In the definition of panic attack, it can be said that our body is anatomically and physiologically healthy, but the functioning is stimulated in different ways with false alarms. In other words, the distress caused by unnecessary defensive training is caused by automatic thoughts that are wrong in perception, such as anxiety, restlessness, uneasiness, anxiety, anxiety, fear, tension or whatever you name it. These thoughts must be changed and the associated avoidance behaviors must be treated.
The most important thing in a panic attack begins with distinguishing the disease from other medical diseases. This is achieved through examinations under the supervision of a medical doctor and the initiation of appropriate treatment after the examination. Patients may generally have previously applied to an internal medicine or surgery doctor, or after being examined by a psychiatrist, they either ask the doctor for the necessary tests or seek support from the relevant branch. Then, if he has therapy-oriented training, he either does it himself or plans the treatment together with a specialist clinical psychologist. The psychiatrist can treat the patient's anxiety in the form of psychotherapy along with appropriate medication. This is necessary for the motivation and healthy conduct of therapy in cases where the patient's anxiety is at a very high level. If a psychologist is consulted, it is necessary for the psychologist to provide treatment with a consultant psychiatrist for the safety of the patient. For example, conditions such as goiter disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, asthma attack, interaction or side effects of the drugs used; Any medical illness may be missed because it will be confused with panic attack symptoms such as palpitations, tremors, shortness of breath, numbness, headache, and chest pain. Apart from this, doctor support should be sought in cases where anxiety increases and drug therapy is not required and therapy conditions cannot be created.
Medication Use in Panic Attacks
Antidepressants and anxiolytics are used as anxiolytics in panic attacks. Some medications are used. These drugs vary depending on the patient's age, gender, work status and, if any, their use with other drugs used due to another disease.
Appropriate drug selection is determined by increasing the dose from the initial dose to the treatment dose to minimize side effects. is provided. Anxiety causes weight gain in some patients and weight loss in others. These should also be taken into consideration when choosing medication. If the job he/she is doing is a job that requires attention, this situation should be asked to the patient when choosing the medication. If there is alcohol-substance intake, pregnancy, breastfeeding, liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases, the appropriate medication should be chosen.
While antidepressants show their effects within an average of two weeks to a month, side effects are very rare after the first weeks. is seen. In drug treatment, the drug must be used for a sufficient period of time to prevent resistance to the disease. It is important not to stop the medication before the end of treatment. It must be used for at least four months. Depending on the course of the disease, the drug may need to be used for several years or even for life. The medication is tapered and stopped under doctor's supervision. Otherwise, drug withdrawal effects due to sudden discontinuation may be observed. These are symptoms such as restlessness, dizziness, irritability, and the feeling of recurrence of the disease. Sometimes the possible side effects of the medication may also worry the patient. In this case, one should definitely tell his doctor about the side effects he experiences. Side effects mostly include headache, dizziness, nausea, constipation, palpitations, dry mouth, metallic taste in the mouth, blurred vision, sexual reluctance, and weight gain.
Sexual function side effects include reluctance in women, difficulty in having an orgasm. While it is at the forefront, it can be in the form of sexual reluctance, delayed ejaculation, and erection problems in men. These side effects mostly disappear after the first weeks. If it continues, it can be switched to a medication that has no or minimal side effects on sexual function.
If the anxiety is very serious, some green prescription drugs with anxiolytic (anxiety relieving) properties can be used for a very short time. Later, when the anti-anxiety properties of the antidepressant drug begin to appear, it would be appropriate to discontinue the other drug.
The biggest concern of patients and their relatives in drug treatment is the false belief that antidepressants are addictive. This delays the treatment of patients, causes the disease to progress, and causes resistance to treatment. It can be said that most stomach diseases, skin diseases, and cardiovascular diseases are affected by stressor factors. In this case, the importance of treatment comes to the fore.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Attacks
In this treatment, the patient is given detailed information about how the disease occurs. Then, in order to reduce anxiety, desensitization treatment is applied by using breathing exercises and behavioral action plans, by replacing the automatic wrong thoughts that create anxiety with positive thoughts, or by confronting the event and extinguishing it. Many techniques can be applied as psychotherapy.
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