Panic Attack Medication
People with a panic disorder have panic attacks that cause debilitating symptoms that often cause great stress and discomfort. This condition is usually treated with therapy and medication. Therapy involves changing thinking and behavior, and medication also aids rehabilitation. Panic attacks occur less frequently if both therapy and medication are combined compared to only using therapy or medication.
Panic attacks can be treated and controlled with several kinds of medication. The severity and frequency of attacks can be reduced, along with the attendant anxiety.
There are several effective medications that will treat panic attacks like Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI).
SRRI are a type of drug (antidepressant) that is often used to fight depression. It is based on neurotransmitters, which is used by brain nerves for message sending. These are then released and replaced but the medicine, ‘reuptaked’ so that they aren’t taken over anymore
SSRIs prevent serotinin from being reuptaken, which makes it more capable of spreading around to other nerves. Before SSRIs existed, TCAs (tricyclic anti-depressants) were used instead, but SSRIs have been proven safer.
It’s true that when carefully taken and monitored medications can go a long way in helping someone who has a panic disorder. However, there is also the very real possibility of some debilitating side effects, so the question has to be asked if this is really the best treatment of choice. It’s important to work closely with the doctor, and pregnant women need to stay away from this type of medication altogether.
The FDA has approved several drugs from the benzodiazepine family to treat panic attacks and panic disorders, such as Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, and Ativan. All of these drugs reduce nervous tension and anxiety, and are meant to treat acute symptoms. This is unlike SSRI drugs, which are meant to be taken each day.
After you begin to take anxiety medications, your symptoms should improve, but it will take several weeks. If you don’t see improvement in six to eight weeks, you should consult your physician about a higher dose or a different medication. Once you begin taking antianxiety medication, you will need to continue for a year or more, and may find that you can gradually decrease the dosage over a period of several weeks after that time.
Sometimes after the medications have been decreased, the individual might experience panic attacks again. In that case the medication might have to be continued for at least a few more months. Some individuals might need to stay on medications for a long time to keep symptoms under control.
