You Need

If you suffer from panic issues then the first thing to do is to seek professional help. Your local doctor can refer you to a specialist who is trained in treating illnesses that have panic as a major symptom. They will either prescribe medication, therapy or a combination of both.

Professional assistance, however, is not the only way to get panic help. Numerous sites on the web have different programmes you can follow which may give you the added boost you need when following any professional advice. Perhaps the thought of taking medication scares you as you know about the inevitable side effects and withdrawal symptoms. If this is so then a sensible treatment to consider could be holistic medicine where all remedies are natural and do not ravage the body. As well as the web there are also many self-help books which give tips and remedies on controlling panic and the resulting physical effects.

It must be remembered that each person suffering from panic attacks is a case unique to themselves and therefore each one should be treated differently. No matter what method you try be it drugs, therapy, homeopathy or some other alternative way, the answers are out there. People are always ready to help you if you take the plunge and ask. Seek background knowledge either from books, pamphlets, or on the net. Then armed with this information you will know more about all the options open to you.