Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia

One of the effects of chronic panic attacks is agoraphobia. It makes sense. You fear the onset of another panic attack to such a degree that, in the end, it’s easier just to stay at home. That way there will be no embarrassing episodes in shopping malls or cinemas. Besides, these days, who needs to leave home to do the shopping or watch a movie? Ordering online comes with home delivery and it’s more comfortable to watch films on your home cinema with the fridge just a few steps away.
 
Well, that’s fine if this is a choice you are making voluntarily. Ordering online saves loads of time and a film at home is very convenient but going out is fun too. Dressing up, meeting friends and changing your surroundings for a while is relaxing and refreshing. So, if you stay at home all the time because you dread going out of your front door, then your life is not as full as it could be and you are missing out.
 
Agoraphobia is defined as excessive worry about having a panic attack in a public place. The word ‘agora’ in Greek means market place and ‘phobia’ means fear so the word literally means fear of the market place. It is not limited to supermarkets of course. Any public place, usually crowded, such as sports events or public transport, can trigger fear and panic and thus become places to be avoided at all costs.This avoidance behavior then impacts all aspects of life – not only socially but also professionally and personally. There are cases of people being totally housebound for years, completely dependent on others for their daily needs. Obviously, this is no way to live and the good news is that agoraphobia can be treated successfully.
 

There are very few cases of agoraphobia that are not preceded by a panic disorder. Therefore, treatment for the former is firstly treatment of the latter. Similarly, treatment of panic disorder will prevent agoraphobia from developing. If you find yourself starting to avoid certain situations for no good reason, don’t. Make yourself go there, if not alone then with someone you trust. The more you shun a place or situation, the more you imagine it to take on qualities it simply does not have.

 If it’s already too late for that, then there are treatment options. There is no general panacea as everyone has arrived at their panic disorder via different routes so the best bet is a treatment plan designed for the individual. While there are disagreements as to which course is best, it is generally believed that a combination of medication, psychotherapy and diet and lifestyle changes are the most effective. 

 

Panic Attacks – How to Help Yourself

Once you have decided to get help for panic attacks, your treatment will consist of various therapies – either medical, psychological, alternative or a mixture of them. In the meanwhile, there are many things you can do at home to help the process along. It is also worth trying the following before you seek treatment from experts – these changes in lifestyle may be all you need to know about how to overcome a panic attack.

Alcohol, caffeine and illegal drugs can be triggers for panic attacks and anxiety disorders as well as make the symptoms worse. Your first step should be to avoid these stimulants in order for your body to be able to regain its natural equilibrium.

 Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, breathing exercises and guided visualization are a vital part of many treatment processes. Don’t dismiss them as new wave theories as they have been proven to work wonders in learning how to deal with panic attack symptoms as well as preventing a full blown attack if you feel the beginning of one.

 Sleep is an important part of treatment regimes. Unfortunately, a lot of people who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety disorders also have disrupted sleep patterns. If you are worried about something, it is difficult to get a good night’s sleep but when our bodies are tired and our minds don’t get the benefit of the restoration quality sleep brings, then we are much more vulnerable to panic attacks. Our physical and mental defences are down and we are more prone to diseases and conditions.

 Make sure you drink the required amount of water every day – most experts agree that this means a minimum of 8 glasses daily. If we are dehydrated, our bodies react by releasing chemicals into the bloodstream which lead to anxiety.

 We are what we eat. This is true for everybody but even more so if you suffer from panic attacks. There are foods which are alkaline – tomatoes, avocadoes and green vegetables – and there foods which are acidic – sweets, alcohol, saturated fats, meats, dairy products etc. A diet comprising 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic ones is considered ideal for maintaining an optimal Ph level which in turn affects everything the body does – in fact, if the Ph level is not slightly alkaline it cannot assimilate the vitamins and minerals necessary to heal itself.

Unfortunately, nowadays we tend to eat too many acidic foods. Thus, the body will try to make the acidic Ph level more alkaline by using alkaline minerals and, if there are not enough of these in our diets, then acidosis, or a build up of acids in the cells, will result. This leads to a host of problems including low energy and chronic fatigue, depression, lack of joy and enthusiasm and the tendency to stress easily.

Other things you can do to help yourself is to take up some form of exercise. It doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous – walking is an ideal way to start.

Also, knowing you are not alone in suffering from panic attacks can do a great deal to improve your state of mind so consider joining a support group. Nowadays, you can do this without leaving home as there are numerous on-line groups out there. Find one that you like and the suggestions and shared experiences you find there will help you feel that you are not alone.

Finally, positive thinking when you feel your first anxious thoughts coming to the fore may be enough to nip a panic attack in the bud. This will take some practice but many find it a valuable skill.